Queen Camilla has allegedly stirred tension within Buckingham Palace after asking King Charles III to include a new library as part of the ongoing $750 million renovation project.
The £369 million (approximately AUD $751 million) refurbishment of the monarchs’ official London residence began in 2017 and is expected to take about ten years to complete.
Funded through a temporary increase in the Sovereign Grant, the project is aimed at modernizing outdated 1950s electrical and plumbing systems, reducing the risk of fire and flooding, and ensuring the palace’s functionality for decades to come.
A Palace Without a Library
Despite its 755 rooms, Buckingham Palace has not had a library since King George IV donated the King’s Library to the British Museum in the early 19th century — a fact Queen Camilla is reportedly determined to change.
“Books and reading have always been central to Camilla’s life, and she thinks it’s ridiculous that the monarch’s residence doesn’t include a library,” a palace insider told Radar Online. “She’s made it clear to Charles that this is her single, most important request.”
King Charles “Irritated Beyond Belief”
However, King Charles is said to be less than pleased with the idea. According to the same source, “The size and expense of the renovation are already weighing heavily on him, and her demand for an additional room drives him to distraction.”
The insider added that the library request has become a “source of friction” between the royal couple, who celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary in April.
Camilla’s Lifelong Passion for Literature
At 78, Queen Camilla has long been known as a devoted advocate for reading and literacy. She is the founder of The Queen’s Reading Room charity and a patron of multiple organizations, including the National Literacy Trust and BookTrust. Her efforts often involve visiting schools, libraries, and even prisons to promote literacy both in the UK and abroad.
During a speech at the third annual Queen’s Reading Room Festival at Chatsworth House in September, she reflected on how her literary initiative began during lockdown.
“As some of you may know, my Reading Room started humbly, and in the face of several naysayers, as a list of nine of my favourite novels, scribbled into my notepad during the first lockdown,” she said, as reported by GB News. “It’s now an online community of over 180,000 — with an annual audience of 12 million people from 183 countries — supported by a very special array of literary and literacy friends.”
A Tale of Two Residences
While the extensive renovations continue, King Charles and Queen Camilla are primarily residing at Clarence House in London, occasionally hosting state events at Windsor Castle. Interestingly, Clarence House already includes a library—once an entrance hall—converted by the late Queen Elizabeth II when she was still Princess Elizabeth.
Whether Buckingham Palace will soon have its own library once more, however, reportedly remains a point of contention between the King and Queen.
