Prince Charles 'to turn Buckingham Palace into hotel and museum'

PA

Prince Charles is planning to move the Royal Family out of Buckingham Palace and turn it into a hotel and museum when he is king, according to new reports.

BBC reporter Andrew Marr made the claims in his new biography of her majesty, to be published this week, called The Diamond Queen.

He suggests the Prince of Wales is considering moving to Windsor Castle in Berkshire, leaving the 775-room palace to be used as a government hotel, national events centre and royal museum as part of a 'detailed plan for a first year of change under King Charles III'.

Marr writes: 'His succession would be followed by a dramatic clearing out of the current Buckingham Palace staff and the arrival of his own team," he writes.

'One of the more dramatic ideas that has been discussed is for the Royal Family in his reign to leave Buckingham Palace entirely, leaving it as a kind of grand official government hotel and centre for events.

'The king would base himself not in London but at Windsor Castle.'

But official palace sources have dismissed the claims, saying: 'There have been no discussions, plans or meetings at all about this matter.'

Prince Charles has been heir to the throne since 1952 and, in April, became the longest serving heir.

According to the new book, which was written to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, Charles has confided in aides that he wonders whether he will even outlive the Queen.

The idea of the Queen abdicating in favour of Charles has previously been dismissed, but, according to the Express, Marr says in his book: 'I wouldn't rule out abdication. If she got to a point where she was very old and tired it could come to be the sensible view.'

Buckingham Palace is already a huge hit with tourists worldwide, attracting more than 50,000 visitors a year.