ARCHITECT SIR TERRY Farrell has explained his ideas to modernise Buckingham Palace in an article written for a centre-left think tank.
His article for influential policy group Demos said: "My argument is that revamping Buckingham Palace and its surroundings to make it more permeable to the people would be a symbolically open gesture for the monarchy."

Farrell proposed inserting railings and gates into the walls at the Palace to make it less forbidding. He also proposed the introduction of a great promenade stretching from the Mall up Constitution Hill, across Hyde Park Corner, through the Wellington Arch and Decimus Burton's screen and along Rotten Row to Kensington Palace.

Farrell said in his article: "This route could be enlivened by events, pavilions, cafes and restaurants – similar to those found in Kew Gardens. With the walls encircling the palace gardens removed, Buckingham, St James's and Kensington Palaces would be 80% open to the public, allowing a flourish of exhibitions, galleries, museums and concerts in the palaces themselves."

Farrell first made his views widely known in a television programme for Channel 4 and has since been the butt of criticism from people he has called "Telegraph-reader colonels".