The palace confirmed in the Sovereign Grant report released June 25 that the 77-year-old King and 78-year-old Queen will not take up residence at Buckingham Palace when the Reservicing Programme concludes in 2027. Officials say the building will remain the ceremonial centre and primary workplace for the Royal Household while opening more widely to the public.
Work began in April 2017 in a phased plan to replace boilers, electrical systems, cabling, water tanks and pipes — some infrastructure untouched since the 1950s. The project, budgeted at $487 million and spread over ten years, has kept the palace operational; the 2026–27 Sovereign Grant was set at $182 million to fund the final year.