The Prince of Wales is to open up the royal palaces when he becomes king, giving the public greater access to the monarch’s official and private homes.
Charles is planning to transform the royal residences from “private spaces to public places”. Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Balmoral, Sandringham and Clarence House will all open more widely for longer periods of the year.
Charles, 72, has started consulting the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other members of the royal family about his plans to increase public access to the palaces while retaining them as homes. The Queen, 95, is understood to be aware of the plans. A royal source said: “The direction of travel is about greater opening-up of palaces and residences.”