List of British royal residences

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This is a list of residences occupied by the British Royal family, noting the seasons of the year they are traditionally occupied.

Members of the British Royal Family live in many different residences around the United Kingdom. Some are royal palaces, owned by the state and held in trust by the monarch; others are privately owned. Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House have been inherited as private property for several generations. Other royal palaces are no longer residences (e.g. the Palace of Westminster, the Palace of Whitehall). Some remain in irregular use for royal occasions. The Royal Palaces enjoy certain legal privileges, for example there is an exemption from levying duty on alcoholic beverages sold in the bars at the Palace of Westminster and there are exemptions from Health and Safety legislation.

The occupied royal residences of are cared for and maintained by the Royal Household Property Section. The unoccupied royal palaces of England are now within the responsibility of the Historic Royal Palaces Agency.

Current royal residences by members of the Royal Family

Residence Location Notes

HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

Official

St. James's Palace London Technically still the "senior palace" of the monarch; the Chapel Royal is situated there and foreign ambassadors are still accredited to it. However, the Queen does not have an apartment there
Buckingham Palace London Official London residence (Monday to Friday)
Windsor Castle Windsor, Berkshire Official country residence (Most weekends; a month over Easter; a week in June for Royal Ascot and the service of the Order of the Garter)
Palace of Holyroodhouse Edinburgh Official Scottish residence (Whenever the Royal Family undertake official duties in Scotland: primarily Holyrood week in July)

Private

inherited from her father

Sandringham House Norfolk Christmas until February
Balmoral Castle Aberdeenshire August and September
Craigowan Lodge Balmoral, Aberdeenshire
Delnadamph Lodge Balmoral, Aberdeenshire

TRH The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall

Official

Clarence House St James's Palace, London Official London residence

Private

Highgrove Gloucestershire
Birkhall Balmoral, Aberdeenshire previously used by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother
Llwynywormwood Myddfai, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire
Tamarisk Isles of Scilly

HRH The Duke of York

Official

Buckingham Palace London Official London residence
The Royal Lodge Windsor, Berkshire Official country residence, leased from the Crown Estate

TRH The Earl and Countess of Wessex

Official

Buckingham Palace London Official London residence
Bagshot Park Surrey Official country residence, leased from the Crown Estate

HRH The Princess Royal

Official

St James's Palace London Official London residence

Private

Gatcombe Park Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire Privately-owned home

TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester

Official

Kensington Palace London Official London residence
Barnwall Manor Barnwell, Northamptonshire Not in residence - leased since 1995

TRH The Duke and Duchess of Kent

Official

Wren House Kensington Palace, London Official London residence

TRH Prince and Princess Michael of Kent

Official

Kensington Palace London Official London residence

HRH Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy

Official

St. James's Palace London Official London residence
Thatched House Lodge Richmond, Surrey Official country residence, leased from the Crown Estate

Current Royal Residences by Type of Residence

Residence Location Member(s)

Official

Buckingham Palace London The Queen, The Yorks, The Wessexes
Clarence House London The Waleses
Kensington Palace London The Gloucesters, Prince and Princess Michael (also a Historic Royal Palace)
Wren House Kensington Palace, London The Kents
St. James's Palace London The Princess Royal, Princess Alexandra
Windsor Castle Windsor, Berkshire Various
Palace of Holyroodhouse Edinburgh Various
Hillsborough Castle County Down, Northern Ireland Various

Crown Estate leases

The Royal Lodge Windsor, Berkshire The Yorks
Bagshot Park Surrey The Wessexes
Thatched House Lodge Richmond, London Princess Alexandra
Barnwall Manor Barnwell, Northamptonshire The Gloucesters

Privately-owned

Gatcombe Park Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire The Princess Royal
Sandringham House Norfolk The Queen (inherited)
Balmoral Castle Aberdeenshire The Queen (inherited)
Craigowan Lodge Balmoral, Aberdeenshire The Queen (inherited)
Delnadamph Lodge Balmoral, Aberdeenshire The Queen (inherited)
Highgrove Gloucestershire The Waleses
Birkhall House Balmoral, Aberdeenshire The Rothesays
Llwynywormwood Myddfai, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire The Waleses
Tamarisk Isles of Scilly The Cornwalls

Former Royal residences

Residence Location Royal(s) & Date(s)
Ailesbury House Leicester Square, London
The Albany Piccadilly, London Prince Frederick, Duke of York (1791–1802)
Allerton Castle North Yorkshire Prince Frederick, Duke of York (1786–1789)
Anmer Hall Anmer, Norfolk (Sandringham Estate) Leased by the Kents (1972–1990)
Audley End House Saffron Walden, Essex Charles II (1668–1701)
Banqueting House Whitehall, London Last remaining property of the Palace of Whitehall, now a Historic Royal Palace
Barnwell Manor Northamptonshire Princes Henry and Richard, Dukes of Gloucester (1938–1995, still owned)
Barton Lodge Winkfield, Berkshire
Palace of Beaulieu Chelmsford, Essex Henry VIII; Edward VI; Mary I; Elizabeth I (1517–1622)
Beaumont Palace Oxford Owned by The Crown (Henry I through Edward II; 1130–1318)
Fort Belvedere Windsor Great Park Prince William, Duke of Cumberland; Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught; Edward VIII (1750–1936; still owned by the Crown Estate)
Bentley Priory London Queen Adelaide (leased 1846/8–1849)
Birch Hall Surrey Bought and sold in 1998 by the trustees representing Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York. Never occupied by the Princesses nor their mother, who claimed that financial difficulties prevented her from running the house (1998)
Brantridge Park Balcombe, West Sussex Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone; Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom (1919–1941)
Bridewell Palace London Henry VIII; Edward VI (1515–1523, owned 'til 1556)
Bushy House Teddington, London William IV; the FitzClarences; Mrs Jordan; Queen Adelaide (1797–1849; still owned)
Cadzow Castle South Lanarkshire, Scotland Scottish crown (David I, Alexander II, Alexander III, John, Robert I); Mary, Queen of Scots (mid-early twelfth century - early fourteenth century, early May 1568)
Caernarfon Castle Caernarfon, Wales Edward I (1283– still owned)
Cambridge Cottage Kew
Cambridge House Piccadilly, London Official London residence of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (1829–1850)
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 English Heritage)
Carlton House London George IV (1783–1827; now Carlton House Terrace, still 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 Edward,Duke of Kent(father of Queen Victoria) who spent £100,000 enhancing the house.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.
Castlewood House Egham, Surrey Leased by The Duke and Duchess of York (1987-1990)
Chelsea Manor London Princess Elizabeth; Anne of Cleves (1536–1547, c. 1547–1557)
Chesterfield House Greenwich
Chevening Kent Owned by the Crown Estate and used as the official residence of the Foreign Secretary (1980–)
Chideock Manor Dorset Rented by The Duke and Duchess of York (1986-1987)
Chiswick House Burlington Lane, Chiswick, London Acquired by English Heritage, 1929
Christ Church Oxford Charles I (1642–1649)
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 'til 1865, 1882–1922)
Clivenden
Connaught Place London
Coppins Buckinghamshire Princess Victoria; Princes Henry and Edward, Dukes of Kent (1925-1973)
Crocker End House Oxfordshire Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (1990-?)
Crosby Hall Chelsea, London Richard, Duke of Gloucester (mid-late 15th Century)[1]
Cumberland Cottage
Cumberland House Pall Mall, London Prince Edward, Duke of York; Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland (c. 1760–1801; as York House 'til 1767)
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)
Dolphin Square Embankment, London The Princess Royal, at some point or other, but never owned
Dover House London Prince Frederick, Duke of York (1788–1792)
Dublin Castle Dublin, Ireland Seat of Lords and Kings of Ireland (1171–1922)
Dunfermline Palace Dunfermline, Fife Seat of the King of Scots (1500–1650)
East Sheen Lodge London
Eastwell Park Kent Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Maria, Duchess of Edinburgh (rented 1874–1893)
Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh, Midlothian Kings of Scots (now Historic Scotland)
Eltham Palace Kent The Crown (Edward II through Henry VIII; now English Heritage)
Falkland Palace Stirlingshire Various, including Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany; David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay (The Scottish Crown 14th Century –; now National Trust for Scotland)
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)
Gloucester House Piccadilly, London Prince William, Duke of Gloucester died here, 1805
Gloucester Lodge Brompton
Gunnersbury Park London Summer retreat of Princess Amelia (1760–1786)
Hampton Court Palace London The Crown, since Henry VIII (1525–; now a Historic Royal Palace)
Hatfield House Hertfordshire The Crown (residents included Prince Edward and Princess Elizabeth; 16th Century – 1607)
Ingestre House Belgrave Square, London
Kent House Isle of Wight Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll (from 1901)
Kew House Isle of Wight
Kew Palace London Frederick, Prince of Wales; George III; The Crown since (Mid-18th Century –; now a Historic Royal Palace)
Kingsbourne House Wentworth, Surrey Leased by Sarah, Duchess of York (1994–1997)
Kings Langley Hertfordshire Used by the Plantagenet to Tudor Kings (1276–1558)
Lancaster House London
Leeds Castle Kent
Leicester House London Frederick, Prince of Wales (c. 1730–1751)
Les Jollies Eaux Mustique, St Vincent Gift to Princess Margaret. Sold by her son Viscount Linley in 2000.
Linlithgow Palace West Lothian
Tower of London London Now a Historic Royal Palace
Marlborough House London Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh; Queen Adelaide (1837–1849); Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Alexandra of Denmark (1863–1901); George, Prince of Wales and Mary, Princess of Wales (1901–1910). Occupied by Queen Mary, Dowager Queen 1945-1953.
The Castle of Mey nr. John o' Groats Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (1952–2002)
Nether Lypiatt Manor Stroud, Gloucestershire former country home of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent
Nonsuch Palace London
Norfolk House London Frederick, Prince of Wales
Oak Grove House Sandhurst
Oatlands Palace Weybridge, Surrey King Henry VIII; King Edward VI; Queen Mary I; Queen 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 King Edward VII, who gave it to the nation later that year.
Palace of Placentia London The Palace at Greenwich, acquired by Margaret of Anjou (consort to Henry VI), last used by Charles I
Queen Charlotte's Cottage Kew ?
Queen's House Greenwich Built in the Gardens of the Palace of Greenwich for Anne of Denmark, consort to James I
Ranger's House Greenwich
Ribsden Holt Windlesham, Surrey Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll; Princess Patricia of Connaught
Richmond Palace London Also known as Palace of Sheen, Royal Residence 1327 to 1649, little remains
Romenda Lodge Wentworth Estate, Surrey Leased by the Duchess of York 1992-1994.
Royal Hospital Dublin ?
The Royal Pavilion, Brighton Brighton, East Sussex George IV; William IV; Victoria (1786–1838)
Sagana Lodge Kenya
Savile House Leicester Square, London
Savoy Palace London
Schomberg House Pall Mall, London Princess Helena of the United Kingdom
Somerset House London Queen Elizabeth I; Queen Henrietta Maria
Stirling Castle Stirlingshire
Sunninghill Park Ascot, Windsor Prince Andrew, Duke of York and family (c. 1990—2004)
Sussex House Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London Prince Augustus, Duke of Sussex
Walmer Castle Walmer, Kent
Palace of Westminster London Saxon-1530,
Palace of Whitehall London 1530-1698
White Lodge Richmond Princess Amelia Sophia of Great Britain; King 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 George, Duke of York and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (c. 1740–1923)
The King's House Winchester Proposed royal residence for King Charles II
Windlesham Moor Windsor The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh & Prince Charles of Edinburgh (1947–4 July 1949[2])
Witley Court Worcestershire
Woodstock Palace Oxfordshire
York Cottage In the grounds of Sandringham House, Norfolk Occupied by King 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.
York House, St James's Palace London Various royal residents

References

  1. "Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea – Interesting Places – Crosby Hall". Archived from the original on 2007-08-13. Retrieved 2008-09-28.
  2. Royal.gov.uk – 60 Facts, Fact 50