London —
When the British royal family ramps up the pomp and pageantry to mark moments of national importance, Buckingham Palace often provides the perfect backdrop.
But it has also been the official London residence of the sovereign since 1837. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to live in Buckingham Palace, moving in when she came to the throne nearly 200 years ago.
Despite spending considerable time at their various country retreats, from Windsor Castle outside London, to Balmoral in Scotland, every subsequent monarch has kept Buckingham Palace as their primary residence. Until now.
It was revealed last week that King Charles III is breaking with this tradition as he and his wife, Queen Camilla, will not be moving into the palace when a 10-year renovation program costing £369 million ($488 million) wraps up next year.
