Refurb For Palace?

The £150m refurbishment for Buckingham Palace may force the Queen to move out.

18:54 24 June 2015

The Buckingham Palace will undergo £150m overhaul and this may force the Queen to move out while various repairs are carried out. Among the top priorities are new plumbing and wiring as well as asbestos removal. The palace has not been redecorated since 1952. 

 

"One option is for the palace to be vacated. We're getting experts to look at these scenarios and cost them for us," said the royal source.

 

"The initial estimate for the refurbishment of Buckingham Palace looks like £150m refurbishment.

"That depends on how you go about refurbishment, whether you do it in parts or the whole thing (at once)."

 

The news of the £150m overhaul came following the release of the royal accounts showing that the monarchy has cost the taxpayer £35.7million for the second year running. The figures also show an increase in the cost of travel for the royal household, which amounted to £5.1million. 

 

The royal source added that the monarchy could expect an annual funding cut if plans for further Scottish devolution are approved. 

 

A UK Treasury spokesman said: "Scottish taxpayers will continue to fund a full and fair share of the sovereign grant.

 

"The grant will not be adversely affected by devolution - under the Sovereign Grant Act it cannot be reduced."

 

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "There would be no change in Scotland's contribution to the Sovereign Grant through general taxation."