Primary Official Residences
The British Royal Family primarily uses Buckingham Palace in London as the administrative headquarters and official residence of the sovereign, with the State Rooms open to visitors during summer months Royal Collection Trust. Windsor Castle in Berkshire serves as a private weekend and ceremonial retreat for the monarch and remains the largest inhabited castle in the world Royal Collection Trust.
Sandringham House in Norfolk functions as a private country retreat for the monarch and the wider family during the Christmas period, with the estate owned privately rather than by the Crown Sandringham Estate. The Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh acts as the official royal residence in Scotland, used for state occasions and investitures during annual visits Royal Collection Trust.
Private Homes and Key Holdings
Highgrove and Birkhall
King Charles III and Queen Camilla reside at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, a private country home purchased in 1980, where the King practices organic farming and hosts garden tours at specific times of year Highgrove. The couple also use Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate in Scotland, a former gift from Queen Elizabeth II that serves as a quieter private retreat Balmoral Estate.
Duchy of Cornwall Properties
The Duchy of Cornwall, a private estate held by the Prince of Wales, includes a portfolio of properties and farmland across the UK, with the Prince and Princess of Wales historically using Llwynywermod in Wales as a country home Duchy of Cornwall. The Duchy also manages Clarence House in London, which served as the residence of King Charles III before his accession and remains a working office and reception venue Clarence House.
Other Occupied Royal Estates
Royal Lodge and Adelaide Cottage
Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, moved into Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor Home Park grounds in 2022, a four-bedroom Georgian house within the Crown Estate grounds adjacent to Windsor Castle Royal Collection Trust. Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, previously occupied Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace before relocating to the United States and later purchasing a private estate in Montecito, California Forbes.
Balmoral and the Scottish Highlands
The Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire remains a private royal residence purchased by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1852, used by the family for annual summer holidays and shooting parties Balmoral Estate. The estate operates as a self-contained rural business with Highland cattle, grouse moors, and forestry, and parts are opened to the public during specific holiday periods Balmoral Estate.