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Queen Elizabeth II’s firstborn is already making big plans for the monarchy’s future.
The U.K.’s Sunday Times crowned Prince Charles "king" in their headline concerning reports that the 72-year-old wants to open up royal palaces to the public.
"King Charles to open palaces for the people," read the outlet’s headline.
Some were quick to notice on social media.
"Interesting," one reader tweeted. "From the crisis managers maybe?"
PRINCE HARRY SAYS HE WAS PUT THROUGH 'PAIN AND SUFFERING' BY HIS FATHER PRINCE CHARLES
"The Queen isn’t dead," chimed another.
According to the outlet, the Prince of Wales reportedly plans on transforming royal residences from "private spaces to public spaces" once he becomes king. This would give the public greater access to the monarch’s official and private homes. Spaces such as Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Balmoral, Sandringham and Clarence House "will all open more widely for longer periods of the year."
The outlet also noted that Charles, who is first in line to the throne, has already consulted with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, as well as his son Prince William, his spouse Kate Middleton, and other members of the royal family. His mother, 95, is also aware of the plans.
"The prince wants to bring people in to connect with the institution," a royal source explained. "He recognizes it needs to keep evolving, and in the modern era, people want to be able to access their palaces. He embraces that and sees them as public spaces more than private spaces."
The outlet reported that Buckingham Palace is undergoing a "£369 million renovation programme" – or $520 million – which is funded by taxpayers. It is expected to be completed in 2027. Both Charles and the queen believe "the public should have the maximum benefit from the palace" once refurbishment is completed. Charles is also reportedly considering opening up the palace and gardens throughout the year when he is king, including when he’s in residence.
Prince Charles is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and the late Prince Philip. (Getty )
The State Rooms and gardens are normally open to the public from July to October when the queen is in Balmoral. About 500,000 people visit Buckingham Palace per year. However, the coronavirus pandemic forced its closure last year. For this summer, the opening is only limited to guided tours and garden picnics.
The state apartments at Windsor are usually open five days a week to the public but opening times have also been impacted by the pandemic.
Balmoral, recognized as the queen’s beloved getaway, is privately owned by the monarch. However, the public can access up to three acres of the castle’s gardens, some of the grounds, and the ballroom from April to July. It is believed Charles wants to open more rooms and grounds for more of the year.
Sandringham, where the royal family gathers during the holidays, is open to the public from April to October. However, guests can only access the ground-floor rooms and 60 acres of the garden. The outlet reported Charles wants to invite the public in all year. In addition, he wants to open Clarence House, his London residence, year-round. That space is only open to the public during the summer.
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Prince Charles reportedly consulted with the royal family about his plans for the future. (Getty Images )
The announcement came just days after Charles’ youngest son, Prince Harry, opened up about his relationship with the patriarch.
The 36-year-old recently appeared on Dax Shepard’s "Armchair Expert" podcast where the royal said, "he treated me the way he was treated."
It has long been rumored that his father Prince Charles has somewhat of a rough relationship with his own parents.
Harry said the relationship has been strained for years and he began to consider leaving the royal lifestyle behind in his "early 20s." The comment nixed the idea that his wife, Meghan Markle, was the motivation for him to leave the family.
"It’s a lot of genetic pain and suffering that gets passed on anyway," he said. "So we as parents should be doing the most we can to try and say, ‘You know what? That happened to me, I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen to you.'"
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Prince Harry recently detailed his relationship with the royal family. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)
The prince said he hopes to "break the cycle" within his own family after realizing that his father's parenting was a reflection of his own upbringing.
"I never saw it, I never knew about it, and then suddenly I started to piece it together and go, ‘OK, so this is where he went to school, this is what happened, I know this about his life, I also know that is connected to his parents so that means he’s treated me the way he was treated, so how can I change that for my own kids?'"
He added: "And here I am, I moved my whole family to the US, that wasn’t the plan but sometimes you’ve got make decisions and put your family first and put your mental health first."
Harry currently resides in California with Markle, 39, and their son Archie.
Fox News' Nate Day contributed to this report.
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