A Peek Into the Private Home and Family Life of Queen Elizabeth II

Shannon Quinn - September 16, 2022
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A Peek Into the Private Home and Family Life of Queen Elizabeth II

In celebration of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II’s 96 years on this Earth, we want to take a look back at her life, especially what it was like for her at home. Here at Home Addict, we have gathered some little-known facts about her several properties, family life, and so much more.

Elizabeth’s mother on her wedding day, walking out of 17 Bruton Street. Credit: Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II Was The First British Monarch Born into a Private Home

It may surprise you to know that the Queen was born at 17, Bruton Street in Mayfair, London. She was not born into a palace or a big estate or even a hospital, but a townhouse on a busy London street. Her parents had moved into the house, belonging to her Scottish grandparents, the Earl and Countess of Strathmore, only a few weeks before her birth. Money was an issue for her parents at that time, even though they were a part of the royal family.

Movers bringing in furniture to 17 Burton Street. Credit: BBC

Unfortunately, if you go looking for her home, you won’t find it. The Queen’s first home no longer stands. For years, there were rumors claiming that it was a casualty of The Blitz air raids during World War Two. However, the 18th-Century townhouse was gone before the war had even started. In 1937, investors bought the property and started the demolition of 17, Bruton Street, along with the destruction of many of the neighboring buildings stretching around the corner into Berkeley Square. (via BBC)

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Queen Elizabeth and her mother playing with the family corgis. Credit: Hello Magazine

Elizabeth’s Childhood Home 145 Piccadilly Was Bombed

In 1926, the future Queen’s family would move into a Georgian home at 145 Piccadilly. In her book, The Little Princesses, the nanny, Marion Crawford, described the five-story building near Hyde Park Corner as “a homelike and unpretentious household.” The mansion had an entrance hall, principal staircase hall, secondary staircase with eclectic passenger lift, drawing room, dining room, study library about 25 bedrooms and a conservatory.

The house was bombed during WWII. Credit: Hello Magazine

Hamilton Garden, a small park shared by the residents of neighboring buildings, was located in the back of the house and was used daily by the future queen and her sister, Princess Margaret, for play. The family moved out in 1936 and the property was badly damaged in 1940 during a WWII bombing. The former 145 Piccadilly is at No. 1 Hamilton Place, the site of which is occupied today by the upscale InterContinental London Park Lane Hotel. The hotel was constructed between 1968- 1975. (via Hello Magazine)

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Credit: BBC

The Queen Grew Up Playing in a Playhouse at the Royal Lodge in Windsor

While living at 145 Piccadilly, the family would spend weekends at the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park. The property was originally built in the 1600’s. Much of the building was demolished by King William IV in the 1830s, but the conservatory remained a residence. The lodge was expanded in the 1930s by the future King George VI. The family continued to visit after moving to Buckingham Palace, and the nanny Marion Crawford noted, “At Royal Lodge, court etiquette was forgotten, and ceremony left behind… We had all our meals together and went for picnics, and above all, we gardened.”

Inside of the playhouse, shown on a BBC series. Credit: BBC

The property also had an adorable playhouse- a miniature two-story thatched cottage – called “Y Bwthyn Bach” Elizabeth’s parents traveled to the city to accept the gift for their daughter’s sixth birthday. It was later installed in the grounds, where it was enjoyed by Princess Elizabeth and her younger sister Princess Margaret. It still stands today and has become a favorite for generations of royal children for decades. (via BBC)

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Credit: ITV News

Just Like Most Families, Queen Elizabeth Had Home Movies Too

For years, the royal home movies were locked away in the British Film Institute. But now, the public can access some of the happy moments shared with the royal family. They were edited together in a documentary film called Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen. If you’re interested in seeing it, the film is available to watch on BBC Select.

A clip from the documentary called Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen. Credit: ITV News

The Queen said, “Cameras have always been a part of our lives. I think there’s a difference to watching a home movie when you know who it is on the other side of the lens holding the camera. I always had fun capturing family moments. You always hope that future generations will find them interesting and perhaps be surprised that you, too, were young once.” (via ITV News)

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Credit: Good Morning Britain

There is a Hidden Door in Buckingham Palace

Queen Elizabeth wanted a hidden door that would take her straight to her private apartment in Buckingham Palace. In the White Drawing Room, there is a door hidden behind a massive mirror and dresser. Whenever the Queen is ready to meet with guests, all she has to do is push back the massive false wall (or have one of her servants do it for her.) The White Drawing Room is famous for being the spot where many members of the royal family wait to greet her whenever they come to visit.

Credit: Good Morning Britain

All of Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms, and yet she uses such a small portion of it for her own living. The Queen’s private apartment has 9 rooms. Apparently, when Prince Philip was alive, they slept in separate bedrooms, because the Queen likes to keep the windows open at night, even when it’s cold outside. According to Buckingham Palace staff, the Queen did like to wander around the castle. However, they were instructed to never speak to the Queen unless she spoke to them first. (via Good Morning Britain)

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An aerial view of Buckingham Palace. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Buckingham Palace is Worth $5 Billion

Buckingham Palace was built in 1703, and it has been a home for England’s royal family ever since. The idea that it would ever be put on the market seems ridiculous. But if you enjoy real estate, you might be wondering- what’s Buckingham Palace worth? According to Cheatsheet, the massive palace is worth $5 billion. They are also currently doing millions of dollar’s worth of renovations to ensure that the building stays in liveable condition.

The front of Buckingham Palace. Credit: Royal UK

Buckingham Palace is a part of the Occupied Royal Palaces Estate, which means that the reigning monarch becomes the property owner. So for her entire reign, it belonged to Her Majesty the Queen. Now it belongs to her son, King Charles III. Believe it or not, Buckingham Palace is not the most expensive residence in the world. The most expensive palace is the Forbidden City Complex in Beijing, China. The estimated market value along with the land is more than $70 billion. (via CheatSheet)

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Clarence House. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Elizabeth Used Clarence House As a Newlywed

Following her wedding to the duke of Edinburgh in 1947, the princess used Clarence House, a residence built between 1825 and 1827 and designed by architect John Nash, as her and her husband’s London home. The couple began their marriage and family in the home, and the princess gave birth to her daughter, Anne, Princess Royal, there in 1950. (King Charles III was born at Buckingham Palace).

The front of Clarence House. Credit: Royal UK

Following the queen’s ascension, Clarence House became home to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret, and later became the London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall (now King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort) and a bachelor Prince William. The Prince of Wales’s Household, who support Their Royal Highnesses in their official engagements and liaise with over 350 organizations with whose work they are involved. To prepare the building for The Prince of Wales, Clarence House underwent extensive refurbishment and redecoration. (via Architectural Digest)

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The front of Villa Guardamangia. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Villa Guardamangia Was Her Luxurious Home in Malta

From 1949 to 1951, Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip split their time between the UK and Malta, where the prince was stationed as a naval officer. Villa Guardamangia belonged to a Catholic priest in around 1814, during the start of the British colonization of Malta. It is believed that the seaside property was built around the mid-18th century. Later in the 20th century it belonged to several prominent Maltese families, among which include the Saint Fourniers, Bartolos and Schembris. It was later leased to the prince’s uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten.

The street entrance to the Queen’s former home in Malta. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The home is the only place outside of the UK where the queen ever lived. It has been suggested that their eldest child, Prince Charles, was conceived at the villa. The Queen has described her stay in Malta as one of the best periods of her life, as it was the only time she was able to live “normally”. They would eventually return to their homes in the UK, but in 2007, she and the Duke of Edinburgh celebrated their 60th anniversary there. The Maltese government purchased the home for $5 million when it went on the market in 2019 and announced plans to restore it. (via Wikipedia)

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Credit: Insider

Proximity to the Queen Means High Real Estate Prices

If you’re lucky enough to own real estate anywhere near one of the Queen’s homes, it’s possible to ask a huge price for proximity to royalty. A skinny 13-foot house in Westminster, London, went on the market for $5 million, simply because it’s near Buckingham Palace. Though skinny, the house stretches across multiple stories and is located in the bustling neighborhood of Westminster, a stone’s throw away from some of London’s most iconic historical landmarks.

Credit: Insider

According to Insider, the royal family owns $18 billion worth of real estate across 11 different properties. This means that there are multiple locations that can demand higher rent and real estate prices because of the proximity to royalty. After the Queen’s death, Prince William inherited over $1 billion in real estate from his grandmother. (via Insider)

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Some of the Queen’s most famous outfits from her lifetime. Credit: CCTV

The Queen’s Closet Was Once On Display

Many people can only dream of having a large walk-in-closet. But for the Queen, she had so many clothes, that they were all stored away in the massive Buckingham Palace. In 2016, there was an exhibit with 150 of Queen Elizabeth’s gowns on display at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and in Scotland. It showed some of her most important dresses made by the finest designers throughout Great Britain. According to Brian Hoey, author of Not In Front of the Corgis, the Queen regularly gave her old clothes to her dressers. From there, they could either keep the pieces, wear them, or sell them. Hoey notes that if pieces were sold, buyers couldn’t know that the clothes came from Her Majesty. Labels were removed to make sure nobody can trace anything back to Buckingham Palace.

The royal jewels are in the Tower of London. Credit: Historic Royal Palaces

Now that she has passed away, many people are asking what will happen to her clothes and jewelry. According to InStyle, many of her pieces will be inherited by the King in the Royal Collection in the Tower of London. But her personal collection of jewelry is a different story. The Queen wrote in a letter, “I would like you to allocate all my jewelry to the share to be held by my sons, so that their wives may, in due course, have it or use it. I leave the exact division of the jewelry to your discretion.” Kate Middleton was already wearing one of the Queen’s brooches at one of the memorial services. (via CGTN)

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Queen Mary’s dollhouse. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Queen Mary’s Dollhouse is Still on Display

Many homes have a dollhouse for their daughter to play with. But for royals, having a dollhouse was an entirely different story. If you ever visit Windsor Castle, be sure to check out Queen Mary’s dollhouse. This was built in the 1920’s for Queen Mary, the wife of King George V. Every single detail of the home was intricately created, and it’s truly an artistic masterpiece. There are even miniature books written by authors Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and A.A. Milne.

The world’s smallest medicine cabinet is inside of Queen Mary’s dollhouse. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The idea for building the dollhouse originally came from the Queen’s cousin, Princess Marie Louise, who discussed her idea with one of the top architects of the time, Sir Edwin Lutyens, at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition of 1921. Sir Edwin agreed to construct the dollhouse and began preparations. Princess Marie Louise had many connections in the arts and arranged for the top artists and craftsmen of the time to contribute their special abilities to the house. It was created as a gift to Queen Mary from the people, and to serve as a historical document on how a royal family might have lived during that period in England. (via Wikipedia)

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Hidden tunnels found underneath London’s streets. Credit: The Daily Beast

Buckingham Palace Has Secret Tunnels to the Outside World

Believe it or not, there are secret underground tunnels in Buckingham Palace that lead to the outside world. According to several sources, Princess Eugenie’s husband Jack Brooksbank let this information slip when in conversation with Richard Eden, Daily Mail’s royal editor. The son-in-law of Prince Andrew, who is a bar manager himself, apparently disclosed the detail while attending a party that was sponsored by Casamigos, a tequila brand for which Brooksbank works as a brand ambassador. He reportedly said: “There is one to Duke’s Bar from St James’s Palace. I haven’t used it yet, but I’d love to check it out.”

The secret “booze tunnel” apparently leads to a bar that the royals love. Credit: Express Co UK

Duke’s Bar is one of London’s most popular bars that is world-famous for its martinis. It’s located right outside the palace on St. James street, so it’s quite likely that the royals still use this passageway to sneak into the venue without getting the crowd riled up. This is obviously not the only tunnel in the expansive palace, as there are also whispers that Buckingham Palace is connected to other venues in the city including the Houses of Parliament, Clarence House, and Whitehall. (via Gentside)

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Credit: Vanity Fair

The Queen Loved to Ride Horses at the Ascot Race Track

Every year, the Royal Ascot Racetrack has a horse race in April. The Queen is always in attendance. This racetrack is just a few miles away from her home, Windsor Castle. But when she was younger, she used to get on the horses ahead of the race and ride herself! The Queen has ridden in 263 Royal processions at Ascot, and in her youth she used to ride on the course for her own pleasure before the races officially began. Wearing only a headscarf for protection, the Queen, an expert horsewoman, loved to race down the course with her family and friends.

A young Queen Elizabeth with her horse in 1939. Credit: NBC News

According to courtiers, it is the first engagement to go in her diary at the start of each year when her week is cleared so that she can attend the flat races. Even though she became too old to race horses around the Ascot track, she still rode her horses well into her 90’s- although at a much slower pace. (via Vanity Fair)

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The renovations of Buckingham Palace have begun. Credit: CNN

Buckingham Palace is in the Middle of a $500 Million Renovation

The royal family wishes to keep the style of the castle the same as it has been for hundreds of years. So, while their taste hasn’t changed much, that doesn’t mean that the house won’t need some upkeep. Buckingham Palace has a leaking ceiling, and a piece of masonry almost fell on Princess Anne’s head! The official London residence of UK sovereigns since 1837, it has 775 rooms, including 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. Today the palace is the monarch’s main office and function space. And the fact she still uses it makes it one of the biggest tourist attractions in London.

Renovations in the Grand Entrance Hall. Credit: CNN

When she was alive, The Queen had a $514 million budget to refurbish the palace. $44 million had been spent on the renovation in just 12 months. Off the Picture Gallery is the Center Room, where the floor has been lifted. Much of the renovations throughout the palace will ultimately be invisible to sightseers because they involve replacing electrics and plumbing that were installed in the 1950s. The overhaul was approved by the government back in 2017 to ensure it was fit for purpose for years to come and to mitigate the risk of possible fire or water damage. (via CNN)

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The long walk in front of Windsor Castle. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Queen Spent the Pandemic (And the Rest of Her Life) in Windsor Castle

At the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, the Queen moved into Windsor Castle. There were a few reasons for this. One was that Buckingham Palace is under renovation, as we mentioned in the last bullet point. Another is that Windsor Castle is closer to her grandchildren.

The interior courtyard of Windsor Castle. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Before his passing in April 2021, Prince Philip and the Queen spent the first year of the pandemic together at Windsor, where sources claim the couple “rediscovered the happiness of their early years together,” the Mirror reports. More recently, Her Majesty has conducted a number of engagements from Windsor, ranging from in-person meetings with dignitaries and officials to virtual audiences. (via Marie Claire)

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Lilly of the Valley was the Queen’s favorite flower. Credit: Express

The Queen’s Garden Had Her Favorite Flowers

The garden of Buckingham Palace is the largest private garden in London at 39 acres. There are more than 300 species of British wildflowers growing in the garden, as well ast 150 types of trees, and various moths, butterflies, and birds. There is even a lake that spans 3 entire acres with a small island in the center of it. The garden has honey bees that were taken care of by a beekeeper, so the Queen was able to enjoy organic honey harvested from her own bees.

Lily of the Valley has been a royal tradition for generations. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

But according to House and Garden, the Queen’s favorite flowers were Lily of the Valley. These are little white bell-shaped flowers that typically bloom in April. According to Blooming Haus, the lily of the valley also made an appearance in the Queen Mother’s wedding bouquet in 1921, Princess Diana’s in 1981, and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and Cornwall’s bouquet in 2011. After the Queen passed away, many people began to leave her Lily of the Valley as a tribute to her memory. (via House and Garden)

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Credit: The Crown on Netflix

A Man Once Broke Into the Queen’s Bedroom

A man named Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace not just once- but twice. Fagan’s first intrusion into the palace took place in early June 1982. He shimmied up a drainpipe and startled a housemaid, who called security. He had disappeared before guards arrived, who then disbelieved the housemaid’s report. Fagan claims he then entered the palace through an unlocked window on the roof and wandered around for the next half-hour while eating cheddar cheese and crackers. Two alarms were tripped, but the police turned them off believing them to be faulty. He viewed royal portraits and sat for some time on a throne, entered the post room, and drank a half bottle of white wine before getting tired and sneaking back out.

Credit: Vanity Fair

On July 9, 1982, Fagan scaled Buckingham Palace’s 14-foot-high perimeter wall, which was topped with revolving spikes and barbed wire and climbed up a drainpipe before wandering into the Queen’s bedroom at about 7:15 a.m. An alarm sensor had detected his movements inside the palace, but police thought the alarm was faulty and silenced it. Fagan wandered the palace corridors for several minutes before reaching the royal apartments. The Queen woke when he disturbed a curtain, and said she left the room immediately to seek security. Since Fagan’s actions were, at the time, a civil wrong rather than a criminal offense, he was not charged with trespassing in the Queen’s bedroom. He was charged with theft (of the wine), but the charges were dropped when he was committed for psychiatric evaluation. (via Wikipedia)

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The Queen’s very first Christmas broadcast in 1957. Credit: Town and Country Magazine

The Queen Spent Christmas at Sandringham Estate

At Christmastime, the queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and other members of the royal family famously headed to Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. This is just over 100 miles away from London, and it covers 20,000 acres. Over 200 people make a fulltime living working on this estate. They have gamekeepers, gardeners, farmers, as well as workers for Sandringham’s sawmill and its apple juice pressing plant. The estate places a huge emphasis on recycling, conservation, and forestry, and is a sanctuary for wildlife. The royal family also makes a great effort to support local farms and small businesses.

Credit: Royal UK

In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II also gave her first televised Christmas message from Sandringham, marking the 25th anniversary of her grandfather George V’s first royal Christmas broadcast via radio. “I wish you all, young and old, wherever you may be, all the fun and enjoyment and the peace of a very happy Christmas,” said the young Queen. In the years since, it’s become a tradition for the Queen to appear on TV to wish the nation a “Happy Christmas”. (via Town and Country)

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The Queen with one of her beloved Corgis. Credit: People Magazine

Queen Elizabeth Had Over 30 Corgis in Her Lifetime

Elizabeth called corgis her “best friends”, and was known to have as many as six dogs at one time. (She always had at least one!) Queen Elizabeth also cross-bred some of her corgis with dachshunds, and she was credited for creating the “Dorgi”. Her first dog was named Dookie, which she received from her father in 1933. She adored them ever since.

The Queen was known to own many corgis at one time. Credit: Sky News

After her passing, the Queen’s corgis were given to her son Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah, who loved the dogs almost as much as she did. Leaving a lasting legacy after death, they have been depicted and immortalized in various artwork, such as statues, professional photographs, and paintings. For instance, the crown coin commemorating the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II depicts the Queen with a corgi. (via CNN)

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Birkhall, the royal residence. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Birkhall Was a Summer Retreat

Birkhall is a 53,000 acre estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. While the structure itself dates back to 1715, it first came into the royals’ possession in 1852. Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, acquired Birkhall as a gift for his son, the future King Edward VII. This 18th-century home near Balmoral was used as a holiday retreat for the duke and duchess of York and the princesses. Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip would later stay there during the summer with their young children.

Credit: Express Co UK

The Queen Mother was Birkhall’s longtime resident; she apparently fondly called it the “little big house.” After her death in 2002, it became the Prince of Wales’s Scottish home. King Charles III took a lot of pride in improving the gardens at Birkhall. He said, “It is such a special place, particularly because it was made by my grandmother. It is a childhood garden, and all I’ve done, really, is enhance it a bit.” (via Country Life)

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Elizabeth and her husband both lived in Windlesham Moor temporarily. Credit: Express Co UK

Windlesham Moor Was a Temporary Home For Elizabeth

Between 1947 and 1949, Princess Elizabeth and her husband rented ​​Windlesham Moor, a furnished country house in Surrey. According to Country Living, the Victorian home had five bedrooms, a 50-foot drawing room, a study, a games room, and a nursery made up of two guest rooms. Philip Hill bought the Victorian home and grounds in a state of disrepair in 1942 for £40,000 (equivalent to £1,980,000 in 2021). Later the Royal Family bought the renovated Sunninghill Park house and park from Hill. He renovated the house in 1944. It was rented furnished from his widow, Mrs. Warwick Bryant, for Princess Elizabeth and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Baby Prince Charles with his mother Queen Elizabeth II. Credit: Express Co UK

The house was acquired by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who carried out significant renovation and extensions, added a security gatehouse in 2002, and included the houses “Winklands” and “Rose Cottage” into the estate. From July to September, Al Maktoum, his family, and other Arab dignitaries live in the house. Occasionally the Sheikh’s guests live there at other times. The property is maintained by property managers, gardeners and security personnel. A painting of the house and gardens circa 1934, attributed to Winston Churchill, was discovered and sold at auction in September 2008. (via Wikipedia)

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Happy Buckingham Palace employees. Credit: Royal UK

Buckingham Palace Had Facilities and Functioned Like a Miniature Town

It may surprise some of you to know that Buckingham Palace was much more than just a home for Queen Elizabeth. There are 188 staff bedrooms, and many of her employees live and work there full time. In order to make these employees feel comfortable, there are loads of facilities there for them to use. The huge estate has its own movie theater, post office, doctor’s office, gym, swimming pool, counseling services, ATM, and much more. This way, employees almost never have to leave if they want to get anything done. It’s like its own miniature community.

When they have time off, guards can enjoy some of the castle’s facilities. Credit: Shutterstock

Employees can also join extracurricular activities, like a choir, book club, and more. At one point in time, there was even a bar for the staff to enjoy a few drinks when they were done their shift. However, people were getting drunk way too often, so it was decided that it would be much better to shut down the bar and keep things professional. (via Weird History)

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Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Balmoral Castle in Scotland Was One of the Queen’s Favorite Places in the World

“The queen spent a portion of her summer at Balmoral Castle in Scotland each year. The private residence, originally purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert (Queen Elizabeth II’s great-great-grandparents), reportedly sits on 50,000 acres with 150 total buildings. While the home remains largely the same as it did in Victoria’s possession, Elizabeth made slight renovations. This property was said to be her favorite, and it is where she died peacefully.”

A far-off view of Balmoral Castle. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

“In a 2016 documentary, her granddaughter Princess Eugenie said it best: “I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands. Walks, picnics, dogs—a lot of dogs, there’s always dogs. And people come in and out all the time.” (via Architectural Digest)

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Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Holyroodhouse Palace Served as Another Summer Getaway

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. It was originally built as a monastery in 1128. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle, Holyroodhouse has served as the principal royal residence in Scotland since the 16th century, and is a setting for state occasions and official entertainment. After her death, the Queen’s coffin was taken to Holyroodhouse before moving on to St Giles’s Cathedral.

The Abbey of Holyroodhouse. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The late Queen, Elizabeth II, spent one week in residence at Holyroodhouse at the beginning of each summer for Royal Week, where she carried out a range of official engagements and ceremonies. The 16th-century historic apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the State Apartments, used for official and state entertaining, are open to the public throughout the year, except when members of the Royal Family are in residence. The Queen’s Gallery was built at the western entrance to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and opened in 2002 to exhibit works of art from the Royal Collection. The gardens of the palace are set within Holyrood Park. (via Wikipedia)

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Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Hillsborough Castle is a Royal Residence in Northern Ireland

The historic Hillsborough Castle is the royal family’s official residence in Northern Ireland. However, the Queen hadn’t visited for six years prior to her death, and last stayed there during a visit with the late Prince Philip in 2016. Hillsborough Castle boasts 100 acres of gardens and beautiful interiors, and this home is not actually a true castle. It’s a Georgian era country house. But it’s still very large, and would be considered a castle compared to most people’s homes!

Credit: Historic Royal Palaces

From 1924 until the post’s abolition in 1973, it was the official residence of the Governor of Northern Ireland. Since April 2014, it has been managed by Historic Royal Palaces, and is open to the paying members of the public. When Historic Royal Palaces took over the running of the estate, they started a five-year refurbishment that is believed to have cost £24 million. (via Hello Magazine)

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Kensington Palace. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Queen Loved to Visit Her Grandchildren at Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British royal family since the 17th century, and is currently the official London residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.

The Cupola Room in Kensington Palace. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, primarily resided in Kensington Palace Apartment 1A until 2022, when they moved to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor. The 20-room, four-story Kensington apartment underwent a $1.6 million renovation prior to the pair’s 2013 move-in. An additional $4.9 million revamp took place the following year, the palace confirmed by People Magazine. (via People)

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Adelaide Cottage. Credit: People Magazine

The Queen Was Even Closer to Her Grandkids At Adelaide Cottage

The Prince and Princess of Wales decided to downsize their living arrangement. From 20 rooms in Kensington Palace down to just a 4-bedroom house called Adelaide Cottage. They did not want any servants to live in the house with them. The couple wanted their children to have more of a normal life in the suburbs.

A painting of the cottage from 1839. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Adelaide Cottage is located on the grounds of Windsor Castle, close to St. George’s Chapel. It’s roughly 25 miles from central London. Adelaide Cottage was originally built for Queen Adelaide, the wife of King William IV, in 1831. They used building materials from the Royal Lodge, according to the Royal Collection. Since the Queen moved to Windsor Castle in 2020, this meant that they were practically living in the same home. At least, it was the same property, even if Adelaide Cottage is its own private residence. (via Architectural Digest)

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Nottingham Cottage. Credit: House and Garden UK

The Queen Visited Megan and Harry When They Lived in Nottingham Cottage, then Frogmore Cottage

Following their engagement announcement in 2017, the former Suits star moved into Prince Harry’s home, Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex remained in the 1,300-square-foot two-bedroom home until shortly before the 2019 birth of their son, Archie. When it came time to relocate, the pair decided to head back to the site of their wedding, Windsor Castle, and live on the grounds’ Frogmore Cottage. The home, which was a wedding gift from the Queen, wasn’t quite ready for the family of three. Turning the five-unit property into a single-family house required a renovation that cost more than $3 million. The cottage now has 10 bedrooms, a nursery, a gym, and a yoga studio.

Frogmore Cottage in 1872, because modern photos are nearly impossible to get. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Then, in early 2020, Harry and Meghan made the shocking decision to move across the pond. After a brief stint in Canada and then Los Angeles, the pair ultimately settled in a $14.7 million estate in the upscale enclave of Montecito, California. The couple paid back the $3 million spent to renovate Frogmore Cottage, though they are still able to use the home when they visit the U.K. In fact, they returned for the first time in June, when they returned to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and hosted a first birthday party for Lilibet in the garden. (via Architectural Digest)

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The Crown Estate owns commercial real estate in London. Credit: DW

The Crown Estate Owns Multiple Properties

Regent Street is one of London’s best-known thoroughfares. For nearly a mile, it is lined with well-known shops, bars and restaurants. As commercial real estate goes, it is about as prime as it gets. Remarkably, practically every square inch of the street is owned by a single company: The Crown Estate. This is clearly not just any old enterprise. As well as vast tracts of central London, The Crown Estate owns property all across the UK, from castles and cottages to agricultural land and forests plus retail parks and shopping centers.

The Queen owned billions of dollars in real estate. Credit: Shutterstock

It owns more than half the UK’s entire seashore, giving it hugely valuable auction rights for offshore commercial activity, such as wind farms. Administering real estate worth at least $17.8 billion, it is one of Europe’s largest property groups. The question of who exactly owns the real estate empire is not a straightforward one, though. “The Crown Estate belongs to the reigning monarch ‘in right of the Crown,’. It is owned by the monarch for the duration of their reign, by virtue of their accession to the throne,” the company explains. “But it is not the private property of the monarch — it cannot be sold by the monarch, nor do revenues from it belong to the monarch.” (via DW)

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Charles and Camilla lived in Clarence House together. Credit: Express Co UK

King Charles III and His Wife Camilla Lived in the Queen’s Former Home, Clarence House in London

Clarence House is a royal residence in the City of Westminster, London. It was built in 1825-1827, adjacent to St James’s Palace, for the Duke of Clarence, the future king William IV. King Charles III and the Queen Consort, Camilla, have mainly resided at Clarence House in London since their wedding in 2005. The property was once home to Charles’s grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Prior to the couple moving in, the home underwent extensive renovations and was refurbished with new artwork, textiles, and a new color scheme.

Camilla entertaining in Clarence house. Credit: Express Co UK

Following the Queen’s death, over 100 employees of Clarence house received a notice that they may lose their jobs. This is most likely because King Charles III will be moving to Buckingham Palace. This was highly criticized, because the staff was still in their period of mourning. It was called “nothing short of heartless”. It’s also strange to lay everyone off, because the Prince of Wales will be moving to the residence, and may need help himself. (via The Guardian)

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Buckingham Palace became the new home of King Charles III, because every monarch must live there. Credit: Shutterstock

Now That He Is King, Charles Will Move Into Buckingham Palace

It is tradition for the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom to live in Buckingham Palace. With its 775 rooms, it is the biggest residential prize, official home to the reigning monarch and their spouse. A few days after Queen Elizabeth’s death, King Charles III and Queen Camilla held their first audiences in the building’s glamorous 1844 Room.

These soldiers are renamed The King’s Guard, because of the Queen’s passing. Credit: Shutterstock

At the moment, there are renovations happening at Buckingham Palace that are not expected to be complete until 2027. So there is a chance that King Charles III will continue living in his other residence with Queen Camilla until the property is done. However, he will still be expected to spend a large amount of time in the palace in order to complete his duties as the King. (via Architectural Digest)

 

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