Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Balmoral are known the world over, but there are also many far less well known properties which are owned and lived in by members of the Royal Family scattered across Britain. From Scotland to the Isles of Scilly, Wales to the home counties, the mansions, apartments and "cottages" are part of an estimated £13m royal property portfolio.
The R oyal Family have two types of property, those owned by the Crown Estate and others they privately own. The Crown Estate belongs to King Charles as the reigning British monarch. Many royals live in Crown Estate homes which they lease from the Crown or live at in grace and favour.
Some are open to visitors, others are even available for rent. But all royal properties come with fascinating histories and many are architecturally and historically important.
Read more: The gorgeous Welsh home that's just been inherited by Kate and William, Prince and Princess of Wales
Here are some of the less well known royal properties:
Barnwell Manor - owned by Prince Richard, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, cousin of the late Queen
The Duke of Gloucester, first cousin of the late Queen, has just put his Grade II listed country estate on the market, accepting offers above £4.75 million. The grand 40-room manor and estate in the Northamptonshire countryside was given to the Montagu family by King Henry VIII in 1540, staying in their ownership for more than 370 years.
The historic property was sold by William Montagu Douglas Scott, 6th Duke of Buccleuch, in 1913 and lived in by tenants before being bought in 1938 by Prince Henry, third son of King George V. Prince Henry’s wife, Alice, daughter of the 7th Duke of Buccleuch, recalled the manor when it belonged to her grandfather and was keen to bring it back into the family.
The manor was lived in by the Gloucesters until 1995 when they said they could no longer afford the upkeep. They moved to Apartment 1 at Kensington Palace and let Barnwell to Windsor House Antiques,
Tamarisk House - Prince and Princess of Wales
Far from prying eyes on St Mary’s in the Scilly Islands this mid-1960s brick cottage was transformed into a chocolate box holiday home by the now King Charles. It belongs to the Duchy of Cornwall and stands in quarter of an acre of land, hidden from view by tamarisk trees.
Unusually for a royal property as of this year the house is being used as a holiday let operated by the Duchy of Cornwall.
Craigowan Lodge - King Charles
Sometimes described as “a rustic stone cottage” Craigowan Lodge is grander than described, with seven rooms and space for guests. One mile from Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, it was a favourite place for the late Queen to escape.
The lodge was also the location for the photocall to announce the engagement in 1981 of the then Prince Charles to the then Lady Diana Spencer. The cottage is surrounded by trees and not far from the village of Crathies.
Anmer Hall - the Prince and Princess of Wales
As wedding presents go, the 10-bedroom Georgian mansion is not to be sniffed at. Anmer Hall on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, has a swimming pool and private tennis court and was given to Prince William and Kate Middleton by the late Queen when they married in 2011. They lived there until 2017 when they moved to Kensington Palace in London when Prince George started school.
The Dumfries House - King Charles
This lavish Palladian-style house set in 2,000 acres of countryside in Ayrshire dates to 1754 when William Crichton-Dalrymple sketched out plans for interiors filled with Chippendale furniture. When the house, designed by Robert Adam, went up for sale in 2007 the then Prince Charles and one of his foundations raised funds to buy it. Today, the stately home is open for people to visit and boasts an “unrivalled collection of Chippendale furniture”.
Thatched House Lodge - Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy
Leased from the Crown Estate, the Thatched House Lodge was originally built for the garden keepers of Richmond Park but then became a grace and favour royal property. Famous visitors who have stayed there include President Eisenhower.
The six-bedroom grade two listed “lodge”, set in the grounds of the park, was built in 1673 and enlarged in 1727 and 1771. It became the permanent residence of the late Sir Angus Ogilvy and his wife, the late Queen’s cousin Princess Alexandra in 1963. The house has six reception rooms and six bedrooms and it stands in four acres of grounds including gardens, an 18th-century two-room thatched summer house, a gardener’s cottage, stables and other buildings.
Birkhall -King Charles
Part of the Balmoral estate, Birkhall is a private residence for King Charles and the Queen Consort. The King inherited it from his grandmother when she died in 2002.
The late Queen described the property as a “little big house” while King Charles has said it is “a unique haven of cosiness and character” and is where he spent lockdowns with the now Queen Consort. The grand entrance features a duck egg blue shelter and the mountain of Lochnagar can be seen in the distance. A wendy house built for the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret stands in the grounds.
Dolphin House - King Charles
This six-bedroom island retreat house on the stunning island of Tresco is owned by King Charles (who also owns the island), and is also available for rent. The Prince and Princess of Wales have spent a staycation here with their children in 2019. The secluded location ensures privacy - the island has just 175 residents and is only accessible via sea or air.
Gatcombe Park, Gloucestershire - privately owned home of Princess Anne
The late Queen gave Gatcombe Park to Princess Anne and her then-husband, Captain Mark Phillips when they married in 1973. The Princess Royal still lives in the Gloucestershire manor with her second husband, Sir Timothy Laurence.
Zara Tindall, Princess Anne’s daughter, also lives at Gatcombe with her husband, Mike Tindall, and their two children. The property lies between the villages of Minchinhampton and Avening in Gloucestershire. Built in the late 18th century it is grade two listed. Parts of the grounds open for events, such as horse trials and craft fairs.
Ivy Cottage, Wren House, and Nottingham Cottage, London
Ivy Cottage, Wren House, and Nottingham Cottage, designed by architect Christopher Wren are all in the grounds of Kensington Palace. They are grace and favour properties leased by the Crown Estate.
Ivy Cottage originally housed servants. Princess Eugenie, and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, lived there from April, 2018, to November, 2020. In May, 2022, they announced they had once again taken up residence at the property and would divide their time between London and Portugal.
Wren House is the home of the Duke and Duchess of Kent. The Duke is the late Queen’s first cousin. The couple have lived there since 1978.
Nottingham Cottage was the former home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle before they moved into Frogmore Cottage. The then Prince William and Catherine Middleton also lived in the cottage for a time.
Adelaide Cottage - Prince and Princess of Wales
The Prince and Princess of Wales’ new home, Adelaide Cottage, is in the grounds of Windsor Home Park in Berkshire. It is close to St. George’s Chapel and 25 miles from central London.
More grand house than cottage it has two public rooms, a retiring room and a pages’ room and boasts a marble fireplace mantel in the regency Graeco-Egyptian style. Part of the Crown Estate, Adelaide Cottage was originally built for Queen Adelaide, the wife of King William IV, in 1831.
It has been used as a royal retreat. Queen Victoria visited the cottage for breakfast or tea and Peter Townsend, who famously had a love affair with Princess Margaret, also lived there. The property was renovated in 2015 and the master bedroom reportedly has a ceiling covered with gilded dolphins and a rope decoration, which is originally from a royal yacht from the 19th century.
Although the Prince and Princess of Wales have moved in with their children they aren’t giving up their other two residences. Apartment 1a at Kensington Palace will remain the family’s London home and they’re also keeping Anmer Hall in Norfolk.
Bagshot Park - Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex
Set in 87-acres this 57-room residence near the village of Bagshot in Surrey is leased from the Crown Estate and is home to Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. The grade two listed mansion sits in 51 acres of land within Windsor Great Park and is listed as a building of special architectural or historic interest .
Built on the site of an earlier mansion in 1879 the current red brick residence was home to Queen Victoria’s third son Prince Arthur. The landscaped grounds are also grade two listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
And finally...
Sarah Ferguson, former wife of Prince Andrew, is reported to have bought a new luxury house in London’s Mayfair thought to be an “long-term investment” for their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. The Duchess of York reportedly paid £5million for the mews home, which was owned by the Duke of Westminster, Prince George’s godfather. Sarah’s representatives confirmed the purchase of the property, but did not discuss details, the Sun reported.
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