Where Does the British Royal Family Live? A Guide to 17 Royal Residences

Keeping up with the royals is far more of a wild goose chase than keeping up with the Kardashians—especially when it comes to who’s living where. Residences can serve very different purposes: Some are official settings for state occasions and public engagements, while others are private family homes or countryside escapes.

The royal property portfolio has evolved considerably since Queen Elizabeth II’s death in 2022 and King Charles III’s coronation the following year, ushering in a new chapter for the monarchy and the homes associated with it. Take the Prince and Princess of Wales, who moved from Adelaide Cottage to the larger Forest Lodge, or the King’s decision to strip his brother of his titles and Royal Lodge tenancy. There is also fresh attention to how these vast historic properties are used, maintained, and opened to the public. Some remain central to the monarchy’s public-facing work, hosting state visits, formal receptions, and annual traditions, while others offer the family a more private base for weekends, holidays, and time away from London.

Below are the less-than-humble abodes that the royal family has called home—along with insight into the histories, architecture, and functions of each grand space.

Forest Lodge

Berkshire, England
Who’s There Now: Prince William and Princess Kate

Forest Lodge, located in Windsor Great Park, is the new official residence of the Wales family. It is a Grade II-listed Georgian mansion built in the 1770s and originally known as Holly Grove. The eight-bedroom, 328-year-old property is valued at approximately $16 million and features a chandelier-lit ballroom, tennis court, extensive grounds, and multiple cottages for security and staff.

Forest Lodge has a rich royal history, becoming part of the Crown Estate in 1829 when George IV purchased it. The property previously served as the residence of the Deputy Ranger of Windsor Great Park until 1937, and more recently housed high-profile tenants including Alex Fitzgibbons, who planned wedding receptions for both William and Kate and Harry and Meghan. In 2001, the property underwent a $2 million restoration to preserve its period features.

William and Kate completed their move into Forest Lodge in November 2025, with the family—including George, Charlotte, and Louis—settling in ahead of the winter holidays. The couple reportedly signed a 20-year lease and have described Forest Lodge as their long-term family home, with plans to remain there even after William becomes king.

Windsor Castle

Berkshire, England
Who’s There Now: King Charles III owns it, but nobody lives there now

Windsor Castle, often referred to as “the Big House,” is the oldest inhabited castle in the world, having been part of Britain’s royal heritage for nearly a thousand years. The castle was commissioned by William the Conqueror around 1070 and took 16 years to complete. The Queen spent many of her private weekends at Windsor Castle throughout her reign, as well as a week each June for Royal Ascot and the service of the Order of the Garter.

Windsor Castle remains a working palace where King Charles III conducts official audiences and ceremonial functions. The King and Queen Camilla now split time between Windsor and their London base, Clarence House. In June 2026, royal officials confirmed that Charles and Camilla will not move into Buckingham Palace once its decade-long, roughly £369 million refurbishment concludes in 2027, meaning Windsor Castle and Clarence House will remain the couple’s primary residences going forward.

Bagshot Park

Bagshot, England
Who’s There Now: Duchess Sophie and Prince Edward

Bagshot Park is a redbrick and stone mansion built on the site of an earlier mansion in 1879 in Bagshot, a village 11 miles south of Windsor. It was the principal residence of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, a son of Queen Victoria. The Tudor Gothic–style house was the result of the Duke of Connaught’s Indian tour, when the Duke met John Lockwood Kipling and asked him to design and oversee the installation of a billiard room in an interpretation of Indian style. The project took two years and was a wedding gift from Indian princes to the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, designed and executed by Bhai Ram Singh. Upon the duke’s death, Bagshot Park was requisitioned by the army for the Auxiliary Territorial Service to use as their Staff College. This closed at the end of the war and passed through several hands before it was leased by the Crown Estate to Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh. Today, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Lady Louise Windsor, and James, Earl of Wessex, live at the 120-room estate. The Grade II–listed building is estimated to be worth around $38 million, should it be listed on the open market.

Fort Belvedere

Berkshire, England
Who’s There Now: The Weston family

Fort Belvedere is part of the Windsor Estate. It’s a Gothic Revival–style manor house built by English architect Jeffry Wyatville in the 1820s. The historic building served as the royal residence for Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor, between 1929 and 1936. Under his stewardship, many of the manor’s rooms were renovated and updated, including the addition of horse stables, a swimming pool, and tennis courts. It was at Fort Belvedere that Edward signed his written abdication notice, which stripped him of his royal title and his home. The home was later inhabited by Gerald Lascelles, a grandson of King George V, and more recently, Galen and Hilary Weston, a family that has long had a close relationship with the British royal family. The couple constructed a polo stud and doubled the size of the lake on the grounds. Galen Weston died in 2021, and while rumors started that the forgotten castle may have become the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s official new home, the happy family chose Adelaide Cottage instead (also near Windsor), and Hilary and the Weston family continue to occupy the fort today. The Crown Estate retains ownership of the property, which is still part of the Great Park.

Sandringham House

Norfolk, England
Who’s There Now: King Charles III (and soon Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor)

Sandringham House, a Georgian mansion, was constructed in 1771 by the then-owners, the Hoste Henleys. The Grade II mansion was passed down through several generations of owners before King Edward VII bought it for his future wife, Princess Alexandra of Denmark, and built what is now the Sandringham House in a style described by Pevsner as “frenetic Jacobean.” Following King Edward VII’s death, the estate passed to his son, George V, who broadcast the first royal Christmas message, a holiday staple in Britain, from the house. He eventually died at the house in 1936, passing it on to Edward VIII, who also died there in 1952. Queen Elizabeth II then owned the estate, where it became best known as a setting for the royal family’s annual Christmas celebration. In 2017, King Charles III took over management of the estate. The late Prince Philip also chose to spend the majority of his time at Wood Farm on the estate following his retirement in 2017, while Prince William and Princess Kate also have a home, Anmer Hall, on the estate.

Following his October 2025 loss of titles, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor relocated to the Sandringham estate, first staying temporarily at Wood Farm beginning in February 2026 before moving into the newly renovated Marsh Farm—a five-bedroom former farmhouse about 1.5 miles from Sandringham House—in April 2026. The renovation, funded by King Charles, included a new security perimeter, CCTV, and an airspace restriction zone. Andrew was arrested at Wood Farm in February 2026 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, an investigation that remains ongoing.

Anmer Hall

Norfolk, England
Who’s There Now: Prince William and Princess Kate

Anmer Hall is a 10-bedroom Georgian house that was built in 1802 as part of the Sandringham Estate, just a five-minute drive from Sandringham House. The historic structure has been William and Kate’s Norfolk home for over a decade, since they moved in in 2015 when Kate was expecting their second child, Princess Charlotte. They made it their own with a $2 million renovation, updating the roof, planting more trees for privacy, and overhauling the kitchen—which, in addition to adding a second kitchen at Kensington Palace, gave her the nickname “Three Kitchens Kate.” The property also boasts a pool, a tennis court, and a fully functioning honeybee colony.

In 2017, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, stayed with William and Kate, “because the sovereign still won’t permit unwed couples to sleep together under her roof Sandringham,” according to the book Notorious Royal Marriages by Leslie Carroll. Today, the Prince and Princess of Wales use Anmer as a country escape when they aren’t inhabiting their two primary royal residences—Kensington Palace and Adelaide Cottage. More recently, the family is said to have spent half of February 2024 at Anmer Hall as Kate recovered from her abdominal surgery that January, according to The Sunday Times’s Roya Nikkhah.

Buckingham Palace

London
Who’s There Now: Nobody

Located in the heart of the capital, Buckingham Palace is the crown jewel of the royal properties—and the most visited. Hundreds of visitors flock daily to be in the same vicinity where royalty resides. The palace’s private quarters had been Queen Elizabeth II’s formal residence since 1936 when her father took the throne. When the Queen was still alive, she had initiated a mammoth project to refurbish the property, which was predicted to take 10 years to complete. The neoclassical-style structure has been known as the official London residence of the United Kingdom’s monarchs since 1837, with Queen Victoria as the first monarch to settle in.

A roughly £369 million, decade-long “reservicing” project to replace the palace’s aging wiring, pipes, and heating systems is on track to finish in spring 2027. In June 2026, royal officials confirmed that King Charles III and Queen Camilla will not move into Buckingham Palace even once renovations are complete—they will remain at Clarence House, while Buckingham Palace continues on as the ceremonial and administrative center of royal life, with expanded public access.

Balmoral Castle

Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Who’s There Now: King Charles III

Almost a second home to Queen Elizabeth II, Balmoral Castle was Her Majesty’s beloved summer retreat and, fittingly, the place where she passed away. The majestic building, typical of the Scottish Baronial period, was originally purchased by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria in 1852—and has since remained a summer home for the royal family. The private residence, which sits on 50,000 acres with 150 total buildings, hosts the annual Ghillies’ Ball, a royal summer party that dates back to when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert would throw a summer party for their staff. Inside the castle, it’s a tartan and chintz dreamland. This year, King Charles III and Queen Camilla were at Balmoral in January (and the year prior), a break in Queen Elizabeth II’s tradition of spending the first month of the year at Sandringham in Norfolk.

Craigowan Lodge

Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Who’s There Now: King Charles III

Craigowan Lodge is located on the Balmoral estate—just one mile away from Balmoral Castle—in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. While it is sometimes described as a cottage, the house has seven bedrooms. When Princess Diana was alive, then-Prince Charles and she would often stay in the rustic house during their visits to the Scottish countryside, and the first official photos following their engagement were taken there. It was also used by Queen Elizabeth II in the first few days of her annual summer holiday in Scotland, while Balmoral Castle was being prepared for her extended stay. Upon her death, her son King Charles III inherited the lodge in September 2022. The estate is managed by Trustees under Deeds of Nomination and Appointment. The cottage is currently vacant, a private home that the royal family can visit and a house that can be used to welcome important guests.

The Castle of Mey

Caithness, Scotland
Who’s There Now: King Charles III and the Prince’s Foundation

The Queen Mother purchased the deteriorating Barrogill Castle in 1952 after visiting it with Lady Doris Vyner. In 1955, Her Majesty restored the structure’s original name, the Castle of Mey, and extensively renovated the castle and gardens. In July 1996, the Queen Mother handed the property, the policies, and the farm over to the Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust that in 2019 passed stewardship on to the Prince’s Foundation, helmed by King Charles III. It is now open seven days a week to the public, with a closed period of 10 days in July when King Charles III and Queen Camilla usually stay there. The trust also has a visitor center and a bed-and-breakfast on the grounds.

Birkhall Castle

Aberdeenshire, England
Who’s There Now: King Charles III

While Balmoral Castle was Queen Elizabeth II’s beloved retreat, King Charles III and the Duchess of Cornwall have their own escape on the same estate: Birkhall. The centuries-old residence dates back to 1715, first coming into the royals’ possession in 1852 when Prince Albert acquired it as a gift for his son, the future King Edward VII. George V ultimately lent it to Queen Elizabeth and her husband, who ended up there in their later years when Queen Elizabeth II took up residence at Balmoral, calling it the “little big house.” After her death in 2002, it fell into the hands of the Prince of Wales. It has since held a special place in Charles’s recollection, the backdrop for the two when they honeymooned in 2005. The two have continued to return to it for summer retreats and resided there during the Covid pandemic.

Kensington Palace

London, England
Who’s There Now: Prince William and Princess Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, the Prince and Princess of Kent, and Princess Eugenie, partially

The majestic estate, estimated to be worth $740 million, has been a royal residence for 300 years, and since 2017, home to the Wales family, Prince William and Princess Catherine, with their three children in apartment 1A (formerly occupied by Princess Margaret). The family “apartment”—which underwent a $1.6 million renovation prior to the couple’s 2013 move and an additional $4.9 million revamp the following year, according to Vogue—features five reception rooms, three main bedrooms, a night and day nursery, and staff quarters.

According to the royal family’s official website, other residents of Kensington Palace include: the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent (living in the palace’s Wren House), and the Prince and Princess of Kent (apartment 10). Princess Eugenie, William and Harry’s cousin, also stays on Kensington Palace grounds, in Ivy Cottage, when she is in the UK. She and her family split their time between the UK and their lavish family residence in Comporta, Portugal.

Adelaide Cottage

Berkshire, England
Who’s There Now: Prince William and Princess Kate

Located on the east side of Windsor Castle grounds, Adelaide Cottage is a 10-minute walk away from Windsor Castle. This royal residence was built in 1831 by architect Jeffry Wyatville and commissioned by King William IV for his wife Queen Adelaide. Queen Victoria reportedly often visited this peaceful cottage, which apparently was once called Adelaide Lodge.

After Queen Elizabeth II made Windsor Castle her official residence, the Wales family followed to support her in the final years of her reign. The family made the move just weeks before the Queen’s death. Though the word cottage can be misleading (it has gilded dolphins and rope decoration on the ceiling of the master bedroom, which is said to have been recycled from a 19th-century royal yacht), Adelaide Cottage is a major downgrade from Kensington Palace, with a modest four bedrooms.

William, Kate, and their children moved out of Adelaide Cottage in November 2025, relocating to the larger Forest Lodge nearby. Royal watchers have linked the move to the family’s desire for more space and a fresh start following Queen Elizabeth’s death and Kate’s 2024 cancer treatment and recovery, both of which took place while the family lived at the cottage. As of mid-2026, Adelaide Cottage remains unoccupied, with no new resident yet announced.

Frogmore Cottage

Windsor, England
Who’s There Now: It has remained vacant since Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, left their UK home.

Frogmore Cottage (not to be confused with Frogmore House, which shares the same grounds half a mile from Windsor Castle) was originally constructed between 1680 and 1684 and was the home of Queen Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent. The Grade II–listed royal retreat later became a retreat for Queen Charlotte and her daughters at the beginning of the 19th century—and more recently, was Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s UK home together. The couple spent roughly $3.2 million renovating the property before repaying the cost in full in 2020 after moving to California. Princess Eugenie and her husband lived at the cottage from 2020 until May 2022. Harry and Meghan were asked to vacate the property in 2023, after which Frogmore Cottage has sat empty.

As of 2026, Frogmore Cottage remains vacant, and reports throughout the year indicate the royal household is reversing the Sussexes’ roughly £2.4 million renovation, potentially subdividing the cottage back into separate staff residences as it existed before Harry and Meghan’s overhaul. Harry and Meghan themselves are reportedly moving back to the UK, but Frogmore Cottage is not expected to be part of those plans going forward.

Clarence House

London
Who’s There Now: King Charles III and Queen Camilla

Clarence House, which stands beside St. James’s Palace and is within walking distance of Buckingham Palace, has been home to King Charles III and Camilla the Queen Consort for almost 20 years. The pair moved in during 2003 and will continue to call it home indefinitely. Built in 1825–27, the townhouse was the home of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip after their marriage in 1947. It was also the London home of the Queen Mother from 1953 to 2002. Prince William and Prince Harry also lived here until moving into their own private residences at Kensington Palace in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

Highgrove House

Gloucestershire, England
Who’s There Now: King Charles III, on occasion

The place where King Charles spent his first day in private reflection since his mother’s death, this Georgian neoclassical house has been a retreat for the king since he first bought it in 1980. He and his then-wife Princess Diana renovated the nine-bedroom mansion, which dates back to the 1780s, and transformed the gardens into an environmentally friendly wonderland of rare trees and plants.

St. James’s Palace

London
Who’s There Now: Princess Anne and Princess Alexandra use it as their London base.

Built by Henry VIII between 1531 and 1536, St. James’s Palace was a residence of kings and queens for over 300 years—until the reign of Queen Victoria. Many family occasions have been held at this historic palace, including the marriages of George III and Queen Charlotte; Victoria and Albert; and George V and Queen Mary; the christening of Prince George in 2013; and more recently, the setting where King Charles III was proclaimed as monarch on September 10. Just around the corner from Buckingham Palace, the palace is used by many royals as their London base, including Princess Anne, who also lives at Gatcombe Park, and Princess Alexandra.