King Charles has announced an $8.7 million makeover of a royal estate into a glamorous venue that will host events — including weddings!
On Jan. 6, The King’s Foundation unveiled the plans for a multimillion-dollar extension at Dumfries House in East Ayrshire, Scotland.
King Charles, 77, established the charity in 1990 to create communities where people, places and the planet can harmoniously coexist, and the organization is headquartered at the 300-year-old country home on a 2,000-acre estate.
The $8.7 million single-story addition to the East Wing of Dumfries House will be called The King’s Hall and open in the summer of 2027, catering events for up to 200 people. The extension will also be used to host community and education events, tying into the charity’s values.
CGI – The King’s Hall’s courtyard to the rear of Dumfries House.
The King’s Foundation
A statement said that The King’s Hall will help “meet increasing demand for five-star events and bring more employment and education opportunities to the area,” forming “a seamless extension to the historic Robert Adam-designed Dumfries House.”
The 4,628-square foot new addition will feature a 3,035-square foot public hall and replace the existing Pavilion, which was used as an events space for over a decade.
CGI – The King’s Hall.
The King’s Foundation
In 2007, the future King Charles saved Dumfries House with the hope of transforming it into a visitor attraction and creating an infrastructure that would drive socio-economic, cultural and educational regeneration in the area.
The new King’s Hall is inspired by his vision, and the King’s Foundation will use revenue from ticketed venues and the use of the hall to continue conservation and development at Dumfries Houses and the surrounding estate.
The revenue will also benefit the foundation’s educational offerings and community programs, which engage over 10,000 people each year.
Dumfries House, with the new King’s Hall extension to feature on the right of the picture.
The King’s Foundation
“The King’s Hall will offer the intimacy, atmosphere and historic grandeur that guests have come to associate with events and special occasions at Dumfries House,” Evan Samson, General Manager of Dumfries House for The King’s Foundation, said in a statement.
“Our ambition is for The King’s Hall to become the go-to venue for high-end, luxury weddings and private events for a national and international market. The space will offer guests the opportunity to access the historic house, with the added benefit of revenue going to create employment for the local community and opportunities for thousands of people each year through The King’s Foundation’s education programs,” he continued.
Dumfries House.
The King’s Foundation
The new addition will allow for the King’s Foundation to host five or six large-scale events weekly, upping the numbers from the current average of one or two due to space restrictions.
New heat bumps and biomass boilers will heat the hall and main house, with organic food and locally-sourced produce — another one of the King’s longtime interests — on the menu.
Locally-sourced and sustainable ingredients will be on the menu at The King’s Hall.
The King’s Foundation
The King’s Hall will open its doors to host its first events in July 2027, and Dumfries House’s front-of-house team will host the festivities.
“The King’s Hall will be a true testament to the impact of His Majesty on Dumfries House and the vital education and employment it provides,” Gordon Neil, executive director of the King’s Foundation, said.
Dumfries House’s front of house team will host events at The King’s Hall. Many of the members (pictured) are graduates of The King’s Foundation’s Introduction To Hospitality training course.
The King’s Foundation
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In November 2024, The Telegraph reported that the King was interested in building a state-of-the-art space for use as a wedding venue at Dumfries House.