What to expect at Britain’s royal residences
nearby, later royals soon began enhancing the site as a sumptuous palace.
The castle’s spectacular St. George’s Hall is the site of state banquets, when a single table is set stretching the length of the hall, seating 160 guests. A visit to the ornate state rooms — open whenever the queen isn’t in residence — includes a chance to enjoy an up-close peek at Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House.
The castle grounds are also home to St. George’s Chapel, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will say their vows. Dating from about 1500, and one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England, it holds the tombs of 10 sovereigns, including Henry VIII and his favorite wife, Jane Seymour.
Back in London, Kensington Palace is on the royal radar because it’s the home of Prince William, his wife, Catherine, and their three children. While some of the palace is open to the public, the royals’ private quarters are strictly off-limits.
Kensington Palace has long been associated with Queen Victoria, who was born here in 1819. Sitting primly on its pleasant parkside grounds in central London, the palace is immaculately restored. After Queen Victoria moved the monarchy to Buckingham Palace, lesser royals bedded down at Kensington. Princess Diana lived here both during and after her marriage to Prince Charles.
Unless you’re in London in August or September — or on Her Majesty’s A-list — it’s unlikely you’ll get a peek inside the royal birthplace of Prince Charles — Buckingham Palace. The queen opens 19 of her palace’s lavish state rooms to the public — but only in late summer when she’s out of town.
Fifteen miles up the Thames is Hampton Court Palace, the 500-year-old royal hangout that was a favorite of Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and Charles I. The stately palace stands overlooking the Thames and includes some impressive Tudor rooms. The industrial-strength kitchen was capable of keeping 600 schmoozing courtiers thoroughly — if not well — fed. The sculpted garden features a rare Tudor tennis court and a popular maze.
The royals don’t limit themselves to England. Today, Queen Elizabeth II and her family still spend a good part of their summers at Balmoral in the Scottish Highlands. Balmoral has been home to royals since 1848, when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited and fell in love with this remote part of Britain. In that same year — the rest of Europe was ensnared in anti-royalist, pro-democracy revolutions — Victoria purchased Balmoral Castle on a vast 50,000-acre estate. The queen proceeded to embrace Highland culture, which led to something of a renaissance in the local way of life in this northern part of Scotland.
Balmoral welcomes the public for much of the year. However, access is limited: You can roam the gardens, see some exhibits in the stables and visit a single big room in the palace.
Every time there’s a coronation, a marriage or a birth, the British recharge their inclination to embrace their royalty. For royal watchers, visiting these residences is a chance to be a small part of pomp.