Where does King Charles live? Well, when he ascended to the throne last year, he inherited more than a job. Indeed, he also inherited a vast real estate portfolio, including private homes and official royal residences throughout the United Kingdom. But the new monarch also built his own cache of properties during his time as the Prince of Wales, from a neoclassical estate in Gloucestershire to a guesthouse in Romania. While several of those properties have been passed on to Prince William, the new owner of the Duchy of Cornwall, the king, who will be coronated May 6, still has plenty of residences at his disposal. From Buckingham Palace, where he was born, to Clarence House, where he lived as a child and again after his marriage to the queen consort, we’ve gathered all of the king’s residences, past and present.
King Charles was born at Buckingham Palace on November 14, 1948. At that time the palace belonged to his grandfather, King George VI. It became his mother’s official residence in 1952, and the now king spent much of his childhood at the 775-room palace, which was built in 1703. The palace became the Royal Family’s property in 1761 when King George III purchased it for Queen Charlotte. It has had extensive renovations over the years, including an addition by architects John Nash and Edward Blore. The palace is in the midst of a 10-year, $500 million renovation, and the king is currently using it for work but still living at Clarence House.
Clarence House
The Morning Room at Clarence House, as photographed in 2003
Photo: Tim Graham/Getty Images
King Charles spent his early years living at Clarence House, a residence built between 1825 and 1827 by architect John Nash for the future King William IV, then the Duke of Clarence. Charles lived in the three-story mansion from 1948 until his mother became queen in 1952, and he returned in 2003, making it his official residence with his partner Camilla Parker-Bowles (they married in 2005). The king had Robert Kime decorate the interiors.
An aerial view of Windlesham Moor
Photo: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
While he was an infant, King Charles’s parents rented a country house in Surrey known as Windlesham Moor from 1947 to 1949. The estate is set on 58 acres of land and has a large drawing room, a games room, and five bedrooms. Two guest rooms were combined into a nursery for the young king.
Sandringham
Clockwise from left: King Charles; his father, Prince Philip; his mother, Queen Elizabeth II; and his sister, Princess Anne, at Sandringham in 1970
King Charles has spent many family Christmases at Sandringham, a 20,000-acre estate in Norfolk. Unlike many royal palaces, Sandringham is privately owned by the monarch and was passed from Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles after her death in September of 2022. The stately home originally belonged to the future King Edward VII, who called upon architect A.J. Humbert, and later Robert William Edis, to rebuild it. King Charles recently celebrated his first Christmas as the sovereign there and took part in the traditional Christmas walk to church.
Balmoral Castle
King Charles III on his 30th birthday at Balmoral Castle
Like Sandringham, Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is also privately owned by the monarch and was inherited by the king upon his mother’s death. Prince Albert purchased the 50,000-acre property for his wife, Queen Victoria, in 1852. The Prince hired architect William Smith to build a new Scottish baronial castle on the grounds, which was completed in 1856, and he later tore down the original structure. The king previously inherited Birkhall, a 1715 house on the grounds of Balmoral, in 2002 and used it as a frequent retreat, including on his honeymoon with Queen Consort Camilla in 2005.
Kensington Palace
King Charles and his then wife Princess Diana with their son, Prince William, at Kensington Palace in 1983
Following his marriage to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, King Charles took up residence in apartments eight and nine at Kensington Palace with his young family, which grew to include Prince William and Prince Harry. William III purchased the Jacobean mansion in 1689, and the monarch later hired architect Christopher Wren—known for his design of St. Paul’s Cathedral—to expand it.
Llwynywermod
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla at Llwynywermod in 2009
When he was the Prince of Wales, King Charles searched extensively for a home in the coastal country. He purchased Llwynywermod, a home in Llandovery, Myddfai, in 2007 for roughly $1.5 million (£1.2 million). Architect Craig Hamilton renovated the former model farm using sustainable building techniques, and designer Annabel Elliot (Queen Camilla’s sister) furnished the home using Welsh furnishings, rugs, and antiques. The property includes a main house, three cottages, and a threshing barn.
Highgrove House
King Charles in his living room at Highgrove House in 1982
King Charles purchased Highgrove House in 1980. The neoclassical home in Gloucestershire dates back to the late 18th century and was likely built by architect Anthony Keck. The king rejuvenated the property, introducing organic and sustainable gardening practices to the 15 acres of interlinked gardens. Princess Diana hired Dudley Poplak to design the interiors, and Robert Kime later redecorated the home.
Windsor Castle
The green drawing room at Windsor Castle
Built in the 11th century by William the Conquerer, Windsor Castle is the largest occupied castle in the world. It has been home to over 40 monarchs, many of whom renovated and rebuilt the property, including Charles II, who worked with architect Hugh May to devise Baroque interiors, and George IV and his architect Jeffry Wyatville, who added many of the iconic Gothic features as well as the grand Waterloo chamber. Queen Elizabeth spent weekends at the castle and moved there full-time during the pandemic. King Charles inherited the sprawling property after her death.
Dumfries House
A courtyard at Dumfries House
Originally the home of William Crichton-Dalrymple, 5th Earl of Dumfries, Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, was completed in 1759 and designed by Robert, John, and James Adams. The Palladian villa was furnished with an exceptional collection of Chippendale pieces and British Rococo furniture. In 1889 Scottish architect Robert Weir Shultz was hired to extend the east and west wings of the home. The residence was a family home from 1760 to 1993. In 2007, the then Prince of Wales and the Prince’s Foundation saved Dumfries House, purchasing the house and its contents. The estate has been restored and is open to the public.
Dolphin House
King Charles and Queen Camilla during a visit to the Isles of Scilly in 2021
The king owned Dolphin House, a late Georgian granite-walled home built in 1799 on Tresco—an island in the Isles of Scilly, an archipelago off the coast of Cornwall. The islands are part of the Duchy of Cornwall, which passed from King Charles to Prince William upon the monarch's ascension. The public can rent the house.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse
The king’s official residence in Scotland is the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The palace dates back to 1128, when David I founded an Augustinian monastery on the site, and James IV turned it into a palace in 1503. Mary Queen of Scots lived there from 1561 to 1567, and Charles II rebuilt the residence with help from Sir William Bruce beginning in 1671.
Hillsborough Castle
King Charles unveiling a portrait of himself at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland in 2019
Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Hillsborough Castle is the residence of the king in Northern Ireland. The house was built in the late 18th century by the Hill family. The estate was sold to the British government in the 1920s.
Romanian Houses
King Charles’s Romanian cottage
In 2006, King Charles purchased a traditional Saxon house in Viscri, Romania, and had the 18th-century farmhouse restored. The building was converted into an exhibition space in 2021 and hosts displays on conservation, traditional architecture, and sustainability. He also owns a guesthouse in Zalanpatak, which can be rented by the public.
Castle of Mey
The Castle of Mey in Caithness, Scotland
The Castle of Mey was built in the 16th century by George, 4th Earl of Caithness. In 1819, architect William Burn renovated the castle for the 12th earl. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother purchased the castle in 1952 and renovated the property and 30-acre grounds. The Queen Mother put the property into trust in 1996, with King Charles serving as president. The king has visited frequently over the years, and he opened a bed and breakfast on the property in 2019.