Which royals live in the palace?

As well as being a popular visitor destination, Kensington Palace is the official London residence of TRH The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, The Duke and Duchess of Kent and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent are also based in the palace's royal apartments.



In 2026, King Charles III and Queen Camilla are the primary residents of Buckingham Palace, although they spend significant time at Clarence House while the palace undergoes a massive, decade-long renovation project. The palace serves as the administrative headquarters of the Monarchy rather than a full-time "cozy" home. While the King and Queen are the most prominent residents, other members of the Royal Family maintain apartments or offices there for official duties, though most have their primary residences elsewhere—such as the Prince and Princess of Wales (William and Catherine) at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor. In 2026, the palace is increasingly treated as a public-facing institution; for example, the "Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style" exhibition is a major draw this year. Despite the construction, the Royal Standard still flies over the palace whenever the King is in residence for official state business or audiences with the Prime Minister.

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To answer the question of which palace is bigger, Buckingham Palace has a total of 775 rooms, while Windsor Castle has a total of 1,000 rooms. Thus, Windsor Castle is bigger than Buckingham Palace. The castle at Windsor Castle is Europe's largest and longest-occupied castle.

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Ahead of his coronation on May 6, the new British monarch lords over seven palaces, 10 castles, 12 homes, 56 cottages, and 14 ancient ruins where he can hang up his crown.

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Who owns it? Though official royal residences like Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace are owned by the Crown Estate, which is funded by British taxpayers, Balmoral is the personal property of King Charles III, as is Sandringham, located in Norfolk, England.

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Although in use for the many official events and receptions held by The King, the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are open to visitors every summer. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms.

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Places like Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are owned by the monarch of the moment because of their position as king or queen, while other properties, like Balmoral and Sandringham House, are personally owned and not publicly funded. Click through for everything to know about where your favorite royals live.

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Birkhall: The home of The Prince of Wales on the Balmoral estate, Aberdeenshire - Country Life.

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The Castle of Mey was the property of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from 1952 until 1996, when Her Majesty generously gifted it with an endowment to the Trust. The castle is situated on the north coast of Caithness, in the parish of Canisbay, about 15 miles east of Thurso and six miles west of John O'Groats.

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Elizabeth II inherited the Balmoral estate from her father, and then after her death, ownership passed to her eldest son King Charles III, but the estate is managed by trustees under Deeds of Nomination and Appointment.

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While kings and queens certainly took up residence in palaces as well as castles, nonmilitary royals might also have lived in (or still live in) palaces. Bishops and ministers could live in castles to showcase the power of their immense riches rather than their nonexistent military power.

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King Charles, inherited her $500 million per Forbes. 4 Charles' inheritance has reportedly made his wealth total over $2 billion (£1.8 billion), according to The Guardian,2 and includes assets ranging from estates and artwork, to jewels, racehorses, stamps and cars.

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have an estimated net worth of $60 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The couple has signed a series of lucrative deals including documentaries, books, podcasts and more, worth an estimated total of $135 million, according to Forbes.

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