Buckingham Palace is known as the official London residence of the U.K.’s monarch. And while King Charles did not move there following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, and there are doubts that he ever will, it had served as home to kings and queens before him for centuries. The king has, however, held several functions at the Palace.

The famed London residence is massive. It boasts a total of 775 rooms, including 188 staff bedrooms and 78 bathrooms. There are 19 State Rooms used to entertain official guests. And 92 offices, where the monarch, office staff, and several members of the royal family work out of. But not all the royals are fans of it. In fact, one family member tried to sell it not once, but twice.

Here’s more on that, and why a future king doesn’t have any interest in living there either.

Which royal tried to get rid of the Buckingham Palace

King Charles has made it clear over the years that he’s no fan of Buckingham Palace and refers to it as “The Big House.” One of his complaints is just how expensive it is for the upkeep of a place that size. But he isn’t the only royal who never liked that Palace. Another king actually tried to sell it a couple of times.

According to Express, that was King William IV, who was the third son of King George III and Queen Charlotte.

He ascended to the throne in 1830 after his eldest brother died. At 64, King William IV had been the oldest person to become the monarch before King Charles succeeded his mother at the age of 73. His reign only lasted seven years before his own demise, but he is remembered for trying to sell off the famous palace.

As the publication noted, “William dismissed his late brother’s French chefs and German bands, replacing them with English ones. He also reduced the size of many parts of the Royal Collection, including by giving much of George IV’s art collection to the nation, halving the royal stud and trying to give Buckingham Palace away twice, once to the Army and again to Parliament after the Houses of Parliament burnt down.”

It’s unlikely Prince William will ever live there when he’s king

Kensington Palace confirmed on Aug. 16, 2025 that Prince William, the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton), and their children are moving out of Adelaide Cottage in Windsor and relocating to another Windsor property, Forest Lodge, later in the year.

The royal couple has described the new house as they’re “forever home.” That leaves a bit of uncertainty about what will become of Buckingham Palace in the future, as reports claim the Prince of Wales has no intentions of living there even when he becomes king. If that is indeed the case, then William would become the first monarch not to live in a palace, castle, or other official royal property since medieval times.

Buckingham Palace is currently undergoing a $495 million renovation via public funds for the refurbishment of parts of the interior as well as refiguring the plumbing and electrical system, which hasn’t been updated since World War II. It is expected to be completed by 2027.