One of the estates sits on 19,000 acres. Another has 78 bathrooms.
When it comes to insanely beautiful properties owned by the Royal Family, you probably know the basics like Kensington Palace and Windsor Castle. You may even know Balmoral Castle, the holiday home where Queen Elizabeth recently passed away at the age of 96. But the royal family's real estate portfolio includes many other estates and palaces you might not know about. Ahead, take a look at the luxurious properties that'll make you wish you were royal, even more so than usual.
The Duchy of Lancaster is owned by The Duke of Lancaster, aka Queen Elizabeth. The estate is made up of 18,433 hectares, which is equivalent to over 45,000 acres (!). It's spread across Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, and Lincolnshire.
The property provided income for the Queen and is a separate entity from the Crown Estate, which is a collection of lands and holdings in the United Kingdom belonging to the British monarch. Pictured above is Lancaster Castle in Lancashire, but since this land covers several cities, there are 13 castles total on the estate.
You might also know this as the place where the royal family celebrates Christmas every year (as seen on The Crown). Queen Elizabeth inherited the property from her father in 1952, and it's a completely private residence owned by the Royal Family. It's an 8,000-hectare estate, which is equivalent to around 19,000 acres.
Meghan Markle celebrated Christmas there in 2017, even though she and Prince Harry were only engaged at the time. In doing so, the couple broke royal protocol, which says only spouses can be there for Christmas.
This 547-room palace is divided into apartments and offices. It's the official London residence of Prince William and Kate Middleton, who reside in apartment 1A. It cost nearly $7 million dollars to renovate in 2014, according to People.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle once lived on the property in Nottingham Cottage, which has two bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, and two bathrooms.
Balmoral Castle is the Royal Family's vacation home. It sits on 50,000 acres with 150 buildings total. According to Princess Eugeine, it's "the most beautiful place in the world." In the documentary Our Queen At Ninety, Eugenie also said, "I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands."
Queen Elizabeth died at Balmoral on September 8, 2022. Read more about the history of Balmoral Castle here.
The Palace of Holyrood was the Queen's official residence in Scotland, and is where she is currently laying in state following her death. It began as a monastery in 1128. The property is typically open to the public year-round, and guests can visit the Holyrood Abbey, the Palace Gardens, and the State Apartments.
With a total of 775 rooms, this was the Queen's official London residence. It's a working royal palace, which means it's not a private residence. Inside there are 19 state rooms, which are basically public rooms where members of the Royal Family entertain their guests on ceremonial and official occasions. Then there are 52 bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, plus 78 bathrooms.
This palace should look extremely familiar to royal fans. Windsor Castle has St. George's Chapel, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married. In addition to hosting royal weddings, Windsor Castle was one of the Queen's weekend getaway homes.
Remember when Kate Middleton told the story about how Prince William proposed? This is the Palace she was telling it from. It's also the spot where Will and Kate announced their engagement to the world in 2010 and where Prince George was christened in 2013. When it's not being used by the Royal Family for special occasions, it hosts charity receptions.
Built between 1825 and 1827, the Clarence House is the official residence of Prince Charles and Camilla—now King Charles and the Queen Consort. Before them, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip also lived in the townhouse when they got married in 1947.
The Ascot Racecourse was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne. In 2004, Queen Elizabeth oversaw two years of renovations, and it finally reopened in 2006. Every June, there are the week-long Royal Ascot races that the Queen attended along with around 300,000 members of the public.
The former 12-bedroom home of the Duke and Duchess of York (a wedding gift from the Queen) was sold for 15 million pounds after their divorce and left to decay. The home was demolished by a Kazakh billionaire, and a modern interpretation of the country house now stands in its place, Tatler reports.
Located approximately one mile from the main house at Balmoral estate, the seven-bedroom stone house was used by Prince Charles and Princess Diana during the summer. Currently, members of the Royal Family and their guests stay there.
This little thatched cottage was gifted to Queen Elizabeth on her 6th birthday by the people of Wales. Built two-fifths to scale, it contains a living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret tended to it themselves, though now the royal children get the most use out of it. It currently sits on the grounds of the Royal Lodge.
King Charles and the Queen Consort purchased this shortly after their marriage. Set on 215 acres in Wales, the home is sustainable—featuring energy-efficient appliances, low-energy lighting, and insulation from natural sheep's wool. The gardens and grounds are also managed under organic farming principles.
Hillsborough Castle is set on 100 acres of gardens, meadows, and trimmed lawns. It's currently the official home of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and a royal residence. Members of the Royal Family stay at Hillsborough when they visit Northern Ireland.
Highgrove House is a private residence of King Charles and the Queen Consort. Members of the public can tour the seriously impressive gardens on selected dates each year.
Princess Anne calls this stunning estate her country residence. Her daughter, Zara Tindall, and her husband currently live there with their two daughters. While it's a privately owned royal residence, parts of the grounds are open for specific events, including horse trials and craft fairs.
The former home of the Queen Mother, Birkhall is the home of King Charles and the Queen Consort when they stay at Balmoral. The house was bought by Queen Victoria for Charles.
Prince Edward, Sophie Wessex, and their family reside in Bagshot Park, a 21-acre estate within Windsor Great Park. It's comprised of the mansion house, stables, and several lodges. Historically, it was a favorite hunting ground for the Stuart kings.
This stunning Georgian property is the country home of William and Kate. It's located on Sandringham Estate and was gifted to the couple by the Queen after their wedding. The couple actually lived here full-time after Princess Charlotte was born. It features a swimming pool, tennis court, and 10 bedrooms.
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