Where does The Royal Family reside? Here’s all you need to know about the British Monarchy’s Estates (2023)

FAQs

Where does The Royal Family reside? Here’s all you need to know about the British Monarchy’s Estates? ›

It has been the official residence of the United Kingdom's monarchs since 1837, after all, and it is impressive. Part of the Crown Estate, the palace has five floors and 775 rooms—including 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 92 offices and a surgical room—as well as 40 acres of gardens.

Although in use for the many official events and receptions held by The King, the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are open to visitors every summer. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms.

Places like Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are owned by the monarch of the moment because of their position as king or queen, while other properties, like Balmoral and Sandringham House, are personally owned and not publicly funded.

The palace, like Windsor Castle, is owned by the reigning monarch in right of the Crown. Occupied royal palaces are not part of the Crown Estate, nor are they the monarch's personal property, unlike Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle.

Since Queen Elizabeth's death, King Charles will now inherit Buckingham Palace.

From a 50,000-acre estate in Norfolk, England to a miniature Berkshire Wendy house, these are the 30 regal estates that the royal family has called home.

The Crown Estate is not the private property of the King. Our assets are hereditary possessions of the Sovereign held 'in right of the Crown'. This means they belong to the Sovereign for the duration of their reign, but cannot be sold by them, nor do revenues from the assets belong to them.

8 at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, one of several royal residences spread throughout the United Kingdom. But across the pond, the Queen left behind a property portfolio more befitting of American royalty: dozens of luxury residences dotting some of Manhattan's most affluent neighborhoods.

The Crown Estate is the property of the sitting king or queen. Its holdings are vast, including, but not limited to Windsor Castle; the seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland; rural and coastal holdings and 10 million square feet of mixed-use property in London's West End.

The King has three official residences: Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. These magnificent buildings are not only homes of the Royal Family but also where the King undertakes official work as Head of State.

Is there a house bigger than Buckingham Palace? ›

Hamilton Palace, in the countryside of East Sussex, is bigger than Buckingham Palace but has left people wondering what could have been as it now resembles a scene from a horror movie.

'Who owns the Crown Jewels?'

The Crown Jewels are held in trust by the king or queen for the nation. They are passed to the next monarch on their accession (when they become king or queen).

Buckingham Palace is a massive royal residence with a total of 775 rooms, including 19 State Rooms, 52 bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms. The White House has 132 rooms, including including 16 family and guest rooms, three kitchens, and 35 bathrooms.

Generally, every royal supports charities, appears at events, and occasionally travels the globe to strengthen diplomatic relationships. But some royals also have day jobs, and others have long military careers.

Buckingham Palace also has suites of rooms made into private apartments for other royals, today there are apartments for The Earl and Countess of Wessex, as well as the distinctly titled 'Bobo MacDonald Suite' named after Margaret (Bobo) MacDonald, Queen Elizabeth's nanny and dresser.

Windsor Castle is just 20 miles west of Buckingham Palace, and it is the largest (and longest occupied) castle in Europe.

The Royal Family of Saudi Arabia

The royal family of Saudi Arabia is the House of Saud and is undoubtedly the wealthiest royal family in the world. The royal family has been ruling the country since 1744 and is worth $1.4 trillion.

This property is Frogmore House, which has been a royal residence since 1792 when it was bought by George III's wife Charlotte, but it is currently unoccupied. The late Queen and now the King have never chosen to live there because when in Windsor they stay at their own castle.

A Royal home and fortress for over 900 years, Windsor Castle, the largest occupied castle in the world, remains a working palace today.

Believe it or not, the Queen owns a McDonald's! According to Business Insider, the Queen's McDonald's restaurant is located at the Banbury Gateway Shopping Park in Oxfordshire, about 80 miles from her home at Buckingham Palace.

How much does the royal family cost the taxpayer? ›

Much of the royal family's expenses are covered by an annual taxpayer-funded payment known as the Sovereign Grant, which in the 2021-2022 financial year was set at 86.3 million pounds ($108m) – roughly 1.29 pounds ($1.61) for every person in the UK.

The Crown Estate belongs to the Crown, ie the state. It's income will not be lost when we get rid of the monarchy. It is not and never was the private property of the Windsor family. That means we can't count its income as a benefit of the monarchy.

Today, jewelry experts estimate the crown is worth a stunning $3.4 to $5.7 billion.

Prince Achileas-Andreas of Greece and Denmark (born 2000) born in New York, New York, USA; member of the Greek royal family and the House of Glücksburg. Maud Elizabeth Daphne Marina Windsor (born 2013) born in Los Angeles, California, USA; granddaughter of Prince Michael of Kent and member of the House of Windsor.

There are three sources of funding for The Queen, or officials of the Royal Household acting on Her Majesty's behalf, in both a public and private capacity. These are: the Sovereign Grant, the Privy Purse and The Queen's personal wealth and income.

With the news that Queen Elizabeth passed away today at her beloved Scottish estate, Balmoral, we're republishing this story about her six homes. The Queen has home for just about every occasion (Balmoral for the summer, Sandringham for Christmas...).

The Crown land is really public land

While Queen Elizabeth is mainly a legal figurehead in Canada, the vast majority of Crown Land in Canada is owned by the Crown as an institution. About half of the land is administered by the provincial governments and the rest by the federal government.

Balmoral Castle, in Aberdeenshire, is the royal family's go to holiday home, and the late Queen Elizabeth's much-loved personal residence in Scotland that's open to visitors in the summer.

He calculates that the land under the ownership of the royal family amounts to 1.4% of England. This includes the Crown Estate, the Queen's personal estate at Sandringham, Norfolk, and the Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster, which provide income to members of the family.

The top landowners include Queen Elizabeth, the Crown Estate and Hugh Grosvenor 7th Duke of Westminster.

Who owns Frogmore House? ›

Who owns Frogmore Cottage? The Crown Estate is the official owner of the home in the castle that remains a private royal residence. Ownership is passed from monarch to monarch so King Charles ultimately has control of the home.

According to the Guinness World Records, Forbidden City holds the "largest palace in the world". The Istana Nurul Iman, with 2,152,782 square feet (200,000 m²) of floorspace, holds the title as the "world's largest residential palace" held in Brunei.

Witanhurst is a large Grade II listed 1930s Georgian Revival mansion on 5 acres (2.0 ha) in Highgate, North London. It has had several prominent owners since being rebuilt by soap magnate Sir Arthur Crosfield.

The most expensive house in the world and the world's biggest house is Buckingham Palace, owned by the King Charles III, in right of the British Crown with an estimated value of $4.9 billion. Check out our guide to the world's most expensive houses to see other fancy houses and luxury mansions.

It is likely that these jewels will be passed down to members of the Windsor family and if the Queen follows tradition, she will leave the majority of them to the next monarch, which in this case is King Charles III.

So what will Prince Harry inherit from Queen Elizabeth? Representatives told Forbes in 2021 that Harry was not a beneficiary of any of the $100 million left to the royal family by his great-grandmother, the Queen Mother.

They stay safeguarded at the Tower of London in safekeeping for the nation, and when one monarch dies, the crown jewels are immediately passed to their heir.” So the Queen's former crown, sceptre and orb now belong to her son, King Charles III.

One of Buckingham Palace's 775 rooms contains a swimming pool, which has been dubbed the “Goddess of the Sea.” Descendants of the monarchy from Prince Charles to Prince George have reportedly learned how to swim in the pool.

The Biltmore is called the “grandest private home in America,” but even that doesn't do it justice. At 178,926 square feet, the Gilded Age estate dwarfs the White House by a factor of three and puts Hearst Castle (at 70,000 square feet) to shame.

At Buckingham Palace, heating and hot water is produced by the Combined Heat and Power plant and boilers, with flat plate heat exchangers increasing the efficiency of heat transfer.

What does the Queen eat for dinner? ›

The queen's preference for game meats even extended to more casual meals; she was, reportedly, a big fan of hamburgers made with ground venison. She usually skipped any potatoes, pastas or grains at her evening repast, but almost always had room for dessert.

Simple cooked meat and vegetables lead the way, with space for pheasant or venison should the Queen wish. Of course, Queen Elizabeth loved a Sunday roast just as much as anyone else. Along with chocolate, the Queen enjoyed some strawberries or peaches for dessert.

Despite not being King and Queen juuuuust yet, Kate and William have a huge staff thanks to their position as senior working royals—though unlike King Charles, their aides are not "men in gray" (the nickname given to the power players pulling the strings at The Firm).

Buckingham Palace

The palace's private quarters have been Queen Elizabeth II's formal residence since 1936 when her father took the throne and is speculated to be the new home of King Charles III and his Queen Consort.

Inside Buckingham Palace: A Home To A Small Army Of Staff

It's no secret that the palace has plenty of bedrooms for live-in staff, but there are a few restrictions on living and working there. The Queen has over 1,000 staff members, many of whom live on-site, where their meals are free, according to Forbes.

Although in use for the many official events and receptions held by The King, the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are open to visitors every summer. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms.

Britain's Queen Picks Windsor Castle Over Buckingham Palace As Permanent Home. According to 'The Sunday Times', she now prefers it as her permanent home and main official residence as opposed to the palace in central London – which was her home for most of her 70-year reign.

Buckingham Palace is the Queen's official and main royal London home, although the Queen regularly spends time at Windsor Castle and Balmoral in Scotland. Windsor Castle is an official residence of The Queen and the largest occupied castle in the world. The castle was the inspiration for the Royal family's surname.

6. Royal Palaces. The Occupied Royal Palaces are held in trust for the nation by The King as Sovereign. Their maintenance and upkeep is one of the expenses met by the government in return for the surrender by the Sovereign of the hereditary revenues of the Crown (mainly the profit from The Crown Estate).

Who is next in line of succession? Following the death of King Charles, his oldest son William, Prince of Wales will become monarch, assuming the title of King William, and his wife Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales will become Queen Catherine.

Who currently lives at Frogmore Cottage? ›

Ownership of Frogmore Cottage is passed from monarch to monarch. Since 2019, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have used Frogmore Cottage as their official home base while in the UK.

8 at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, one of several royal residences spread throughout the United Kingdom. But across the pond, the Queen left behind a property portfolio more befitting of American royalty: dozens of luxury residences dotting some of Manhattan's most affluent neighborhoods.

In France, the duke of Windsor—formerly King Edward VIII of Great Britain and Northern Ireland—marries Wallis Warfield, a divorced American socialite for whom he abdicated the British throne in December 1936.

The last time this happened — in 1936 when King Edward VIII decided to wed American socialite Wallis Simpson — it triggered a crisis inside Windsor Castle. For one thing, Simpson was about to divorce for the second time. Also, she was from Baltimore.

The last person to hold the title Queen Consort was the current queen's mother. When her husband King George VI died in 1952 she was officially re-styled Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. If William dies before Kate and their son Prince George becomes king, Kate will then become the Queen Mother.

Will Camilla become the reigning queen if Charles dies? And, even more notably, there is no chance of Camilla ever becoming the reigning queen. Only members of the royal family who are born in the direct line of succession to the British throne (i.e. children of a reigning king or queen) can ever become monarch.

William has ostensibly been training to become King for his entire life, but what will Kate's role be once William ascends to the throne? As the wife of a reigning monarch, she will become what's known as the Queen consort.

Prince Harry and Meghan refurbished the property, owned by the Crown Estate, at an estimated cost of £2.4m in 2018-19. The cost was initially covered by taxpayers through the Sovereign Grant before being repaid in full by the duke.

The building is Grade-II-listed and has ten bedrooms, but was for some time used as accommodation for palace staff. Renovations of the cottage took months and included some very modern and unexpected changes.

Who owns Frogmore Cottage? The Crown Estate is the official owner of the home in the castle that remains a private royal residence. Ownership is passed from monarch to monarch so King Charles ultimately has control of the home.

How much did Harry inherit from the Queen? ›

Representatives told Forbes in 2021 that Harry was not a beneficiary of any of the $100 million left to the royal family by his great-grandmother, the Queen Mother. It's unclear if Harry was left any money from his grandmother the late Queen Elizabeth II, whose will is expected to stay sealed for at least 90 years.

Though official royal residences like Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace are owned by the Crown Estate—which is funded by British taxpayers—Balmoral was Elizabeth's personal property, inherited through her family. Her only other privately owned residence is Sandringham, located in Norfolk, England.

The architect was William Smith of Aberdeen, and his designs were amended by Prince Albert. Balmoral remains the private property of the monarch and is not part of the Crown Estate.