12 Royal Palaces You Can Visit in the United Kingdom
While the United Kingdom is filled with palatial residences and elegant country estates, very few are true royal palaces. Some royal residences, such as Balmoral Castle in Scotland and Sandringham House in Norfolk, are privately owned by the monarch and off-limits to the public, but many of the estates the king calls home are actually open for tours. From the official residences of King Charles III across the UK, to the opulent castles of kings and queens past, visitors can experience a bit of royal life while touring state apartments, throne rooms, acres of gardens, and caches of sparkling crown jewels. Here, discover 12 royal palaces that you can visit, from London to Edinburgh.
Photo: UCG/Getty Images1/12Kensington Palace, London
Kensington Palace has been home to generations of royals. The palace began as a small villa called Nottingham House but was transformed into a grand residence by William III and Mary II. The birthplace of Queen Victoria, Kensington Palace has been home to Princess Diana—who has a garden there dedicated in her honor—Princess Margaret, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. While they now spend much of their time in Adelaide Cottage at Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace remains the official London residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Visitors can tour the palace gardens and the jewel room, as well as the king’s staircase and state apartments.
Photo: DEA / W. BUSS/Getty Images2/12Buckingham Palace, London
Buckingham Palace has long been the official London residence and administrative office of the monarch. Because it has been under construction, King Charles III has yet to move in, but the palace has still been open for tours. The iconic palace has been the site of royal events, state dinners, garden parties, and the monarch’s weekly audience with the Prime Minister. In the 1820s, King George IV commissioned architect John Nash to turn Buckingham House, which was purchased by George III for Queen Charlotte, into a palace. Today, the sprawling estate boasts 775 rooms, including 19 state rooms and 52 bedrooms for the royal family and their guests. The palace opens for tours of the state rooms each summer and on selected dates in the winter and spring, but visitors can see the Royal Mews and the Queen’s gallery year-round, as well as the changing of the guard outside the palace on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images3/12Highgrove Gardens, Gloucestershire, UK
Located in Gloucestershire, Highgrove is the private country home of King Charles. The Duchy of Cornwall—then controlled by the future King—purchased the estate in 1980, shortly before he began courting Diana Spencer. The Georgian neoclassical home and its grounds were restored and improved by King Charles, who took particular interest in the gardens. He consulted with garden designer Rosemary Verey and naturalist Miriam Rothschild on the interlinked gardens, which are open to the public. Highgrove hosts garden tours, autumn walks, and champagne tea tours.
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Photo: Tim Graham/Getty Images4/12Windsor Castle, Windsor, UK
The oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, Windsor Castle dates back to the 11th century, when William the Conqueror began building it above the Thames. Forty monarchs have lived in the castle, many adding their grand touches—including George IV, who commissioned the famous Waterloo Chamber, an extended St. George Hall, and a new grand staircase, among other improvements. Following a devastating fire in 1992, Windsor Castle was carefully restored over the next five years at a cost of roughly $44 million. The Castle is open to visitors Thursday through Monday, and tours include the state apartments, semi-state rooms, Queen Mary’s doll house, and St. George’s Chapel, where Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest.
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Photo: DEA / W. BUSS/Getty Images5/12Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland
Located on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, the Palace of Holyroodhouse is the King’s official residence in Scotland. The Palace has been the home of many royals, including Mary Queen of Scots, James IV (who converted the royal chambers of Holyrood Abbey into a palace), and Charles II (who commissioned architect Sir William Bruce to rebuild the palace following a fire in 1650). Visitors get a glimpse at the remains of the Abbey, tour the state apartments, and visit Mary, Queen of Scots’ chambers in the north-west tower. The palace is open for tours year-round.
Photo: Pool/Getty Images6/12Hillsborough Castle, Hillsborough, Northern Ireland
Built by the Hill family in the late 18th century, Hillsborough Castle is an Irish Big House and the official residence of the secretary of state for Northern Ireland—and the royal family, when in the area. The castle was sold to the British government during the 1920s, with the intention that it would be the home of the governor of Northern Ireland, and it received its first royal visitor in 1933, when Queen Victoria’s granddaughter, Princess Alice, stayed at Hillsborough. Over the years, Hillsborough Castle played an important role in the peace talks between England and Ireland, including talks that later led to the Good Friday Agreement. Visitors can explore 100 acres of gardens and glens, and tour the elegant staterooms. Opening times for the castle and garden vary by season.
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Photo: Prisma by Dukas/Getty Images7/12Kew Palace, London
Located in southwest London’s Kew Gardens, Kew Palace was the royal retreat of several Georgian monarchs, including George III, who was held there in 1788 during a period of mental illness, and Queen Charlotte. Tour Queen Charlotte’s cottage, climb the 253 steps of the 18th-century Great Pagoda, and see the well-preserved royal kitchens. Kew Palace is open during the spring and summer months.
Photo: Rudy Sulgan / Getty Images8/12Tower of London, London
Over the years, the Tower of London has been home to a royal palace, a prison, an arsenal, the Royal Mint, and even a zoo. The central stone tower was commissioned by William the Conqueror in the 1070s, while future monarchs expanded the fortress adding defensive walls and royal-worthy interiors. The tower is still guarded by the Yeoman Warders (or Beefeaters), and they carry out the Ceremony of the Keys each day. Explore the White Tower, meet the famous ravens, and visit the crown jewels at the UNESCO World Heritage site, which is open to visitors year-round (although days and times vary by season).
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Photo: Peter Dazeley/Getty Images9/12Banqueting House, London
Banqueting Hall was once part of the Royal Palace of Whitehall, which was home to the Tudor and Stuart monarchies. The Banqueting House that exists today is actually the third iteration and was designed by architect, costume, and scenery designer Inigo Jones. The architect took inspiration from his travels in France and Italy for the classical building. The highlight of the Banqueting House are the nine ceiling paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, which were commissioned by Charles I and installed in 1636. The Banqueting House opens for guided tours on selected dates each year.
Photo: Leftbrokeneye / Getty Images10/12Hampton Court Palace, Surrey, UK
Step back in time to the world of the Tudor monarchs at Hampton Court Palace. The home was a favorite of Henry VIII, who brought six of his wives there and added the great hall and the Chapel Royal. William III and Mary II commissioned Christopher Wren to build a new Baroque palace, but the architect opted to add the fountain court and retain some of the Tudor palace. Hampton Court has also been the filming location for many period movies and TV shows, including The Favourite, Bridgerton, and The Great. The palace, and many of it’s 60 acres of gardens, are open year-round.
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Photo: Heritage Images/Getty Images11/12Apethorpe Palace, Northamptonshire, UK
While Apethorpe Palace was only owned by the Crown for a brief period in the 1540s, the grand English country house was frequented by Tudor and Stuart monarchs. James I even paid for it to be expanded, and it was reportedly where he met his favorite (companion), George Villiers. (During the building’s restoration from 2004 to 2008, a passage between their rooms was discovered.) Elizabeth I, Charles I, George IV, and other monarchs also visited over the years. Apethorpe was sold to Jean Christophe Iseux, Baron von Pfetten in 2015. As part of the sale, the new owner agreed to open the residence to the public for 50 days per year for the next 80 years.
Photo: Prisma by Dukas/Getty Images12/12Osborne, Isle of Wight, UK
In 1845, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert purchased Osborne, a seaside estate on the Isle of Wight. The Prince and builder Thomas Cubitt collaborated on a new residence, which was inspired by Italian palazzos, and Albert also supervised the design of the gardens and estate grounds. Queen Victoria died at Osborne in 1901, and the home opened to the public in 1904. Today, sightseers can walk along the late queen’s private beach, visit the Swiss cottage on the grounds, and tour the state and family rooms within the Italianate mansion.
