List of British royal residences facts for kids
British royal residences are palaces, castles and houses which are occupied by members of the British royal family in the United Kingdom. The current residences are owned by the Crown, the Duchy of Cornwall, and privately by members of the royal family; all the official residences are owned by the Crown. Some official residences, such as the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Hillsborough Castle, serve primarily ceremonial functions and are rarely used residentially.
The occupied royal residences are cared for and maintained by the Property Section of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom. The unoccupied royal palaces of England, along with Hillsborough Castle, are the responsibility of Historic Royal Palaces.
Unlike the other nations of the United Kingdom, there is no official residence for a member of the royal family in Wales; Llwynywermod is the private Welsh residence of the Prince of Wales.
Contents
Official residences
| Residence | Location | Ownership | Residents | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckingham Palace | London | The Crown | The King and Queen | The King and Queen use Buckingham Palace for official business but do not reside there. |
| Clarence House | London | The Crown | The King and Queen | Grace and favour
Clarence House is the current London Residence for the King and Queen |
| Kensington Palace | London | The Crown |
|
Also in part a Historic Royal Palace, otherwise, grace and favour |
| St James's Palace | London | The Crown |
|
Grace and favour |
| Windsor Castle | Windsor, Berkshire, England | The Crown | The King and Queen | Official country residence |
| Palace of Holyroodhouse | Edinburgh, Scotland | The Crown | The King and Queen | Used whenever the royal family undertake official duties in Scotland: primarily 'Holyrood week' in July |
| Hillsborough Castle | County Down, Northern Ireland | The Crown | The King and Queen | Used whenever the royal family undertake official duties in Northern Ireland. Also, a Historic Royal Palace. |
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Buckingham Palace, the official residence of Charles III in London
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The Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of Charles III in Scotland.
Private residences
London
| Residence | Location | Ownership | Residents | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivy Cottage | Kensington Palace, London | The Crown | Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank | Current residence, leased from the Crown Estate |
| Wren House | Kensington Palace, London | The Crown | The Duke and Duchess of Kent | Official London residence, also a Historic Royal Palaces, grace and favour |
| Thatched House Lodge | Richmond, London | The Crown | Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy | Official country residence, leased from the Crown Estate |
Windsor and nearby
| Residence | Location | Type | Residents | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide Cottage | Windsor Estate, Berkshire | The Crown | The Prince and Princess of Wales | Located in Windsor Home Park, close to Windsor Castle |
| Frogmore Cottage | Windsor Estate, Berkshire | The Crown | The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Vacant as of June 2023) |
Part of the Crown Estate |
| Royal Lodge | Windsor Estate, Berkshire | The Crown | The Duke of York | Leased from the Crown Estate |
| Bagshot Park | Bagshot, Surrey, England | The Crown | The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh | Leased from the Crown Estate |
Balmoral
| Residence | Location | Type | Residents | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balmoral Castle | Aberdeenshire, Scotland | Private | The King and Queen | August and September, inherited from Elizabeth II. |
| Birkhall | Balmoral Estate, Aberdeenshire, Scotland | Private | The King and Queen | Previously owned by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother; located on the estate of Balmoral Castle. Charles inherited the home when his grandmother died in 2002. |
| Craigowan Lodge | Balmoral, Aberdeenshire, Scotland | Private | The King and Queen | Inherited from Elizabeth II. |
Elsewhere in the United Kingdom
| Residence | Location | Type | Residents | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandringham House | Sandringham, Norfolk, England | Private | The King and Queen | Christmas until February, inherited from Elizabeth II |
| Anmer Hall | Sandringham Estate, Norfolk, England | Private | The Prince and Princess of Wales | Located on the grounds of Sandringham House. Wedding gift from Elizabeth II to Prince William and Catherine |
| Highgrove House | Gloucestershire, England | Duchy of Cornwall |
|
Control of the house was transferred to William, Prince of Wales, when he inherited the Duchy of Cornwall. |
| Llwynywermod | Myddfai, Carmarthenshire, Wales | Duchy of Cornwall | The Prince and Princess of Wales | Usual country residence of the Prince of 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 |
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Balmoral Castle, the private residence of Charles III in Aberdeenshire
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Sandringham House, the private residence of Charles III in Norfolk.
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Former royal residences
London
| Residence | Location | Royals and Dates |
|---|---|---|
| 145 Piccadilly | Piccadilly | Prince Albert, Duke of York and Elizabeth, Duchess of York and Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret of York (1926–1936) |
| Albany House / The Albany | Piccadilly | Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (1791–1802) |
| Bentley Priory | Borough of Harrow | Queen Adelaide (leased 1846/8–1849) |
| Bridewell Palace | City of London | Henry VIII; Edward VI (1515–1523, owned until 1556) |
| Bushy House | Teddington | William IV; the FitzClarences, Dorothea Jordan, Adelaide of Saxe-Meinigen (1797–1849; still owned) |
| Cambridge House | Piccadilly | Official London residence of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (1829–1850) |
| Cambridge Cottage | Kew | |
| Carlton House | Westminster | George IV (1783–1827; demolished and Carlton House Terrace constructed on the site, owned by the Crown Estate) |
| Castle Hill Lodge | Ealing | Used by Maria Anne Fitzherbert from October 1795 and George, Prince of Wales; then, bought by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (father of Queen Victoria), who spent £100,000 enhancing the house (£5.5 million in 2021). His aide-de-camp, General Sir Frederick Augustus Wetherall, bought the house to rescue the Duchess from creditors following the Duke of Kent's death. The house was demolished in 1845 by General Sir George Augustus Wetherall. |
| Chelsea Manor | Chelsea | Princess Elizabeth; Anne of Cleves (1536–1547, c. 1547–1557) |
| Chesterfield House | Westminster | London home of Princess Mary (1923–1937) – owned by Harewood Estates |
| Crosby Hall | Chelsea | Richard, Duke of Gloucester (mid-late 15th century) |
| Cumberland House | Pall Mall | Prince Edward, Duke of York; Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland (c. 1760–1801; as York House until 1767) |
| Dolphin Square | Embankment | The Princess Royal, rented a flat here |
| Dover House | Whitehall | Prince Frederick, Duke of York (1788–1792) |
| East Sheen Lodge | Princess Louise, Princess Royal (1889–1931) | |
| Gloucester House, Mayfair | Piccadilly | Prince William, Duke of Gloucester died here in 1805, as did his daughter-in-law Princess Mary, the last surviving child of George III, on 30 April 1857 |
| Gunnersbury Park | Borough of Hounslow | Summer retreat of Princess Amelia (1760–1786) |
| Hampton Court Palace | Richmond-upon-Thames | The Crown, since Henry VIII (1525), now managed by Historic Royal Palace agency |
| Hanworth Manor | Borough of Hounslow | Henry VII; Henry VIII; Elizabeth I; also Anne Boleyn and Katherine Parr |
| Kennington Palace | Kennington | Built by Edward the Black Prince around 1350. Demolished c.1531 to provide materials for the Palace of Whitehall. |
| Kew Palace | Kew | Frederick, Prince of Wales; George III; The Crown since (mid-18th century –; managed by Historic Royal Palaces |
| Lancaster House | Westminster | |
| Leicester House | Westminster | Frederick, Prince of Wales (c. 1730–1751) |
| Tower of London | City of London | Now managed by Historic Royal Palaces |
| Marlborough House | Westminster | Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh; Queen Adelaide (1837–1849); Albert Edward, Prince of Wales and Alexandra, Princess of Wales (1863–1901); George, Prince of Wales and Mary, Princess of Wales (1901–1910). Occupied by Queen Mary 1945–1953. |
| Nonsuch Palace | Built by Henry VIII, later dismantled and sold-off by Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland | |
| Norfolk House | Frederick, Prince of Wales | |
| Nottingham Cottage | grounds of Kensington Palace | |
| Palace of Placentia | The Palace at Greenwich, acquired by Margaret of Anjou (consort to Henry VI). Demolished and rebuilt for Charles II in 1664 (King Charles Wing).Given by Queen Mary to Trustees for the Royal Hospital for Seamen (now referred to as the Old Royal Naval College) who have leased it to Trinity Laban University. | |
| Queen's House | Greenwich | Built in the Gardens of the Palace of Greenwich for Anne of Denmark, consort to James I a small part of a proposed rebuilding of Greenwich (Placentia) Palace. Given by Queen Mary to Trustees for the Royal Hospital for Seamen (now referred to as the Old Royal Naval College). Part of the National Maritime Museum. |
| Richmond Palace | Also known as Palace of Sheen, Royal Residence 1327 to 1649. A few above ground remains survive in Palace Yard, Richmond | |
| Savile House | Leicester Square | |
| Savoy Palace | ||
| Schomberg House | Pall Mall | Princess Helena (until 1923) and daughters Princess Helena Victoria and Princess Marie Louise (1920–1939) |
| Somerset House | Queen Elizabeth I; Queen Henrietta Maria | |
| Sussex House | Upper Mall, Hammersmith | Prince Augustus, Duke of Sussex |
| Palace of Westminster | Anglo-Saxon era – 1530 | |
| Palace of Whitehall | 1530–1698 | |
| White Lodge | Richmond | Princess Amelia of Great Britain; George III and Queen Charlotte; Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh; Albert Edward, Prince of Wales; Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge and family; Prince Albert, Duke of York and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (c. 1740–1923) |
| York House, St James's Palace | Various royal residents |
England, excluding London
| Residence | Location | Royals and Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Allerton Castle | North Yorkshire | Prince Frederick, Duke of York (1786–1789) |
| Apethorpe Palace | Apthorp Park, in Apethorpe, Northamptonshire | Henry VIII to Charles I |
| Audley End House | Saffron Walden, Essex | Charles II (1668–1701) |
| Barnwell Manor | Northamptonshire | Princes Henry and Richard, Dukes of Gloucester (1938–1995; still owned) |
| Palace of Beaulieu | Chelmsford, Essex | Henry VIII; Edward VI; Mary I; Elizabeth I (1517–1622) |
| Beaumont Palace | Oxford | Henry I to Edward II; 1130–1318) |
| Fort Belvedere | Windsor Great Park | Prince William, Duke of Cumberland; Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught; Edward VIII, Gerald and Angela Lascelles (1953–1976) |
| Berkhamsted Castle | Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire | William the Conqueror (1066); Henry I (1123); Edward, the Black Prince (1337); a number of Queens consort (1191–1400); last occupied 1469–1496 by Cecily Neville, Duchess of York |
| Brantridge Park | Balcombe, West Sussex | Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone; Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom (1919–1941) |
| Brill Palace | Brill, Buckinghamshire | Edward the Confessor; Harold Godwinson; William the Conqueror; William II; Henry I; Stephen; Henry II; John; Henry III; Edward I; Edward II; Edward III (c. 1042–1337; given to Sir John de Moleyns) |
| Carisbrooke Castle | Newport, Isle of Wight | Charles I; Princess Elizabeth; Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester and Princess Henrietta; Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom (1647 – c. 1652, 1896–1944; now managed by English Heritage) |
| Castlewood House | Egham, Surrey | Leased by The Duke and Duchess of York (1987–1990) |
| Chideock Manor | Dorset | Rented by The Duke and Duchess of York (1986–1987) |
| Claremont | Esher, Surrey | Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales and Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld; Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany and Princess Helena, Duchess of Albany (1816–1831; owned until 1865, 1882–1922) |
| Clarendon Palace | Salisbury, Wiltshire | Used for hunting trips during the Middle Ages. Now ruined. |
| Cliveden | Buckinghamshire | George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland |
| Coombe Abbey | Warwickshire | Owned 16th century–?; Elizabeth of Bohemia (early 17th century) |
| Coppins | Buckinghamshire | Princess Victoria; Princes George and Edward, Dukes of Kent (1925–1973) |
| Crocker End House | Oxfordshire | Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (1990–?) |
| Cumberland Lodge | Windsor Great Park | Princes William and Henry, Dukes of Cumberland; Anne, Duchess of Cumberland; Prince Augustus, Duke of Sussex; Princess Helena, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein (1746–1803; 1830–1843; 1872–1923; still owned) |
| Eastwell Park | Kent | Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Maria, Duchess of Edinburgh (rented 1874–1893) |
| Eltham Palace | Kent | The Crown (Edward II to Henry VIII; now managed by English Heritage) |
| Frogmore House | Windsor | Queen Charlotte and her then-unmarried daughters – Charlotte, Princess Royal, Princesses Princess Augusta, Elizabeth, Mary, Sophia, Amelia; Princess Augusta; Princess Victoria, Duchess of Kent (leased 1792–?) |
| Gloucester House | Weymouth | Summer residence of Prince William, Duke of Gloucester (later 18th century) |
| Goldsborough Hall | North Yorkshire | Yorkshire home of Princess Mary (1923–1930) – owned by the Estate of Harewood |
| Harewood House | West Yorkshire | Yorkshire home of Princess Mary (1930–1965) – owned by the Estate of Harewood |
| Hatfield House | Hertfordshire | The Crown (residents included Prince Edward and Princess Elizabeth; 16th century – 1607) |
| Havering Palace | Havering, Essex | c. 1050 – c. 1640 |
| Kent House | Isle of Wight | Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll (from 1901) |
| King James' Palace | Royston, Hertfordshire | Built by James I as a hunting lodge, it was also used by his son Charles I (1607–1649) |
| Kingsbourne House | Wentworth, Surrey | Leased by Sarah, Duchess of York (1994–1997) |
| Kings Langley Palace | Hertfordshire | Used by the Plantagenet to Tudor Kings (1276–1558) |
| Leeds Castle | Kent | Edward I and Queen Eleanor of Castile (1278); Edward II and Isabella of France (1321); Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon (1519) |
| Nether Lypiatt Manor | Stroud, Gloucestershire | Former country home of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent |
| Oak Grove House | Sandhurst | |
| Oatlands Palace | Weybridge, Surrey | Henry VIII; Edward VI; Mary I; Elizabeth I (and the Stuart line) |
| Oatlands Park | Weybridge, Surrey | |
| Osborne Cottage | Isle of Wight | Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom (1901–1912) |
| Osborne House | Isle of Wight | Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (1846–1901). Queen Victoria died there on 22 January 1901. Bequeathed to her successor Edward VII, who gave it to the nation later that year. |
| Ribsden Holt | Windlesham, Surrey | Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll; Princess Patricia of Connaught |
| Romenda Lodge | Wentworth Estate, Surrey | Detached house leased by the Duchess of York 1992–1994 |
| The Royal Pavilion, Brighton | Brighton, East Sussex | George IV; William IV; Victoria (1786–1838) |
| Sunninghill Park | Ascot, Windsor | Prince Andrew, Duke of York and family (c. 1990–2004) |
| Theobalds Palace | Hertfordshire | The Crown. James I exchanged it by Act of Parliament with Lord Burleigh; Charles I also lived there; granted in 1 & 2 William and Mary to William, Duke of Portland |
| Walmer Castle | Walmer, Kent | |
| Westfield | Bonchurch, Isle of Wight | Built as hunting lodge for Queen Adelaide in 1825, now converted into apartments, most of the estate sold |
| The King's House | Winchester | Proposed and partly completed royal residence for Charles II designed by Sir Christopher Wren. |
| Windlesham Moor | Windsor | The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1947–4 July 1949) |
| Witley Court | Worcestershire | |
| Wood Farm | Sandringham Estate | From his retirement in 2017, the house was home to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. |
| Woodstock Palace | Oxfordshire | |
| York Cottage | In the grounds of Sandringham House, Norfolk | Occupied by George V and his wife Queen Mary as Duke and Duchess of York. They retained use of the small cottage after their accession in 1910. It was later given to George V's son, Prince Albert, Duke of York and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. |
Scotland
Wales
| Residence | Location | Royals and Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Bodorgan Hall | Bodorgan, Anglesey, Wales | Prince William and Catherine lived in a four-bedroom cottage on the Bodorgan Hall estate from 2010 to 2013. Their son, Prince George (b. July 2013), spent his first months on the estate. |
| Caernarfon Castle | Caernarfon, Wales | Edward I (until 1283; still owned) |
| Castell y Bere | Llanfihangel-y-Pennant, Wales | Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Wales (until 1284) then Edward I |
| Criccieth Castle | Criccieth, Wales | Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Wales (until 1284) then Edward I |
| Dolbadarn Castle | Llanberis, Wales | Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Wales (and Princes of Wales until 1284) then Edward I |
| Dolwyddelan Castle | Dolwyddelan, Wales | Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Wales (until 1284) then Edward I |
Outside the United Kingdom
| Residence | Location | Royals and Dates |
|---|---|---|
| 4 route du Champ d'Entraînement | Paris, France | The Duke and Duchess of Windsor (1937-1986) |
| Dublin Castle | Dublin, Republic of Ireland | Seat of Lords and Kings of Ireland (1171–1922) |
| Les Jolies Eaux | Mustique, St Vincent | Gift to Princess Margaret. Sold by her son Viscount Linley in 2000. |
| Les Bruyeres | Cap Ferrat, France | Owned by Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1921-1942) |
| Sagana Lodge | Kenya | |
| Verdala Palace | Siġġiewi, Malta | |
| San Anton Palace | Attard, Malta | |
| Grandmaster's Palace | Valletta, Malta | |
| Villa Guardamangia | Pietà, Malta |
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Residencias reales en el Reino Unido para niños
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List of British royal residences Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.