Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen shares savage response he received from royal over design
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has revealed the rather harsh critique he received from a senior Royal regarding one of his designs at Buckingham Palace. Before he became a household name on the popular show Changing Rooms, Laurence designed the flooring at the famous residence, but the now late Prince Philip wasn't a fan.
As reported by Richard Eden in the Daily Mail, the 60-year-old claimed the royal residence was "like a rather down-at-heel golf resort". He added: "Buckingham Palace has that dowdy feel to it. It should be a bit more splendiferous than it actually is.
"I did some flooring there years ago, before I was famous, and Prince Philip hated it. I told him when I met him, 'You probably don't know this, but years ago I designed these floors'. And he looked down and went, 'Hmm, never liked them'."
This revelation comes amid the ongoing renovation project at Buckingham Palace, which commenced in 2017. A whopping £369million will reportedly be spent on refurbishing the 775-room palace, including all new electrical cabling, plumbing, heating, water systems, boilers and fire safety mechanisms.
The Palace has described this "reservicing programme" as a crucial 10-year overhaul of its infrastructure, which hasn't seen a comprehensive update since the 1950s.
The project is set to eliminate long-term risks such as fire, flooding, and electrical failures, ensuring the building remains safe and operational for at least another 50 years.
Moreover, the revamp will also enhance energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, accessibility, and visitor experience.
The refurbishment of Buckingham Palace, which will remain fully occupied during the process, will be funded through a temporary uplift in the Sovereign Grant, as recommended by the Royal Trustees and approved by Parliament.
Meanwhile, this isn't the first time Laurence has voiced his opinions about a famous residence used by the royals.
Last year, he claimed that Westminster Abbey resembled "an old people's home".
While speaking on the Dirty Laundry podcast, he remarked: "My big thing at the moment about all these huge royal events is that Westminster Abbey is just very, very overlit. I think, you know, it looks like an old people's home.
"It looks like the cleaners have left the fluorescent lights on and actually, it needs to be beautiful and romantic and kind of candlelit and powerful and timeless and ageless."
Laurence went on to suggest that he should be involved in rectifying the issue, adding: "I think we need a bit more Blackpool in the coronation, don't you? I can just imagine the Palace getting on the phone and saying, 'You were right. We are going for more Blackpool'."
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Daily Mirror
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Daily Mail
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