The British Royal Family Owns So Many More Homes Than You Think

Buckingham Palace is synonymous with the British royal family, but there are a number of lesser-known residences the royals own, too. These sites range from private homes to Crown-owned properties that have been passed down through generations. Places like Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are owned by the monarch of the moment because of their position as king or queen, while other properties, like Balmoral and Sandringham House, are personally owned and not publicly funded.

Click through for everything to know about where your favorite royals live.

Buckingham Palace

Certainly the most well-known of all of the royal properties, Buckingham Palace has been the official London residence of the United Kingdom’s monarchs since 1837. Buckingham Palace was also the administrative headquarters of Queen Elizabeth II, and the impressive building is often the venue for many events, receptions, and ceremonies. The Palace has an astounding 775 rooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms, and about 800 staff members live there.

The palace is currently undergoing a major $500 million renovation that is set to wrap up in 2027.

Balmoral Castle

Balmoral is a private property located in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert purchased it in 1852, and for many years, it served as Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's summer home.

Clarence House

Clarence House is the Crown-owned official London residence of King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort. The new monarch, who ascended to the throne in September 2022, still lives at Clarence House and uses Buckingham Palace for work.

Clarence House was the London home of the Queen Mother from 1953 until 2002, and it was also the home of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip after they got married in 1947. Princess Anne was born at Clarence House in 1950.

If you want to visit, Clarence House is usually open to the public in August each year. Guests can see the Queen Mother's art collection and the Garden Room, which overlooks part of the Clarence House garden.

Anmer Hall

Anmer Hall is a 10-bedroom country home on the monarch's privately-owned Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England. The home was a wedding gift to Prince William and Princess Kate from Queen Elizabeth when they got married, and the couple lived there full-time until 2017, when they moved to Kensington Palace in London.

Bagshot Park

Bagshot Park is a crown-owned royal residence located near the village of Bagshot, Surrey. It's the current home of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. The original house was built in the 1600s, but it was demolished around 1875. Queen Victoria's third son, Prince Arthur, once lived on the property, and Stuart monarchs like King James and King Charles used the original Bagshot Lodge as a base for hunting trips. The residence's gardens and grounds are listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.

Birkhall

Birkhall is part of the Balmoral estate and serves as the private residence of King Charles and Camilla when they are on summer break. It is also the former home of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. She once described it as a "little big house."

Gatcombe Park

Gatcombe Park is the country residence of Princess Anne in Gloucestershire, England. The privately-owned house and farm were purchased by Queen Elizabeth in 1976 for Anne and her then-husband, Captain Mark Phillips.

Zara Tindall, Princess Anne's daughter, also lives at Gatcombe with her husband, Mike Tindall, and their two children.

Highgrove House

Highgrove House is located near Tetbury in the county of Gloucestershire, England, and it's the family home of King Charles and Camilla. The Duchy of Cornwall (King Charles' private estate) purchased Highgrove in 1980, and Charles and Princess Diana initially used it as a weekend home after their marriage in 1981.

As his official website notes, Charles chose the location in Gloucestershire because of its easy access to London, Wales, and other parts of Britain. The house is most famous for its beautiful gardens.

Hillsborough Castle

Hillsborough Castle is the Crown-owned residence of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and it's also the official residence for members of the British royal family when they visit Northern Ireland.

In 2005, Queen Elizabeth met Mary McAleese, then the president of Ireland, at Hillsborough. According to Historical Royal Palaces (an independent charity that looks after historical buildings like the Tower of London and Kensington Palace), this meeting marked the first time the U.K.'s monarch met with the head of an independent Ireland on the actual island of Ireland.

Kensington Palace

The Crown-owned Kensington Palace was the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria, and it has hosted a wealth of royals since. King Charles and Princess Diana, lived at Kensington Palace with their children, Prince William and Prince Harry, and it remained Diana's official residence after their divorce, until her death in 1997.

Kensington is now best-known as the London residence of Prince William and Princess Kate. The couple lives in the 20-room Apartment 1A, which was formerly the residence of Princess Margaret.

Ivy Cottage, Wren House, and Nottingham Cottage

Ivy Cottage, Wren House, and Nottingham Cottage are all smaller properties on the grounds of Kensington Palace. Ivy Cottage is currently the home of Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank, and marks the longtime couple’s first home together.

Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent and the Queen's first cousin, lives at Wren House with his wife, Katherine Worsley, the Duchess of Kent.

Nottingham Cottage was once home to Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, and it has had other famous residents as well. Robert Fellowes and his wife, Lady Jane Fellowes, the sister of Princess Diana, once lived there, while Prince William and Princess Kate resided in the cottage before moving to Apartment 1A in Kensington Palace in 2013.

Llwynywermod

Llwynywermod is the Welsh home of King Charles and Camilla. The Duchy of Cornwall purchased it in 2007 and local Welsh craftsmen and contractors refurbished the farmhouse. Charles' website notes Welsh materials were sourced for the project, and Welsh textiles were used to decorate the interior.

The two stayed at the property during their annual summer tour of Wales when Charles was still the Prince of Wales.

The Palace of Hollyroodhouse

The Palace of Holyroodhouse was the Crown-owned official residence of Queen Elizabeth when she was in Scotland; following her passing, it belongs to King Charles. Holyroodhouse hosts a number of national celebrations and events in Scotland, with the most popular being "Holyrood Week." The event usually runs from the end of June to the beginning of July every year, and the Queen celebrates Scottish culture by visiting different regions in Scotland and hosting events at the palace.

Sandringham House

Located in Norfolk, England, Sandringham House is another private residence of the royal family. Sandringham House was a country residence for King Edward VII in 1862, and the Queen inherited it from her father in 1952, when Prince Philip then took responsibility for its management. The Queen usually celebrates Christmas at Sandringham with other members of the royal family, and they visit the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, located on the estate, for religious services.

St. James's Palace

St. James's Palace was a residence of kings and queens of England for over 300 years until the reign of Queen Victoria. Today, it contains the London residences of Princess Anne, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Alexandra (the Queen's first cousin), and the palace also hosts receptions for charities associated with members of the royal family, as well as visitors during state visits.

As the royal family's website explains, St. James's Palace also has another very important use. After the death of a monarch, the Accession Council meets in St. James's Palace. There, the Garter King of Arms formally announces the accession of the new king or queen from the palace's Proclamation Gallery.

Thatched House Lodge

Thatched House Lodge has been a royal residence since 1963, when Princess Alexandra moved there after her marriage to the late Mr. Angus Ogilvy, who had privately purchased the estate. The property is in southwest London, and contains the main house, a summer house, a gardener’s cottage, stables, and other buildings.

The Royal Lodge

In 1931, King George V granted the Royal Lodge to the Duke and Duchess of York—later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother—as a country home. The Queen Mother continued to use the house as one of her country retreats until her death at the lodge in 2002. In August 2003, Prince Andrew, who also has apartments at Buckingham Palace, asked the Crown Estate for a lease agreement for the Royal Lodge.

Windsor Castle

The Crown-owned Windsor Castle has been a royal home and fortress for over 900 years, and it is currently the largest occupied castle in the world. The Queen uses the castle both as a private home and an official royal residence where she carries out some formal duties. The Queen also takes up official residence in Windsor Castle for a month over Easter during a period known as Easter Court. She is also in residence at Windsor for a week in June, when she attends the Order of the Garter and the Royal Ascot races. Inside the property is St. George's Chapel, which is where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married in May 2018, and where Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank will marry in October 2018.

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