If King Charles III feels like splashing around in the secret pool at Buckingham Palace, he is King First. The monarch can also set the water temperature as he pleases.
London – It is a small sensation that you can jump into the pool in the most prestigious palace of the British monarchy between a political reception and a gala dinner. And that's not all: almost every member of the Royal Family learned to swim here. But now, in addition to the mere existence of the secret swimming pool in Buckingham Palace, the strange rules governing the royal use of the pool by the now King Charles III (74) are coming to light.
Almost all royals learned to swim in the secret pool at Buckingham Palace.
The number of people jumping into the refreshing water behind the palace walls is likely to drop significantly soon, as Charles III has cut the water temperature. The king is striving to make the royal household emission-free by 2050. It therefore makes sense to reduce the royal family's energy consumption. According to a palace source: "A few people who use the pool have noticed that the temperature has dropped. They have been told that the king has turned down the heating."
Gone are the days when even the youngest - Prince George (9), Princess Charlotte (8) and Prince Louis (5) - learned not to drown in the secret swimming pool in warm water temperatures. They followed Queen Elizabeth II (96, †2022) and her sister Margret (71, †2002). Prince William (40) and Prince Harry (38) also took their first swims in the Buckingham Palace pool. Princess Kate (41) was often seen driving from her former residence in Kensington Palace to Buckingham Palace to take her children swimming.
Staff have always been allowed to use the pool.
Between the 775 rooms of Buckingham Palace is the swimming pool, in which everyone from Prince Philip (99, † 2021) to Princess Diana (36, † 1997) have done their laps. To ensure full occupancy, staff have always been allowed to use the pool, but only if they adhere to certain rules.
"The rules are: If a staff member is swimming and one of the royals comes up, they must get out of the water unless they are invited to stay, which often happens," writes royal author Brian Hoey in "Not In Front of the Corgis: Secrets Of Life Behind The Royal Curtains." So if King Charles wants to go swimming, he has to get out of the pool. He continues: "If the staff member comes up and a royal is already splashing around in the pool, he must leave. This also applies to high-ranking members such as the private secretary or senior civil servants." Princess Kate bypassed another rule so as not to have to curtsy to Camilla.
