Buckingham Palace set to be 'shrine to Queen' as Charles plans to stray from royal norms

Buckingham Palace could reportedly become a “shrine” to the Queen as it’s claimed Prince Charles is considering a “flat-above-the-shop” living situation there.

• The Queen hasn’t lived in her London home for many months but Buckingham Palace has long been associated her as the monarch.
• It’s claimed that it could become “some kind of shrine” to Her Majesty whilst Prince Charles opts for a more "modest" living situation there.
• This royal news comes as we revealed the Queen’s early morning sweet snack is very pricey.

Since Queen Victoria came to the throne Buckingham Palace has been the principle royal residence of the British monarchy. Throughout much of the Queen’s extraordinary 70-year reign she’s lived at her London home, travelling to her countryside residences like Sandringham in Norfolk and Balmoral in Scotland for breaks away. In recent months, however, rumours have suggested the Queen will “never live at Buckingham Palace again” after she’s spent most of the past two years at Windsor Castle.

Despite this, Buckingham Palace and the Queen continue to have a strong association in the eyes of many. So much so, that it’s been suggested that the palace could become a “shrine” one day…

Opening up to OK!, royal author Duncan Larcombe expressed his belief that Buckingham Palace could become a "reminder" of the monarch's reign when the Queen dies.

“Buckingham Palace is so closely associated with the reign of Elizabeth the Second, so it may well turn into some kind of shrine,” he claimed to the publication. “The public appetite for it would be enormous, and it’d be brilliant.”

Duncan went on to suggest that it might be “logical” for Charles to live elsewhere when he becomes king, despite Buckingham Palace traditionally being the monarch’s primary home. 

The author alleged, “It’s the logical thing to do, and it can still be guarded by police when the American President visits. And the Royal Family can still appear on the balcony. You don’t need a member of the monarchy to actually be in residence for the palace to be attractive. And I think, therefore, it would leave it very much as a reminder of the Queen’s incredible reign.”

Exactly where the Prince of Wales might live when he ascends to the throne remains to be seen. However, reports have suggested that if he does move to Buckingham Palace in the future, it will be more of a work base for him.

As reported by the Mail on Sunday, a friend of Charles is said to have explained that Charles could have a more “modest” living situation there instead of maintaining grand living quarters as some might expect for a monarch.

“Despite what everybody thinks about him not wanting to live there, he will certainly have accommodation there – but it will be a much more modest flat-above-the-shop situation akin to that of the Prime Minister at Downing Street,” they alleged. 

“Both the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall are very practical and see that the reigning Monarch must live at Buckingham Palace, otherwise it would become like Hampton Court' – a visitor attraction rather than a working royal palace.”

So whilst Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla might move into Buckingham Palace one day, they could supposedly use it as more of a low-key official home whilst they carry out duties.

Either way, this historic building remains an iconic residence that will forever hold precious memories of the Queen for many fans.