List of British royal residences

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, by the Duchy of Cornwall, and privately by members of the royal family; all the official residences are owned by the Crown.^[1][2] 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.^[1] Public opening is overseen by the Royal Collection Trust.^[3] 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;^[4]

Map of select residences

Buckingham Palace

Windsor Castle

Holyrood

Hillsborough Castle

Sandringham

Balmoral

Highgrove

Birkhall

Anmer Hall

Red: Used by the King and Queen
Blue: Used by the Prince and Princess of Wales
Green: Used by other members of the royal family

Buckingham Palace

Clarence House

St. James Palace

Kensington Palace

Red: Used by the King and Queen
Blue: Used by the Prince and Princess of Wales
Green: Used by other members of the royal family

Official residences

Residence	Location	Ownership	Residents	Notes
Buckingham Palace	London, England	The Crown	The King and Queen	The King and Queen use Buckingham Palace for official business but do not reside there.[5]
Clarence House				Grace and favour Clarence House is the current London Residence for the King and Queen
Kensington Palace			The Prince and Princess of Wales The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester The Duke and Duchess of Kent Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank Prince and Princess Michael of Kent	Also in part a Historic Royal Palace, otherwise, grace and favour
St James's Palace			The Princess Royal The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi	Grace and favour
Windsor Castle	Windsor, Berkshire, England		The King and Queen	Official country residence
Holyrood Palace	Edinburgh, Scotland			Used whenever the royal family undertake official duties in Scotland: primarily 'Holyrood week' in July
Hillsborough Castle	County Down, Northern Ireland			Used whenever the royal family undertake official duties in Northern Ireland. Also, a Historic Royal Palace.[6]

• 
  Buckingham Palace, the official residence of Charles III in London
• 
  Holyrood Palace, the official residence of Charles III in Scotland.
• 
  Windsor Castle

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			The Duke and Duchess of Kent	Official London residence, also a Historic Royal Palaces, grace and favour
Thatched House Lodge	Richmond, London		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, England	The Crown	The Prince and Princess of Wales	Located in Windsor Home Park, close to Windsor Castle
Royal Lodge			The Duke of York	Leased from the Crown Estate
Bagshot Park	Bagshot, England		The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh

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			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 Estate, Aberdeenshire, Scotland			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		The Prince and Princess of Wales	Located on the grounds of Sandringham House. Wedding gift from Elizabeth II to Prince William and Catherine[7]
Highgrove House	Gloucestershire, England	Duchy of Cornwall	The King and Queen	Control of the house was transferred to William, Prince of Wales, when he inherited the Duchy of Cornwall.[8]
Gatcombe Park	Minchinhampton, 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.

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		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 (£9.62 million in 2023).[9] 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)[10]
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	Anne, Princess Royal rented a flat here
Dover House	Whitehall	Prince Frederick, Duke of York (1788–1792)
East Sheen Lodge	Richmond upon-Thames	Princess Louise, Princess Royal (1889–1908)
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		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)[11]
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

Residence	Location	Royals and Dates
Allerton Castle	North Yorkshire	Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (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; sold 2024)
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)
Cumberland Lodge	Windsor Great Park	Prince William, Duke of Cumberland; Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn and Anne, Duchess of Cumberland and Strathearn; Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex; Princess Helena of the United Kingdom and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein (1746–1803; 1830–1843; 1866–1923)
Fort Belvedere		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)
Fife House	Brighton	1st Duke of Fife; Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife (1896–1924)
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)
Cheylesmore Manor	Coventry, Warwickshire	Brought into the Royal family by Queen Isabella. Used as a residence and hunting lodge by many monarchs, including Edward, the Black Prince, and Henry VI.
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)[clarification needed]
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		The Crown (Edward II to Henry VIII; now managed by English Heritage)
Frogmore Cottage	Windsor	Former residence of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, vacant as of June 2023
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 (see also: Pirgo Palace in Havering)
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
Osborne Cottage	Isle of Wight	Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom (1901–1912)
Osborne House		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)
Tamarisk House	Isles of Scilly
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
Tutbury Castle	Staffordshire	Property of the Duchy of Lancaster since 1269. Numerous kings and queens lived there periodically including Richard III, Henry VIII, Mary, Queen of Scots, James VI and I and Charles I. After the English Civil War the castle was slighted and ruined, however the King's Lodgings remain intact.
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[12])
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

Residence	Location	Royals and Dates
Abergeldie Castle	Abergeldie, Aberdeenshire	Queen Victoria to Elizabeth II (1848–1970)
Cadzow Castle	South Lanarkshire, Scotland	Scottish crown (David I, Alexander II, Alexander III, John, Robert I); Mary, Queen of Scots (mid-early 12th century to early 14th century, early May 1568)
Doune Castle	Stirlingshire	Seat of the Duke of Albany (1380–1603)
Dunfermline Palace	Dunfermline, Fife	Seat of the King of Scots (1500–1650)
Edinburgh Castle	Edinburgh	A residence of the Kings of Scots from the 11th to the 17th centuries, last used by Charles I in 1633 (now managed by Historic Scotland)
Falkland Palace	Falkland, Fife	Various, including Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany; David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay (The Scottish Crown 14th century –; now National Trust for Scotland)
Glamis Castle	Glamis, Angus	Residence of the Kings of Scots up to Robert II, who gave the estate to his son-in-law Sir John Lyon, Thane of Glamis, whence it became the seat of the Bowes-Lyon family. Much later, three rooms were let to George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, the latter of whom was a Bowes-Lyon
The Castle of Mey	near John o' Groats	Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (1952–2002)
Mar Lodge	Braemar	Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife and Princess Louise, Princess Royal to Alexander Ramsay (1895–2000)
Linlithgow Palace	West Lothian
Stirling Castle	Stirling	Kings of Scots

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.[13][14]
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
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
Llwynywermod	Myddfai, Wales	Former country residence of Charles, Prince of Wales

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)
E.P. Ranch	Pekisko, Alberta, Canada	Edward VIII (1919–1962)
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

• Royalty portal
• United Kingdom portal

• Pickering Castle