When you walk past the wrought-iron gates of Buckingham Palace on a crisp London morning, you might not notice the scaffolding wrapped around the east wing-or the quiet hum of crane operators just beyond the garden wall. But beneath the familiar balcony where the Royal Family waves to crowds, a massive, decade-long restoration is underway. This isn’t just about fixing leaky roofs or repainting gilded railings. It’s about preserving the heart of London’s royal heritage for the next century. And for Londoners who’ve grown up watching the Changing of the Guard, this renovation is personal.
Why Buckingham Palace Needs a Makeover
Buckingham Palace isn’t just a building. It’s a living museum, a working royal residence, and the administrative center of the monarchy-all packed into 775 rooms. Built in 1703 as a townhouse for the Duke of Buckingham, it became the sovereign’s official home in 1837 when Queen Victoria moved in. Since then, it’s hosted state banquets, royal weddings, and emergency meetings during wartime. But time, weather, and decades of patchwork repairs have taken their toll.
By 2017, a government audit revealed the palace had over 1,000 electrical faults. Wiring from the 1950s still powered some lighting systems. Plumbing pipes were rusting from the inside. The roof leaked during heavy London rain, and water damage had spread to priceless tapestries and 18th-century plasterwork. The Queen’s private apartments, once maintained with royal allowances, now needed modern heating, insulation, and fire suppression systems-none of which existed in their original form.
Unlike the Tower of London or Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace is still in active use. You can’t just close it for a year. Renovations had to happen room by room, often while the royal family was in residence. That’s why the project, called the Buckingham Palace Renovations, was split into seven phases over 10 years. It’s the most complex heritage restoration ever attempted in London.
The East Wing: First to Be Touched
The first phase, completed in 2022, focused on the east wing-the part visible from The Mall and where the famous balcony sits. This section houses the State Rooms, used for diplomatic receptions and the annual Garden Parties. The original stucco had cracked under decades of pollution and damp. Conservators used a technique called lime wash reapplication, matching the exact mix used in the 1840s. The new plaster was mixed with crushed oyster shell, a traditional ingredient found in London’s historic buildings from the 1700s.
Electrical work here was done with extreme care. Engineers installed new conduits behind original moldings, avoiding any visible wires. They replaced 1970s fluorescent lights with LED systems designed to mimic candlelight-just like the ones Queen Victoria would have used. The result? A room that looks unchanged, but now runs safely and efficiently.
Outside, the iconic wrought-iron gates were stripped down to bare metal. Each of the 1,200 individual pieces was sandblasted, treated with a rust-inhibiting coating, and repainted in the original “Royal Claret” hue-a deep red-brown pigment made from iron oxide, the same shade used on the gates of Kensington Palace and Hampton Court. The paint was mixed by hand at a specialist workshop in Islington, just like it was 150 years ago.
Hidden Costs, Hidden Stories
One of the biggest surprises during the renovation? The discovery of original 18th-century wallpaper in a disused servant’s corridor behind the kitchens. Conservators found 17 rolls of hand-blocked floral paper, printed with dyes made from crushed cochineal insects and indigo. It was so fragile, they had to lift it with tweezers. The pattern was replicated and is now being used to restore other historic rooms.
Then there was the plumbing. Pipes under the palace were made of lead-a common material in Victorian times. But lead pipes don’t just corrode. They leach into the water. When workers opened a wall near the royal kitchen, they found a pipe that had been leaking for 90 years. The water had pooled under the floor, rotting the oak beams. The repair required replacing 180 meters of pipe without disturbing the original floorboards. They used endoscopic cameras to guide the work, a technique borrowed from London’s underground sewer inspections.
The cost? Over £369 million. Funded by the Sovereign Grant-a public funding mechanism tied to 25% of the Crown Estate’s profits. That’s the same source that pays for the upkeep of Windsor Castle and Holyroodhouse. Critics argue it’s too much. But for Londoners who see the palace as a symbol of continuity, the cost is justified. After all, the same grant helped restore the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral in the 1990s and saved the Victoria and Albert Museum’s galleries from water damage in 2010.
How the Public Sees It
For many Londoners, the palace isn’t just a tourist attraction-it’s part of daily life. The Changing of the Guard happens every morning at 11 a.m., rain or shine. Locals from Camden to Croydon line up with coffee from Pret or a takeaway from a nearby chippy, watching the soldiers march down Birdcage Walk. During the renovation, the ceremony was temporarily moved to Horse Guards Parade. Many residents missed the ritual. Social media lit up with #BringBackTheGuard posts.
When the palace reopened its State Rooms to the public in 2024, after a five-year closure, over 120,000 tickets sold out in under 72 hours. People came not just to see the gilded ceilings or the royal porcelain, but to feel the history. One visitor from Peckham told a reporter, “I grew up thinking this place was for kings and queens. Now I know it’s for us too. It’s our building.”
What’s Next: The North Wing and Beyond
The current phase focuses on the north wing, where the royal family’s private quarters are located. This includes the Queen’s private drawing room, the Prince of Wales’s study, and the nursery rooms used by Prince George and Princess Charlotte. The renovation here is more intimate. Workers are installing underfloor heating without damaging the original marble tiles. New acoustic insulation is being added so the Queen’s morning phone calls to the Prime Minister don’t echo through the walls.
Outside, the gardens are being restored to their 1920s layout. The original rose beds, removed in the 1970s, are being replanted with the same varieties grown for Queen Mary: ‘Peace’, ‘Graham Thomas’, and ‘Munstead Wood’. A new water feature, modeled after the one in Kensington Gardens, is being installed near the conservatory. It’s not just for looks-it’s part of a broader London-wide initiative to reduce urban heat, using water to cool the palace grounds during summer heatwaves.
Why This Matters to London
Buckingham Palace isn’t just a monument. It’s a mirror. Every renovation decision reflects how London chooses to honor its past. The use of traditional materials-lime plaster, hand-forged iron, natural pigments-shows respect for craftsmanship lost in modern construction. The fact that local artisans from Kent, Norfolk, and even the Lake District were hired to do the work means this project supported over 400 UK-based small businesses.
It also sets a standard. Other historic buildings in London-from the Royal Opera House to the Bank of England-are now using the same restoration protocols. The palace’s approach to heritage conservation has become the benchmark for the entire UK. When the Tate Modern restored its boiler house, they followed the same moisture-control methods developed for Buckingham Palace.
And for Londoners? It’s a reminder that even the grandest institutions are made of human hands. The same hands that lay the bricks in Peckham housing estates, that paint the buses in Stratford, that serve tea at the Ritz. The palace may be royal, but its survival depends on the skills of ordinary people.
How to See the Work in Progress
You won’t see the scaffolding from the street, but you can still witness the transformation. The palace offers guided tours of the East Wing during the summer months. Book through the Royal Collection Trust website-you’ll get access to areas normally closed to the public, including the restoration workshops. There’s also a free digital exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum, titled “The Palace in Progress,” with timelapse videos of the roof repairs and interviews with the craftsmen.
Or, if you’re in the mood for a quiet moment, head to St James’s Park at sunset. From the bench near the lake, you can see the palace’s east wing lit up. The new LED lights glow warm and steady. No flickering. No smoke. Just light, steady as the Thames.
Is Buckingham Palace open to the public during the renovations?
Yes, but access is limited. The State Rooms in the East Wing reopened in 2024 and are open to the public from late July to September each year. Private apartments and other wings remain closed during active construction. Tickets sell out quickly, so book through the Royal Collection Trust at least three months in advance. Guided tours include access to the restoration workshop displays.
How is the renovation funded?
The £369 million project is funded by the Sovereign Grant, which comes from 25% of the profits generated by the Crown Estate-a portfolio of land and property across the UK, including parts of London’s West End, the foreshore around the Thames, and rural estates. The grant is reviewed annually by Parliament and is not funded by taxpayer money directly.
Are there any public events tied to the restoration?
Yes. In 2023, the Royal Academy of Arts hosted an exhibition called “Hands of the Palace,” showcasing the tools and techniques used by the craftsmen. Local schools from Tower Hamlets and Lambeth were invited for free workshops on heritage conservation. The Royal Ballet also performed a new piece, “The Palace and the People,” inspired by the restoration workers.
Why not just build a new palace?
Buckingham Palace isn’t just a building-it’s the symbolic center of the British monarchy. It’s where the monarch addresses the nation, where foreign heads of state are received, and where generations of royals have lived. No new building could replicate its history, its location, or its global recognition. Plus, London’s heritage laws prohibit replacing Grade I listed buildings unless absolutely necessary-and this one isn’t.
Will the palace ever be fully modernized?
It will be made safer and more sustainable, but never fully modernized in the way a new office block would be. The goal is to preserve the original architecture while embedding modern systems invisibly. For example, air conditioning is hidden in floor vents, and Wi-Fi routers are disguised as 19th-century candlesticks. The palace will remain a blend of history and function-just like London itself.
Final Thoughts: A Palace for the People
When the last brick is laid and the final coat of paint dries, Buckingham Palace won’t be a museum frozen in time. It will be a living building-still hosting state dinners, still greeting foreign dignitaries, still standing as the backdrop to London’s most iconic moments. And for those of us who live here, it’s not just a landmark. It’s a promise: that even the oldest symbols can be cared for, updated, and kept alive-not by ignoring the past, but by honoring it with real work, real skill, and real care.
