Big changes are on the horizon for King Charles’s London residence, Buckingham Palace, as it prepares for the weekend.
In anticipation of the upcoming transition to British Summer Time, clocks from the Royal Collection will be reinstated in the Yellow Drawing Room and Centre Room of the East Wing. Throughout the weekend, a team of three horological conservators will undertake the task of changing the clocks across the King’s official residences.
Images released by the trust depict horologists returning clocks to the East Wing as part of the ongoing restoration efforts following five years of improvement works.
Among the timepieces making their way back to the palace are musical clocks, astronomical clocks, and miniature clocks.
Notably, the Anne Boleyn Clock, believed to have been presented by Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn on the morning of their marriage in 1532, stands as the oldest in the collection.
Although Buckingham Palace is not presently the residence of Charles and Queen Camilla, it is poised to become their home in 2027 when the couple relocates from Clarence House.
The relocation is scheduled to occur upon the completion of a decade-long renovation in the Palace’s North Wing, where private apartments are presently under construction.
Initiated during the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II, the £369 million project is now being overseen by her son.
Additionally, the monarch is currently in the process of recruiting a new full-time Housekeeping Assistant in preparation for the move.
The duties for the role, which is advertised on the Royal Household website, include: “Upkeep clean and care for a wide range of interiors and items, ensuring they’re presented to their very best.”
It remains uncertain whether Charles intends to retain Clarence House as a secondary residence following his relocation with Camilla to the palace. The reinstallation of clocks in the King’s London abode isn’t the sole alteration to his residences in recent times; his cherished Scottish estate, Balmoral, is now accessible to the public.
Since March 23rd, the doors of the castle, situated in Aberdeenshire, have been welcoming visitors. In addition to the developments at Buckingham Palace, this weekend will also witness Charles and Camilla’s attendance at the Easter Sunday service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.
