The Queen may never live in Buckingham Palace again, a report says
- The Queen has permanently moved out of Buckingham Palace, The Sunday Times reported.
- The Queen has lived at Windsor Castle since the UK first went into lockdown in March 2020.
Queen Elizabeth II has permanently moved out of her London residence, Buckingham Palace, The Sunday Times reported.
The monarch chose to self-isolate at Windsor Castle, located just outside London, when the UK first went into lockdown in March 2020. At the time, there was no indication from the palace that it would be a permanent move, but the Queen has remained there ever since.
Roya Nikkhah, The Times' royal editor, said the Queen had decided to make Windsor her "forever home" and would undertake future royal engagements at Windsor Castle instead of at Buckingham Palace.
"Windsor is the place she loves. She has her memories with Prince Philip there, she has her ponies there and family nearby. It makes sense," Hugo Vickers, a royal author, told The Sunday Times.
The relocation may be a result of the renovation work that have taken place at Buckingham Palace since 2017, suggested Richard Palmer, a royal correspondent at the Daily Express.
Although the monarch originally intended to remain at the palace through the 10-year refurbishment, the pandemic allowed her to reconsider where she felt most comfortable, Palmer reported.
The renovations are expected to cost $500 million, British Heritage reported.
The palace has served as the royal family's official residence since 1837 and is considered the administrative headquarters of the monarch, the royal website said. It has 775 rooms, including 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms, the website added.
The London residence is still expected to host a number of events in honor of the Queen's platinum-jubilee weekend in June, including the Trooping the Colour parade and the BBC Platinum Party at the Palace.
Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.