Buckingham Palace is the London residence of Queen Elizabeth II and it is as iconic and timeless as she is. There is no way to picture the British Royal Family without associating them to the palace. So it’s understandable that careful precaution be taken to ensure that Buckingham Palace is around for generations to come.
Construction on the palace began in 1703, when it was first the townhouse to the Duke of Buckingham (but it changed ownership when it was acquired by King George III in 1761. Since then the palace has belonged to the Royal Family. The last time the palace had any major renovations done was in the 1950s — almost 70 years ago! The account @theroyalfamily recently shared videos of how the $479 million renovations are going. See below!
Construction in the East Wing
The British Royal Family is currently ‘reservicing’ Buckingham Palace and switching out all the older electrical wires, plumbing and heating.
Out with the old
In order to ensure that everything is up to code, all all the rooms in the East Wing have been cleared of their priceless artifacts and artwork as they rip up the floorboards.
Keeping it running in tip-top shape
The renovations will make sure that the palace continues to run smoothly for years to come.
Funded by the people
Money for the project has been taken from the Sovereirn Grant (aka the annual fee paid to the Royals by the British government).
One-by-one
Workers have to be very diligent about lifting up each of the floorboards to ensure that they cover every area that needs attention.
It’s the little things
Throughout the process, small newspaper clippings have been found dating back to the 1950s, when major renovations were last done.
Interesting keepsakes
Workers have also found cigarette boxes as well!
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