King Charles to Quit Buckingham Palace, Reveals Tax Payments

King Charles III will not return to live at Buckingham Palace once an extensive decade-long renovation is complete, royal officials have confirmed. The monarch has decided to remain permanently at his long-standing London residence, Clarence House.

The decision brings to a close a tradition spanning nearly two centuries, during which Buckingham Palace has served as the principal residence of British monarchs, since 1837.

The palace, whose aging infrastructure and utility systems will cost £369m ($486m) to repair, will nonetheless remain the official "seat of the monarchy" for state visits and ceremonial events. Neither the king nor the late Queen Elizabeth II has spent the night there since 2019. The landmark, which attracts 700,000 visitors annually, is also set to become more accessible to the public.

As part of a commitment to greater financial transparency, the royal palace has published the monarch's exact tax figures for the first time. Although King Charles is not legally required to pay taxes, he voluntarily paid £12.9m ($17m) in taxes on his private income during the 2024–2025 tax year, placing him among the top 100 taxpayers in Britain.

Since ascending to the throne in 2022, he has paid more than £30m ($40m) to the state in total. Prince William also disclosed similar tax figures, having paid £7.76m ($10.2m) during the same period.

(Reuters, Max)