'I don’t think it was ever loved' – the complicated relationship between Buckingham Palace and the Royal Family

Clarence House where King Charles and Queen Camilla live is a stone's throw from Buckingham Palace, but this remains one of the most iconic and best-known of all the royal residences. It's been the principal royal residence since 1837, when Queen Victoria became the first monarch to move in.

However, it allegedly might not have truly ever felt like home to many royals. As rumors swirl suggesting the Prince and Princess of Wales might not move in even after they become King and Queen, experts are starting to speculate if it’s time to "redefine" Buckingham Palace.

According to The Telegraph, royal historian and biographer Robert Lacey offered, "I don’t think it was ever loved. If you read what kings have said in their diaries, it was always seen as an office."

He added that it could be time "to redefine the palace", but believes it doesn’t take away from the importance of the building.

Robert said, “The point is it is now a working office building. And people don’t live in their office. There used to be a time when you could look at the balcony and see everybody waving on it and say who are those people?"

"One of the changes is that now when you see them on the balcony they are all working royals. They are standing on the balcony of the official headquarters. The King does go to work there," he continued. "The fact that he lives down the Mall in Clarence House where he has lived for many years and goes into the office every day, I don’t think that diminishes the significance of Buckingham Palace one jot."

The author added, "It still remains the headquarters, and it will never lose its ceremonial dimension."

"Buckingham Palace will always have a special place in royal history and is strongly associated with the British Royal Family in the eyes of many people," says woman&home's Royal Editor, Emma Shacklock. "Even if King Charles never permanently moves in and neither does Prince William in the future, it's a symbol of the monarchy in many ways and I don't think it will stop people visiting."

Visitors regularly flock to take pictures outside the gates, though even Queen Elizabeth might not have been the biggest Buckingham Palace fan.

Royal author Hugh Vickers, per The Telegraph, supposedly claimed, "There are these long corridors. And it’s very bleak in so many ways. The Queen didn’t want to go there but Churchill made her; she was much happier to stay at Clarence House."

"The garden is overlooked by the Hilton and various other buildings. The King and Queen in the past would have had much more privacy."

Queen Elizabeth's uncle, King Edward VIII, is also said to have complained about "the gloom of Buckingham Palace."

Despite apparently receiving some slightly less favorable reviews from past residents, Buckingham Palace has had its merits for the Royal Family over the years. In 1993, Queen Elizabeth II opened it to the public for the first time in history.

The money raised helped go towards the restoration of Windsor Castle following the 1992 fire, and it still continues to be a lucrative asset, with the Royal Collection Trust’s annual report revealing that 683,000 people paid to visit in 2024-25.