Prince Charles wants royal palaces to go from ‘private spaces to public places’ when he is king – report

Prince Charles is keen to give people more access to royal palaces when he becomes king, it has been reported.

The Prince of Wales wants Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, Windsor Castle, Sandringham and Balmoral to go from “private spaces to public places”, The Sunday Times says.

Before the coronavirus pandemic forced their closure, parts of the royal residences were open to the public, but some only at certain times of the year.

The heir to the throne is understood to want more of them to open more widely and for longer periods during the year.

A consultation involving the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other royals is underway, the paper reports.

Buckingham Palace and its gardens are among the spaces that may be opened throughout the year when Charles becomes king, including when he is staying there, it says.

In April, for the first time ever, tickets to picnic on Buckingham Palace’s lawns were made available with the Royal Collection Trust (RCT) forced to temporarily stop taking new bookings due to high demand.

Before the coronavirus pandemic forced their closure, parts of the royal residences were open to the public, but some only at certain times of the year.

The heir to the throne is understood to want more of them to open more widely and for longer periods during the year.

A consultation involving the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other royals is underway, the paper reports.

Buckingham Palace and its gardens are among the spaces that may be opened throughout the year when Charles becomes king, including when he is staying there, it says.

In April, for the first time ever, tickets to picnic on Buckingham Palace’s lawns were made available with the Royal Collection Trust (RCT) forced to temporarily stop taking new bookings due to high demand.

Thousands logged on to the website of the charity, which organises public access to a number of royal residences, hoping to take part in a self-guided garden tour.

Buckingham Palace’s state rooms usually open every summer and feature a themed exhibition, with thousands going through its doors.

It’s been cancelled for a second year due to the pandemic but more self-guided garden tours have been announced from July to September.

The public will once again get the chance to wander through 39 acres of gardens in the heart of London that are usually private.

The landscape dates back to the 1820s when George IV turned Buckingham House into a palace.

Today, the RCT says it is home to a rich biodiverse habitat, with more than 1,000 trees and 320 different wildflowers and grasses.

From May to September, the palace will also be opened up, with small guided tours allowing people to see many of its magnificent state rooms, decorated with treasures from the Royal collection.

From July, access to the garden will be included in the visit.