Palace gives up its secret stash of cigarettes
ELECTRICIANS working on a major renovation of Buckingham Palace have stumbled across an unintended time capsule.
After pulling up floorboards to replace potentially dangerous Forties wiring, workmen discovered three cigarette packets from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
They also unearthed a newspaper clipping dating to Queen Victoria’s reign and an edited book of letters from the Fourth Earl of Chesterfield to his successor.
The palace’s wiring, plumbing and heating has not been updated since the Second World War.
The 10-year project to replace it is expected to cost £370million.