Queen Elizabeth II may have to move out of Buckingham Palace over repairs

LondonQueen Elizabeth II may have to moveout of Buckingham Palace during the muchneeded repair andmaintenance work to her 18th century iconic residence costinga whopping 150 million pounds royal officials said todayThey said the 89yearold British monarchs officialLondon residence needs a total overhaul such as rewiring newplumbing asbestos removing and redecorationThe last time the building which dates back to the 18thcentury had any renovation work was in 1952Prince George of Cambridge 2L points into the sky in the arms of father Britains Prince William Duke of Cambridge 3L as they and Prince Charles Prince of Wales L Catherine Duchess of Cambridge 2R and Britains Queen Elizabeth II R stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace waiting to view the flypast during the Queens Birthday Parade Trooping the Colour in London on June 13 2015 PicAFPOne option is for the palace to be vacated were gettingexperts to look at these scenarios and cost them for us apalace official said at a briefing on the Queens royalaccountsThe initial estimate for the refurbishment of BuckinghamPalace looks like 150 million pounds he saidHowever some campaigners in favour of an elected head ofstate have called for Buckingham Palace in the heart of Londonto be turned into a museum for the people of BritainIf the taxpayer is footing the bill the taxpayer shouldreap the reward Buckingham Palace already houses one of theworlds greatest art collections iquest so lets see it handed backto the people said Graham Smith chief executive of one suchgroup called RepublicThe Crown Estate which owns property on behalf of theBritish monarch returned record profits of 285 million poundsto the taxpayer last year up 67 per centThe Queen is paid 15 per cent of the Crown Estatesprofits by the UK government including from the Crown Estatein Scotland under the Sovereign Grant formula launched in2011The latest accounts show that the Queen last year received379 million pounds from the grant of which she spent 357million poundsThat figure will increase to 4005 million pounds thisyear and is expected to rise to 428 million pounds next yearThe figure does not include the cost of providing securityfor the Royal FamilyThe Crown Estates annual results show its capital valueis at a historic high of 115 billion pounds up 161 percent There has been a 21 per cent increase in travel costswhich rose from 42 million pounds in 201314 to 51 millionpounds in 201415The Queen is currently touring Germany with husbandPrince Philip spends a third of the year hosting events atBuckingham PalaceSir Alan Reid keeper of the Privy Purse said Over thecoming years the maintenance of the estate and in particularBuckingham Palace will present a significant financialchallengeThe proposal comes after it had emerged earlier this monththat British MPs may have to leave the Palace of Westminsterwhich houses the UK Parliament to allow an estimated3billion pounds project to modernise the structure