British Royal Family: Properties
A list of properties owned by the British Royal Family
King Charles first visited Transylvania in 1988 and was captivated by the country's unique beauty and extraordinarily rich heritage. The impression Romania left on him was so profound that he purchased a Romanian farmhouse in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Viscri in Transylvania in 2006.
The King typically spends a few days each year at the blue retreat, and while the rest of the time, it's rented out to the public.
2. Ray Mill House & 3. The Old Mill
Queen Camilla purchased Ray Mill House in Wiltshire in 1995 after her divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles. For over 30 years, it has remained her favorite retreat, featuring 12 acres of orchards, gardens, and beehives that produce honey.
Earlier this year, the King bought the neighbouring property, the Old Mill, to protect Camilla's privacy amidst rumours it would be converted into a wedding venue and holiday rental.
~ Owner: Queen Camilla & King Charles
The most well-known and visited of all the royal properties, Buckingham Palace has remained the official London residence of the United Kingdom’s monarchs since 1837.
Owner: King Charles via the crown
The London palace was the former residence of the monarchs of England until the reign of Queen Victoria.
It’s also the London residence of Princess Anne, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Alexandra.
Owner: King Charles via the crown
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles most famously resided in the crown-owned official London residence before his accession. Built in 1825 and 1827, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip lived in the townhouse after their marriage in 1947.
It was also the London home of the Queen Mother from 1953 until 2002. Prince William and Prince Harry also lived here until moving into their own private residences at Kensington Palace in 2011 and 2012, respectively.
Owner: King Charles via the crown (?)
The birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria, the 547-room palace is the London home and office to a number of royals, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Since the middle of 2017, Apartment 1A was the main residence for Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton and their family, which has four floors and 20 rooms.
Kensington Palace was also the former home of Princess Diana, as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Owner: King Charles via the crown
8. Ivy Cottage, (9) Wren House, and (10) Nottingham Cottage
These smaller properties on the grounds of Kensington Palace have been popular homes in the Royal Family for years. Nottingham Cottage was the former home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle before they moved into Frogmore Cottage.
Prince William and Catherine Middleton also resided in the cottage before moving into Apartment 1A. Ivy Cottage is currently the first home of Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank. Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, lives at Wren House with his wife, Katherine Worsley.
Owner: King Charles via the crown
For over 900 years, the crown-owned Windsor Castle has acted as both a private home and an official royal residence for the United Kingdom’s monarchs.
Inside the property is the famous St. George’s Chapel, the location where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married in May 2018 and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbanks married in October 2018.
Owner: King Charles via the crown
A part of the Windsor Estate, Fort Belvedere was built in the Gothic Revival style by English architect Jeffry Wyatville in the 1820s. Most famously, the manor house served as the royal residence for Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor, between 1929 and 1936.
Owner: King Charles via the crown
Located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Balmoral Castle served as Queen Elizabeth's summer home and sits on 50,000 acres with 150 buildings.
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert originally purchased the castle in 1852, and it's remained one of the royal family's favorite vacation spots.
Owner: King Charles (privately)
A part of the Balmoral Castle estate, Birkhall was bought by Queen Victoria for her son Edward, Prince of Wales, in 1849.
The former home of the Queen Mother, King Charles often stayed at the home when visiting Scotland.
Owner: King Charles (privately)
Technically on the grounds of the Balmoral estate, Craigowan Lodge is a more rustic stone cottage about a mile from the main castle.
Then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana would often opt to stay in the seven-bedroom house during their visits to the Scottish countryside.
Owner: King Charles (privately)
This 19,000-acre estate is a private residence of the royal family near Norfolk, England. Queen Elizabeth inherited the property from her family in 1952, with Prince Philip taking charge of the home’s management and upkeep.
The Royal Family usually celebrates Christmas at Sandringham House and attends religious services at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, which is located on the grounds.
Owner: King Charles (private) - if it was left to him that is.
The Queen Mother purchased deteriorating Barrogill Castle in 1952 after seeing it on her visit with Commander and Lady Doris Vyner. After extensive renovations of the castle and gardens in 1955, Her Majesty made the decision to restore the structure's original name, The Castle of Mey.
Today, the property is under the stewardship of The King and the Prince's Foundation.
The former seat of the Tudor dynasty dates back to 1514 when Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, King Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor, started laying the foundation for a marvelous palace in London.
It was so grand that the King eventually took the Hampton Court Palace for himself and added a hotel, theatre, and leisure complex to the grounds.
Later, when King William III and Queen Mary II took the throne, the royal couple appointed Sir Christopher Wren to expand the palace and landscape architect Capability Brown to tend to the gardens.
The palace and its grounds were opened to the public as a museum in 1838 by Queen Victoria and have operated under the Crown since.
Owner: King Charles via the crown
In 1540, King Henry VII gifted Barnwell Manor to the Montagu family for being loyal supporters of the Crown. It remained with the Montagus until the early 1900s when a series of tenants stayed at the Elizabethan manor house in Northamptonshire for short periods.
It would come back into the ownership of the royal family in 1938 when Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, bought the estate. While the Gloucesters no longer live at the 30-bedroom home, they have leased it out to Windsor House Antiques.
Status: SOLD
The property was sold in April 2024. The asking price was £4.75 million.
Famously known as the location of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s evening wedding reception, Frogmore House has been a Crown-owned official residence in Home Park since 1792.
The estate was originally bought by George III as a gift for his wife, Queen Charlotte, and has remained in the Royal Family ever since. While the house has been unoccupied since 1872, the Royal Family often hosts private and official events at the residence.
Owner: King Charles via the crown
The former home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Frogmore Cottage shares the same grounds as Frogmore House.
The cottage was built in 1801 under the direction of Queen Charlotte.
Owner: King Charles via the crown
Three miles south of Windsor Castle, the Royal Lodge was the longtime country home of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The Queen Mother continued to use the lodge as one of her country retreats until her death in 2002.
After extensive renovations, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, moved into the 30-room home in 2004 and continues to live there with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
Owner: King Charles via the crown
While he may be currently leasing it out, the island of Tresco was technically owned by King Charles as it's a part of his Duchy of Cornwall. This means the dreamy Dolphin House, which many members of the royal member flock to for vacation, is also owned by the family.
Owner: Prince William via Duchy of Cornwall
The 10-bedroom Georgian home was gifted to Prince William and Catherine Middleton by Queen Elizabeth after their wedding.
Located on the Sandringham Estate, the couple lived in the country home full time until they moved to Kensington Palace.
Owner: King Charles (private) - if it was left to him that is.
25. The Palace of Holyroodhouse
The Crown-owned official residence in Scotland began as a monastery in 1128. Holyroodhouse hosts a number of national events in Scotland including Holyrood Week when the monarch celebrates Scottish culture by visiting different regions within the country.
Owner: King Charles via the crown
The official Northern Ireland residence of the monarch and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hillsborough Castle is set on 100 acres of gardens and trimmed lawns. Other members of the British Royal Family also stay at the castle when they visit the country.
Owner: King Charles via the crown
The private family home of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles is most famous for its beautiful gardens, which members of the public can tour on select dates throughout the year. The home’s central location to London, Wales, and other parts of Britain made it appealing to King Charles, who bought the home in 1980.
Highgrove House was initially used as a weekend home for the then-Prince of Wales and Princess Diana after their marriage in 1981.
Owner: Prince William via Duchy of Cornwall
Located in Llandovery, Wales, Llwynywermod is the Welsh home of King Charles. The couple often stays at the property in the summer during their annual tour of Wales.
Owner: Prince William via Duchy of Cornwall
Gatcombe Park is the Gloucester residence of Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth's only daughter, and her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence.
The country house and farm were purchased by Queen Elizabeth in 1976 for Anne. Her daughter, Zara Tindall, moved her family to the estate in 2013.
This 57-room royal residence is the current Surrey home of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
After its reconstruction in 1879, the property was owned by Queen Victoria’s third son, Prince Arthur.
Owner: King Charles via the crown
