Primary Residence: Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace serves as the official London residence and administrative headquarters of the British monarch. The building has 775 rooms, including 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms. It is located in the City of Westminster, with the famous balcony facing The Mall. The State Rooms are open to visitors during the summer months when the monarch is at Balmoral. The Palace remains a working royal palace where the King carries out official duties, hosts state visits, and holds investitures. The Royal Collection Trust manages the art and furnishings within the palace. For more details on the Palace's history and operations, visit Royal Collection Trust.
The Palace covers an area of 40 acres and includes the Royal Mews, the Queen's Gallery, and the Palace Chapel. The Changing of the Guard ceremony takes place daily during summer and every other day in winter. The building was originally built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham and became a royal palace in 1826 under George IV. The flag flying from the Palace flagpole indicates the King's presence. The Palace is protected by the Household Division and the Metropolitan Police. The annual cost of maintaining the royal palaces is funded through the Sovereign Grant, which is calculated as a percentage of the Crown Estate's profits. The Crown Estate is a public corporation managed independently of the monarch. For more on the Crown Estate's financial structure, see Crown Estate.
Other Official London Residences
St James's Palace remains the senior royal palace and the official court of the Sovereign. It is the ceremonial residence where foreign ambassadors are accredited to the Court of St James's. The Palace houses the offices of several members of the royal family and is the location for many official receptions and ceremonies. Clarence House, adjacent to St James's Palace, serves as the London residence of the King and Queen Consort when they are in London. It was the residence of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from 1953 until her death in 2002. The building is open to the public for guided tours during the winter months. For more information on royal residences, visit Royal.uk.
Kensington Palace is another official royal residence in London, used by members of the royal family including the Prince and Princess of Wales. The Palace is managed by Historic Royal Palaces, an independent charity that also looks after the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace. The King's Gallery at Kensington Palace displays works from the Royal Collection. The Palace has been a royal residence since the 17th century and was the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria. Kensington Palace is open to the public as a museum and visitor attraction. For more on Historic Royal Palaces, see Historic Royal Palaces.
Security and Public Access
The security of the King's London residences involves a combination of the Metropolitan Police, the Royal and Diplomatic Protection Command, and the Household Division. The Palace has extensive CCTV systems, vehicle barriers, and armed police presence. The public areas of Buckingham Palace are protected by a multi-layered security perimeter. The Royal Guards at the Palace are drawn from five regiments of the Household Division. The security arrangements for royal residences are reviewed regularly by government and police authorities. The cost of royal security is funded partly by the Metropolitan Police budget and partly by the Sovereign Grant. For more on the Metropolitan Police structure, visit Metropolitan Police.
Public access to the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace is available during the summer opening season,