Facing repair bills and few donations from her subjects, Queen Elizabeth II is opening Buckingham Palace to all comers to help pay for the restoration of her favorite weekend home, Windsor Castle.
The announcement Thursday signaled another concession to changing times by the monarch. Earlier she agreed to pay taxes following a public uproar over government plans to foot the repairs for fire-damaged Windsor Castle."Although Windsor Castle doesn't belong to her personally and is the government's rather than her majesty's financial responsibility, she is naturally keen to avoid additional demands upon the public purse," Lord Airlie, head of the royal household, told reporters.
The Nov. 20 fire at the castle, 20 miles west of London, was only one of the disasters in what the queen has called her "annus horribilis." The next month, Prince Charles and Princess Diana separated.
The government estimates castle repairs will take five years and cost $46 million to $62 million. The public has donated only about $39,000 to a trust fund the queen set up for contributions.
Airlie said Buckingham Palace, the queen's London residence, will open its state rooms and picture gallery for eight weeks annually in August and September. Treasures on view will include a raft of Old Master paintings, the world's finest collection of Sevres porcelain and antique French furniture.
Admission will cost $12.50.
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Di and Charles dine
They've been keeping separate households since December, but Prince Charles and Princess Diana shared meals together twice this week. On Thursday, the estranged couple were guests of President Mario Soares of Portugal and his wife, Maria, at a dinner at the Portuguese Embassy. As they walked to the banquet room, the princess walked several steps behind her husband, but at the door Charles waited for her to catch up so they could enter together.