Prince Charles And Duchess Camilla Mention Closure Of Clarence House

Aug 05, 2021 by apost team

Like most of the royals, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, have multiple residences. One of their houses is Highgrove country estate, which is where the couple spends time relaxing in the countryside. However, when they're in London, their main residence is Clarence House. 

A historic landmark, usually part of the house is open to the public, but since 2019 it's been closed for visitation. Charles and Camilla commented on this in a recent Twitter post, in which they said that until public tours can begin again, the interior of the residence is able to be viewed digitally through Google Arts & Culture. They also included a short virtual tour demonstration alongside their post.

Clarence House has a rich history, and before Charles and Camilla lived there, a few other notable royals have called it home. After getting married in 1947, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip moved into the abode, making it their first marital residence. They lived there until 1953 when Elizabeth ascended the throne following her father's death and was required to move to Buckingham Palace.  

The six years that the queen and her young family lived at Clarence House were said to be some of the happiest of their lives, as the newlywed couple was beginning their life together without the added pressures that she would have to eventually take on when she became queen. It's also believed that even upon becoming the queen, Elizabeth wanted to stay living at Clarence House, but then-prime minister Winston Churchill insisted she move to Buckingham Palace.

This also means that Prince Charles lived at Clarence House for the first five years of his life, only to return many years later. But before he could return to the abode, his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, took up residence at the historic location for almost 50 years. She lived there from 1953 until her death in 2002.

It's because of this rich family history that Clarence House holds a lot of meaning for Charles and undoubtedly why he wishes to honor its legacy by opening it up to the public. In fact, The Sunday Times recently reported that when Charles ascends the throne, he'd look to open up the residence to visitors all year round.

Unfortunately, however, the home has been closed for public visitation since 2019, with the pandemic pushing back its reopening. Charles and Camilla made mention of this in a recent Twitter post to their official account. The caption read:

"Until the day visitors can be welcomed back to Clarence House for public tours, you can still take a peek inside The Prince and The Duchess’s official London residence through Google Arts & Culture."

The accompanying short video shows a demonstration of the Google Arts & Culture app, which allows users to digitally "walk through" the residence while observing all of its ornate decorations and beauty. Furthermore, the virtual tour includes extra information about the house, such as the history of certain items, including The Queen Mother's Garter Banner, which is situated in the entrance hall. It's impressive, to say the least, and surely will help to tide eager royal fans over until they have the opportunity to visit in person.

apost.com

A follow-up tweet shared a gorgeous photo of one of the rooms and announced that throughout August, when the residence is usually open to the public, Charles and Camilla will be "sharing little-known facts about this London residence and the personal treasures that can be found inside."

Originally designed to be intentionally plain as a contrast to Buckingham Palace, Clarence House was built in the 1800s from a design by architect John Nash. When Elizabeth and Phillip moved into the home in 1947, it was furnished rather minimally due to the post-war period. As per Hello!, The Royal Collection Trust explains that "Post-war restrictions on building and materials meant that there was still an overall simplicity to the furnishings."

But despite having a rather simplistic design, the newlywed couple were able to furnish their home with beautiful pieces of furniture, with the trust reporting, "much of the furniture came in the form of wedding presents." This included a bookcase that was given to the couple by Queen Mary. During The Queen Mother's nearly 50-year stay at Clarence House, she accumulated an impressive collection of artworks and antiques. 

These days the interior of the home is more lavish than in the 1940s when Charles lived there as a young boy with his parents, but nonetheless, he's chosen to keep as much of its tradition as possible, opting to restore the rooms rather than overhaul them.

The Royal Collection Trust states on its website that Clarence House won't be open to visitors until 2022. However, there are a number of other royal houses already open which the public can visit. These include Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Sandringham House, The Palace of Holyroodhouse and Hillsborough Castle.

What do you think about the virtual tour of Clarence House? Have you ever visited one of the royal residences? Pass this on to any royal fans you know so they can go on a virtual tour!