Prince Charles' home is falling down. Well, not really, but Clarence House will require extensive renovations in 2020, and it looks like British taxpayers will be footing the bill.
Clarence House has been home to the royal family for nearly two centuries. It was originally built between 1825 and 1827 for Prince William Henry, Duke of Clarence. The Queen Mother lived in the home from 1953 to 2002, and Queen Elizabeth herself lived there with Prince Philip following their marriage in 1947.
Reports are circling that claim "Royal staff have applied for permission to carry out an urgent ‘major repair programme’ on Clarence House, which dates from the early 19th Century. The works will be paid for from the Government’s annual Sovereign Grant to the Queen, set at £86 million next year."
The Sovereign Grant is a payment the royal family receives each year to fund their official duties. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle infamously faced backlash earlier this year when they were accused of using the fund to renovate their own home, Frogmore Cottage.
Clarence House is nearly two centuries old, which is pretty remarkable in and of itself. Prince Charles and Camilla live there, along with their staff and the entire royal household. Charles and Camilla refurbished and redecorated the home before moving in together, and Charles renovated the home extensively when he moved in back in 2002.
Use of the Sovereign Grant is seen as valid, since the home is open for tours throughout the month of August, when visitors can register for a tour spot. Visitors to Clarence House can tour five rooms with a guide. The home is described as "the last remaining great London house to be maintained in the purpose for which it was built."
This is far from the first time a member of the royal family has requested to access the Sovereign Grant for home repairs. Prince William and Kate Middleton reportedly spent over $5 million when they moved into their home, Kensington Palace. Kate and William had to fund any renovations that were deemed too expensive or unnecessary themselves, but the bulk of the changes were paid for by the grant.
The renovations for Kensington Palace included "turning the existing offices into an apartment for the Duke and Duchess and updating the electrical services, heating and air, removing asbestos, and redecorating."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle caused a bit of an uproar when it was revealed that, like members of the royal family before them, they too were using part of the grant to renovate Frogmore Cottage before moving in.
The renovations to Frogmore Cottage were fairly extensive since the home had not been lived in for many years. A source told People, "The heating systems were outdated and inefficient and were not to the environmental standards that we would expect today. The electrical system also needed to be substantially replaced and rewired, even extending to the establishment of a separate upgraded electrical substation, which was in addition to the main works on the property. And new gas and water mains had to be introduced to the property, replacing the five separate links that were there for the property before and were in a bad state of repair."
Harry and Meghan's renovations cost the British taxpayers $3 million. Like Prince William and Kate Middleton, Harry and Meghan paid for parts of the process themselves, including decorations, decor, and personal touches. The source continued, "All fixtures and fittings were paid for by their Royal Highnesses. Curtains, furnishings — all that would be paid separately, paid privately."
The planning documents for Clarence House are considered "extensive." They include "'substantial repairs' required on the north side of the mansion in St James’s. A heritage statement says that ‘areas of the render are failing and there are cracks and damage to decorative moulding."
The documents go on to say that "If the works are not carried out, the render will continue to fail and eventually the appearance of the building will be compromised. The failure of the render could also compromise the underlying structure leading to more substantial issues."
Prince Charles has lived in Clarence House since 2002, and he and Camilla also divide their time between the home and Highgrove House, Birkhall, and their Welsh home, Llwynywermod. Clarence House is said to still include many of the touches that were added by the Queen Mother when she lived here.
