List of British royal residences facts for kids
British royal residences are special palaces, castles, and houses. Members of the British royal family live or work in them. These homes are found all over the United Kingdom.
Some of these residences are owned by the Crown. This means they belong to the ruling monarch, like the King. Other homes are owned by the Duchy of Cornwall. A few are even owned privately by members of the royal family.
The official royal homes are looked after by a special group called the Royal Households. Some older palaces, like Hillsborough Castle, are managed by Historic Royal Palaces. These places are often open for visitors to explore.
There isn't an official royal home in Wales. However, the Prince of Wales has a private home there called Llwynywermod.
Official Royal Homes
These are the main residences used by the King and other royals for official duties.
| Residence | Location | Ownership | Residents | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckingham Palace | London | The Crown | The King and Queen | This palace is used for official events. The King and Queen do not live here full-time. |
| Clarence House | London | The Crown | The King and Queen | This is the King and Queen's current home in London. |
| Kensington Palace | London | The Crown |
|
Parts of this palace are also open to the public. |
| St James's Palace | London | The Crown |
|
This historic palace is used by several royal family members. |
| Windsor Castle | Windsor, Berkshire, England | The Crown | The King and Queen | This is the official country home for the King and Queen. |
| Palace of Holyroodhouse | Edinburgh, Scotland | The Crown | The King and Queen | The royals use this palace when they are in Scotland. |
| Hillsborough Castle | County Down, Northern Ireland | The Crown | The King and Queen | This castle is used when the royals visit Northern Ireland. It is also a historic site. |
-
Buckingham Palace, the official residence of Charles III in London
-
The Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of Charles III in Scotland.
Private Royal Homes
These homes are either leased or privately owned by members of the royal family.
London Area Homes
| Residence | Location | Ownership | Residents | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivy Cottage | Kensington Palace, London | The Crown | Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank | This home is leased from the Crown Estate. |
| Wren House | Kensington Palace, London | The Crown | The Duke and Duchess of Kent | This is their official London home. |
| Thatched House Lodge | Richmond, London | The Crown | Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy | This country home is leased from the Crown Estate. |
Windsor Area Homes
| Residence | Location | Type | Residents | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide Cottage | Windsor Estate, Berkshire | The Crown | The Prince and Princess of Wales | This cottage is close to Windsor Castle. |
| Frogmore Cottage | Windsor Estate, Berkshire | The Crown | The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Vacant as of June 2023) | This home is part of the Crown Estate. |
| Royal Lodge | Windsor Estate, Berkshire | The Crown | The Duke of York | This home is leased from the Crown Estate. |
| Bagshot Park | Bagshot, Surrey, England | The Crown | The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh | This home is leased from the Crown Estate. |
Balmoral Estate Homes
| Residence | Location | Type | Residents | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balmoral Castle | Aberdeenshire, Scotland | Private | The King and Queen | The King inherited this castle from Elizabeth II. They usually stay here in August and September. |
| Birkhall | Balmoral Estate, Aberdeenshire, Scotland | Private | The King and Queen | This home is also on the Balmoral Castle estate. The King inherited it from his grandmother in 2002. |
| Craigowan Lodge | Balmoral, Aberdeenshire, Scotland | Private | The King and Queen | The King inherited this lodge from Elizabeth II. |
Other UK Homes
| Residence | Location | Type | Residents | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandringham House | Sandringham, Norfolk, England | Private | The King and Queen | The King inherited this home from Elizabeth II. They often spend Christmas here. |
| Anmer Hall | Sandringham Estate, Norfolk, England | Private | The Prince and Princess of Wales | This home is on the Sandringham House grounds. It was a wedding gift from Elizabeth II. |
| Highgrove House | Gloucestershire, England | Duchy of Cornwall |
|
Control of this house passed to Prince William when he became Prince of Wales. |
| Llwynywermod | Myddfai, Carmarthenshire, Wales | Duchy of Cornwall | The Prince and Princess of Wales | This is the usual country home for the Prince of Wales in Wales. |
| Tamarisk House | Isles of Scilly, England | Duchy of Cornwall | The Prince and Princess of Wales | |
| Gatcombe Park | Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, England | Private | The Princess Royal |
-
Balmoral Castle, the private residence of Charles III in Aberdeenshire
-
Sandringham House, the private residence of Charles III in Norfolk.
.jpg)
Famous Former Royal Homes
Many other places have been royal residences throughout history. Here are a few well-known examples.
London's Former Royal Homes
| Residence | Location | Royals and Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Hampton Court Palace | Richmond-upon-Thames | Owned by the Crown since Henry VIII (1525). Now managed by Historic Royal Palaces. |
| Kew Palace | Kew | Used by Frederick, Prince of Wales and George III. Now managed by Historic Royal Palaces. |
| Tower of London | City of London | A historic royal fortress. Now managed by Historic Royal Palaces. |
| Marlborough House | Westminster | Used by many royals, including Albert Edward, Prince of Wales and Alexandra, Princess of Wales (1863–1901). |
| Palace of Westminster | Westminster | A royal residence from the Anglo-Saxon era until 1530. |
| Palace of Whitehall | Whitehall | A main royal residence from 1530 to 1698. |
Former Royal Homes in England (Outside London)
| Residence | Location | Royals and Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Belvedere | Windsor Great Park | Used by Edward VIII before he gave up the throne. |
| Eltham Palace | Kent | Used by the Crown from Edward II to Henry VIII. Now managed by English Heritage. |
| Osborne House | Isle of Wight | Queen Victoria and Prince Albert lived here (1846–1901). Queen Victoria passed away here. |
| The Royal Pavilion, Brighton | Brighton, East Sussex | A seaside home for George IV, William IV, and Victoria (1786–1838). |
Former Royal Homes in Scotland
| Residence | Location | Royals and Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh Castle | Edinburgh | A home for the Kings of Scots from the 11th to the 17th centuries. Now managed by Historic Scotland. |
| Falkland Palace | Falkland, Fife | Used by the Scottish Crown from the 14th century. Now managed by the National Trust for Scotland. |
| The Castle of Mey | near John o' Groats | The private home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (1952–2002). |
| Stirling Castle | Stirling | Another important home for the Kings of Scots. |
Former Royal Homes in Wales
| Residence | Location | Royals and Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Bodorgan Hall | Bodorgan, Anglesey, Wales | Prince William and Catherine lived in a cottage here (2010–2013). Their son, Prince George, spent his first months here. |
| Caernarfon Castle | Caernarfon, Wales | Used by Edward I (until 1283). Still owned by the Crown. |
Former Royal Homes Outside the United Kingdom
| Residence | Location | Royals and Dates |
|---|---|---|
| 4 route du Champ d'Entraînement | Paris, France | The home of The Duke and Duchess of Windsor (1937-1986). |
| Dublin Castle | Dublin, Republic of Ireland | The main seat for rulers of Ireland from 1171 to 1922. |
| Les Jolies Eaux | Mustique, St Vincent | A gift to Princess Margaret. |
| Villa Guardamangia | Pietà, Malta | A former home of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip when they lived in Malta. |
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Residencias reales en el Reino Unido para niños
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of British royal residences Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.