Buckingham Palace to partially close for three years

Big changes are coming to the way the royal family conducts state visits from next year.

Windsor Castle will host visiting dignitaries instead of Buckingham Palace until 2027 as the London residence undergoes one of the biggest transformations in its history.

The palace, which remains the official home of King Charles in the capital, is nearing the end of a 10-year £369m refurbishment (approx. $714 million AUD).

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Buckingham Palace will close to state visits for three years due to the 10-year refurbishment. (Getty)

But due to the close of the palace's grandest rooms to make way for the repairs, state visits will move to Windsor until the latter half of 2027, when the refurbishment is expected to be complete.

Next week's visit by the Emir of Qatar will be the last held at Buckingham Palace before the closure.

The last state visit to take place at Windsor Castle was in 2014 by Irish president, Michael D Higgins.

Although Buckingham Palace remains the King's official residence, Charles III may never actually live in the 775-room palace.

Buckingham Palace is undergoing its most extensive restoration in history. (AP)

Royal sources have told The Times the King will continue to use the palace as "monarchy HQ" in the future.

However, the King and Queen Camilla are said to have no plans to move from nearby Clarence House to Buckingham Palace once the restorations are complete.

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A source told the publication: "I know he is no fan of 'the big house', as he calls the palace.

"He doesn't see it as a viable future home or a house that's fit for purpose in the modern world."

The Princess of Wales during a Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace 2022. (AP)

Prince William too, does not think the palace is suitable for modern family life.

Already, King Charles has moved his office, meeting rooms and dining area where he has afternoon tea, to the Belgian Suite on the ground floor of the palace's Garden Wing.

One of the rooms he is now using is the Orleans Room, where he was born on November 14, 1948.

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The King and Queen will host smaller receptions at Buckingham Palace in the Picture Gallery and other state rooms in 2025 until those rooms close later next year.

All royal receptions will move to St James's Palace or Windsor Castle until 2027.

Smaller receptions will be held in the palace until 2025 but most will move to Windsor Castle and St James' Palace. (Aaron Chown/Getty Images)

The palace's grandest rooms will gradually close over the next three years for refurbishment.

But works will be paused through July to September to allow for the summer opening of the state rooms for members of the public.

For the first time this year, the summer opening offered tours of the palace's East Wing which included the Centre Room and the famous palace balcony.

The King also opened up seven rooms of Balmoral Castle to the public for the first time, including the drawing room where Elizabeth II was photographed two days before her death on September 8, 2022.

Charles III has previously said he intended to transform the royal residences from "private places to public spaces".

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