The Royal Family have made a "significant step", but a royal commentator exclusively told GB News that the King and Queen refraining from moving into Buckingham Palace is "raising eyebrows".
Royal documents were issued on Thursday evening, showing, for the first time, the monarch's voluntary tax contribution.
King Charles paid £12.9million in income tax in 2025/26, placing him within the top 100 contributors in the UK, while the Prince of Wales paid £7.76million over the same period.
However, the accounts also show a dramatic 37.5 per cent increase in official net expenditure over the last 12 months.
This year, royal accounts show expenditure reached £117.2million, a far cry from the £85.2million spent in 2024/25.
That includes sharp increases in official royal travel and the wage bill.
Meanwhile, the monarchy will receive £99.9million in two years based on £487million Crown Estate profits and under a new 20.5 per cent formula agreed with the Government, compared with £132million in 2025/26.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said this was a "significant step" for the family, adding: "It isn’t as transparent as many would like but, apart from the US, almost no heads of state share more details."
The King and Queen also revealed on Thursday thatthey will not return to permanently reside in Buckingham Palace, despite the major refurbishment project costing the public a whopping £369million.
Instead, they will live in Clarence House near St James's Palace, ending a 200-year tradition of the monarch living in the Palace.
Mr Fitzwilliams believes that Buckingham Palace's importance to the Crown will remain unwavering.
He reminded fans: "It’s easy to forget that they are responsible for the upkeep of Windsor Castle, St James’s Palace and Kensington Palace; there are the issues of cyber security and of cutting emissions.
"I don’t think it will change Buckingham Palace's importance if they don’t live there.
"It will still be 'Monarchy HQ'; it is an iconic building known throughout the world, and there will be much more public access.
"The balcony remains the focus of loyalty after weddings, during jubilees, after Trooping the Colour."
However, he added, "the optics are likely to raise eyebrows" given that every monarch has resided in the Palace since Queen Victoria, around two centuries ago.
"The Waleses were never going to live there," he noted. The couple are understood to see Forest Lodge, their current eight-bedroom Windsor property, as their "forever home".
Additionally, the King has lived at Clarence House since 2003.
"The Palace can be very unwelcoming to live in, so to stay put makes sense," Mr Fitzwilliams concluded.
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