Ten of the best Royal residences in Britain

For those who love the mystery and the magic of the Royal Family, let's take a walk in their shoes.

It's those Royal footsteps. Whether they just left the room or trod the flagstones centuries ago, there are some places where the Royal presence itself just seems timeless.

Here is a collection of royal visits, both present residences of Hi Majesty and places where the echoes of royal footsteps past still resonate today.

Buckingham Palace, London

Royal Family general headquarters, Buckingham Palace was Queen Elizabeth's office and residence in the capital. A regal visit, indeed. 

Windsor Castle, Windsor

A Royal residence since the time of William the Conqueror and the largest occupied castle in the world. It takes a good half day to visit the State Apartments, Queen Mary’s Dollhouse, St. George’s Chapel, and such.

Sandringham, Norfolk

Open much of the year if the Royal family is not in the neighborhood, Sandringham House is a homey, rural 19th-century residence and traditional country estate that is on view.

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Sandringham House

Broadlands, Romsey

Here is regal country life, up close and personal. The home of the late Lord Mountbatten was a honeymoon retreat for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip as well as the then Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Broadlands remains among the most personal and livable of great country homes open to the public.

Leeds Castle, Kent

Leeds has been called “the loveliest castle in the world” and might deserve it. Set on two islands in the River Len in the countryside of Kent surrounded by parkland, the original 12th-century castle and 500 years of royal history are hidden behind the present 1823 Tudor reincarnation of the stately residence.

Stirling Castle, Stirling

Mounted on the crags of a rocky outcrop, Stirling Castle is rather the antithesis to Leeds idyllic setting. The wild highlands, the Grampian east and the Scottish lowlands melded at this historic fortress of Scotland’s Stuart kings. The castle is the centerpiece of medieval Scottish history—and feels it.

Kensington Palace, London

A royal residence for generations and the London home of Prince William and family, Kensington Palace sits at the west end of Kensington Gardens, a gem tucked away from the bustle of the West End. Open daily with revolving current exhibitions and lunch in the Orangery restaurant.

Hampton Court Palace, London

Upriver from the deleterious aspects of congested London life, Hampton Court was made a royal retreat when Henry VIII coerced it from Cardinal Woolsey. It reflects the Tudor monarchy more than any other but was a principal residence of William and Mary. Don’t miss the Tudor kitchens, or the ghosts or gardens.

Hever Castle, Sevenoaks

No monarch ever resided here, but King Henry VIII often visited to court Anne Boleyn. The castle remains picture-book Renaissance in every way, replete with a moat, Elizabethan gardens, maze, and pergola. Furnishings are much of the period and the Long Gallery is a Tudor history exhibition.

* Originally published in Mar 2016. Updated in 2023.