The royal family rocks some swanky digs.
And since the British Monarchy's Crown Estate
owns most historic properties throughout the
United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth banks 25 percent
of that revenue.
While you may think of Buckingham Palace as
the quintessential royal abode, don't tell
the Queen, but some residences are even cooler.
Here's what the royal family's homes really
look like.
The opulent Buckingham Palace
Ok, of course we have to at least mention
Buckingham Palace.
If you've ever traveled across the pond to
London, you probably took a selfie outside
its gates.
But there's a lot that goes on behind those
gilded walls.
According to the official royal website, in
the summer months, tourists are even allowed
inside for a glimpse of the State Rooms.
But even then, there's a lot you won't see.
There are 19 rooms you're allowed to visit,
but Buckingham Palace has another 756 that
are totally off limits.
This includes 240 bedrooms for royals, their
guests, and staff, as well as 78 bathrooms.
Since the palace is also often a place of
business, there are 92 offices.
This is one home that's literally fit for
a queen.
Weekends at WindsorCastle
Another royal residence that's occasionally
open to visits from commoners, Windsor Castle
is part gorgeous gothic home, and part fortress,
and it's actually the longest continually-occupied
castle in the world, according to the official
royal site.
Queen Elizabeth uses Windsor for dual purposes:
As a private residence on the weekends and
an official residence when performing royal
duties.
There's even a fully functioning chapel on
the site, with daily church services that
are open to all who wish to worship.
This chapel is considered a "Royal Peculiar"
because its allegiance is to the Queen, not
to one particular bishop or archbishop.
You may also know it as St. George's Chapel
— the venue for Prince Harry and Meghan
Markle's wedding.
Holidays at Sandringham House
Although you might be content with just a
palace and a castle, that's not how this royal
family rolls.
On the eastern coast of England, in a county
called Norfolk, there sits a 20,000-acre estate
called Sandringham House.
A phenomenally manicured garden takes up a
substantial 60 of those acres.
Sandringham House is one of two properties
privately owned by the royal family, and a
beloved one at that.
According to the royal family's website, King
George the fifth once called it,
"Dear old Sandringham, the place I love better
than anywhere else in the world."
Queen Elizabeth's father, King George the
sixth, also loved the estate, writing,
"I have always been so happy here and I love
the place."
It's no surprise, then, that the Queen likes
it too.
The royal family celebrates Christmas at this
house, exchanging gifts at teatime.
The Scottish Balmoral Castle
Windsor Castle is cool and all, but why stop
at owning just one fortress?
Balmoral Castle, located in Aberdeenshire,
Scotland, looks like something out of a fairy
tale.
It's also the last of just two private residences
owned by the royal family, according to the
official royal website.
Non-royals can visit the Scottish castle four
months out of the year and Queen Elizabeth
spends her summer break there, often with
other members of her family.
After the royals tweeted a photo of the Queen
meeting Julie Payette, Governor-General designate
of Canada, from within castle walls, People
magazine highlighted some interesting details.
From tons of books, to delicately worn reading
chairs, to even a TV, the Queen has obviously
made the castle more like a cozy home than
a fortress.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse
Although Queen Elizabeth is often referred
to as the Queen of England, she also rules
over Scotland.
And you can't rule a place without a palace,
right?
The Palace of Holyroodhouse, located in Edinburgh,
is her official Scottish residence.
The Queen uses this palace for many functions
including one summer event dubbed "Holyrood
Week," which involves many official engagements
and, of course, a garden party.
King George the fifth and Queen Mary actually
started those garden parties, and the tradition
continues today.
The palace is huge but is somehow not a monstrosity.
Visitors can tour the palace inside and out,
and gander at the ornate and elaborate decor.
You will find a church here too: Holyrood
Abbey, although it sits in ruins today.
"Nott Cott" for the newlyweds
Although they're rumored to be upgrading in
the near future, as of June 2018, Prince Harry
and Meghan Markle are living on royal property,
at Nottingham Cottage, a small house on Kensington
Palace grounds.
And before Harry and Meghan moved in, Harry's
royal older brother, Prince William and his
wife, Kate Middleton, lived there.
Unlike Buckingham Palace with its 240 bedrooms,
"Nott Cott" has just two.
But living on Palace property also means the
couple is surrounded by the beautiful Kensington
Gardens.
Royal expert Katie Nicholl told Entertainment
Tonight that Markle "loves to run laps around
Kensington gardens"...
Something groundskeepers say the late Princess
Diana loved to do, too.
William and Kate's Apartment 1A
As of June 2018, Prince William and Kate Middleton
are living in Apartment 1A on the grounds
of Kensington Palace, a stone's throw away
from Harry and Meghan in Nott Cott.
It's the couple's second time living in the
home.
Prior to William and Kate's first stay at
1A, a renovation costing as much as $7.6 million
was needed, since there had been no updates
since the late 1940s.
CNN reported the couple also contributed a
portion of their own money for the upgrade.
Home sweet Clarence House
Now that you know where the Queen and the
most royal of grandkids live, where does that
leave Prince Charles, the one who's next in
line to the throne?
Much like his mother, he has a few royal residences
he likes to call home.
But Clarence House is his official residence
in London, which he shares with his wife,
Camilla Parker Bowles.
The official royal website explains that although
it has evolved over the past two centuries,
with the addition of Prince Charles' artwork,
as well as new paint and textiles, much of
the home remains the same.
Even centuries-old furnishings and art collections
have stayed put.
In fact, an original Monet from Queen Elizabeth
the First is still on display, according to
the Crown Chronicles.
Prince Charles' renovations were, in many
ways, an ode to those who came before him.
Although the library only houses two bookcases,
they are completely filled with books from
George the Sixth, and The Queen Mother.
Prince Charles' family home
Clarence House is far from Prince Charles'
only abode.
He also resides at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire,
England.
This is the "family home" of Charles and Camilla.
The house also happens to be home to an epic
garden.
According to People, the property features
a treehouse which was originally built for
Prince William in the late '80s.
Landscape writer and artist Bunny Guinness
recalled the prince's words to the treehouse
designer, telling People young William wanted
it to be,
"As high as possible to get away from everyone.
I want a rope ladder, which I can pull up
so no one can get at me."
Although William probably doesn't get much
use out of the treehouse these days, Prince
George and Princess Charlotte can surely enjoy
exploring the garden.
Living it up at St. James's Palace
St. James's Palace is home to several members
of the royal family, as well as their household
offices.
Sisters, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice,
are two of the royal family members who have
resided there.
But, unfortunately for them, they didn't get
to stay for free as do many of their royal
relatives.
In 2012, the sisters became ineligible to
live rent-free at the palace because, according
to Express, they completed their education
and did not take on any official royal duties.
Instead, an annual $28,000 bill for the princesses'
four-bedroom apartment got handed over to
their father, Prince Andrew.
This seems a bit like a technicality as they
can certainly afford it, considering Eugenie
grew up with cash that could fund this fully
decked-out playhouse.
But as of May 2018, Eugenie and her fiancé,
wine merchant Jack Brooksbank, have officially
moved into the Ivy Cottage at Kensington Palace.
Hillsborough Castle
In 2015, British Heritage sat down with curator
Dr. Christopher Warleigh-Lack to discuss one
of the coolest royal homes: Hillsborough Castle.
The Georgian country home, uh… let's be
real, the castle, is situated in Northern
Ireland.
Although the Queen doesn't get around to visiting
every month, Warleigh-Lack says the house
hosts other royal guests at least once per
month, saying,
"Prince Charles was there in May with the
Duchess of Cornwall.
Prince Edward was there two weeks ago with
the Countess of Wessex."
When Edward visited, he was the very first
royal to turn on the new fountain.
Warleigh-Lack explained his plans to hopefully
open the castle to the public and told of
some amazing restorations he helped accomplish,
including renovating the entrance, purchasing
new furniture, and obtaining 12 royal portraits
from the Royal Collection Trust.
Plus, Hillsborough Castle features 90 acres
of gorgeous gardens.
It certainly will be worth a visit.
