While many homes inhabited by the Royal Family are actually the property of the Crown, there are residences within the family’s portfolio that are their private property.  The castles and palaces don’t fall into this category, but plenty of country estates do.  These country homes include some pretty well-known estates that have been in the Royal Family’s possession for centuries, while others are not-so-famous.  We’ll cover some of the most important ones below including any homes that are found on the grounds of larger properties, including their histories and current owners.  If you have a favorite royal country home, you can let us know which one it is in the comments.

Our first estate to cover is perhaps the most famous of the Royal Family’s private estates.  Balmoral Castle has been in the Royal Family’s possession since the reign of Queen Victoria.  Prince Albert purchased the estate from the Farquharson family in 1852 along with the original castle, though the ever-growing Royal Family soon required enlargement, leading to the construction of the Balmoral Castle home as we know it today.  The estate became a popular retreat for the Royals during the autumn months and Prince Albert made a lot of changes to the grounds during his life.

After Prince Albert died, Queen Victoria spent much of her time at Balmoral and placed many mementos to her late husband in the house and around the estate.  One noticeable monument still standing today is a memorial cairn, a granite pyramid that is forty-one feet high.  The estate passed to the eldest child of subsequent monarchs, with King George V adding formal gardens during his time as Sovereign.  Prince Philip also added to the grounds, including a water garden and herbaceous borders.  With Queen Elizabeth II’s death in 2022, Balmoral Castle and its grounds have passed to King Charles III.

Of course, Balmoral Castle isn’t the only home located on the estate.  Birkhall is a country home at Balmoral that was originally constructed in 1715 and was acquired by Prince Albert shortly after he purchased Balmoral Castle.  The house has traditionally been the home of the Prince of Wales on the estate, though the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowles-Lyon, lived her until her death when it then passed to Prince (now King) Charles.  And even though Charles now owns the castle itself, he has publicly stated his intention to continue living at Birkhall when visiting the estate.  Prior to the Queen Mother’s death, Prince Charles and his then-wife, Princess Diana, would use Craigowan Lodge during the Royal Family’s annual summer holidays at Balmoral.  Today, Craigowan Lodge tends to house important guests of the Royal Family.

Another major private country estate privately held by the Royal Family is Sandringham House.  While a home had been located on the site since at least the 18^th Century, the current Georgian home was constructed in 1870.  A few years before, Prince Albert Edward had purchased the home for himself and his wife, Princess Alexandra of Denmark.  It became a major country retreat for them, especially after Albert ascended the throne as King Edward VII.  It became a favorite of the Royal Family and passed to King George V and then to King Edward VIII.  After Edward’s abdication, King George VI purchased the estate from him so it would remain with the current monarch.  Queen Elizabeth II opened the estate to the public for the first time to mark her Silver Jubilee and after her death, the home is the personal property of King Charles III.

Lastly, we come to Gatcombe Park, the home to Anne, Princess Royal.  The current home on the estate was constructed between 1771 and 1774 with Queen Elizabeth II buying it as a home for Anne and her husband at the time, Mark Phillips, in 1976.  After Anne’s divorce, the estate was divided between her and her ex-husband, with Philips living at Aston Farm on the estate until he moved to the United States with his second wife.  Their children also lived in cottages on the grounds until their own marriages.  Owing to Anne’s love of equestrian sports, the grounds of the estate are home to the Festival of British Eventing (a major equestrian competition) in the fall every year, with Anne having designed the courses herself. 

These estates are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to properties that the Royal Family and extended members call home.  While most of the residences are Crown estates, we hope you have enjoyed a look into a few of the larger private homes that the Royals use to get away from it all.