Queen Camilla has allegedly stirred tension within Buckingham Palace after asking King Charles III to include a new library as part of the ongoing $750 million renovation project.
The £369 million (approximately AUD $751 million) refurbishment of the monarchs’ official London residence began in 2017 and is expected to take about ten years to complete.
Funded through a temporary increase in the Sovereign Grant, the project is aimed at modernizing outdated 1950s electrical and plumbing systems, reducing the risk of fire and flooding, and ensuring the palace’s functionality for decades to come.
A Palace Without a Library
Despite its 755 rooms, Buckingham Palace has not had a library since King George IV donated the King’s Library to the British Museum in the early 19th century — a fact Queen Camilla is reportedly determined to change.
“Books and reading have always been central to Camilla’s life, and she thinks it’s ridiculous that the monarch’s residence doesn’t include a library,” a palace insider told Radar Online. “She’s made it clear to Charles that this is her single, most important request.”
King Charles “Irritated Beyond Belief”
However, King Charles is said to be less than pleased with the idea. According to the same source, “The size and expense of the renovation are already weighing heavily on him, and her demand for an additional room drives him to distraction.”
