$33bn: Royals mind-blowing real estate portfolio revealed
The Royal Family is raking in around $50m in profit every year from a property portfolio worth an incredible $33bn. Here’s how.
The British Royal Family has one of the largest and most impressive real estate portfolios in the world.
The magnificent collection owned both via The Crown Estate and private titles consists of a range of properties from extravagant palaces and castles to cottages.
According to the New York Times, the Royals’ real estate assets are worth around $33 billion.
And Forbes reported it generated around $50m in profits over the last financial year.
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From world famous royal residences to lesser-known homes, here is a list of The Royals real estate portfolio and what the properties are worth.
Buckingham Palace
The London palace is the official London residence of the UK’s sovereign, and has been since 1837. Today, the palace is also home to the administrative headquarters of the Monarch.
Buckingham Palace has a grand total of 775 rooms, including 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, 78 bathrooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms and 19 state rooms.
It also houses a cinema, pool, post office, police station, doctor’s surgery, a jeweller’s workshop and even a cash machine.
Estimated valued: around $7.35 billion
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Windsor Castle
For more than 900 years, Windsor Castle just outside London has been both a private home and official royal residence.
Elizabeth II and her sister Princess Margaret were raised in the castle, which was considered to be the former Monarch’s favoured London home.
The late Queen would often use the castle as a weekender and St George’s Chapel on the estate was the location of Harry and Meghan’s wedding in 2018.
Sitting on 5.2ha, the castle has approximately 1000 rooms and is considered to be the largest occupied castle in the world.
In 1992, the property suffered a catastrophic fire that destroyed 115 rooms, including nine State Rooms which have since been restored.
Estimated value $850m
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Kensington Palace
The birthplace of Queen Victoria, the palace has been the private home and office space for numerous royals including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
From 2017, Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton and their family lived in apartment 1A, a four-storey, 20 room wing at Kensington. In 2022, William and Kate moved to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor full time.
Apartments 8 and 9, two conjoined chambers, was the marital home of Prince Charles and Diana in the 1980s.
The 547-room residence was and briefly home to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Estimated value $923m.
St. James’s Palace
The former residence of the monarchs of England until the reign of Queen Victoria, St James’s Palace holds an important role in the monarchy as it’s where the Garter King of Arms formally announces the accession of the new king or queen after the death of a monarch.
The Chapel Royal on the grounds is the favoured spot for royal christenings including Prince George and even Meghan Markle weeks before she married Harry.
The palace hosts charity receptions associated with members of the royal family.
It’s also the London residence of Princess Anne, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Alexandra.
Estimated valued: $1bn
Balmoral Castle
Built by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, the castle has been bequeathed to each monarch ever since.
Queen Elizabeth’s beloved summer home sits on 20,234ha with 150 buildings on the sprawling estate — including Craigowan Lodge, a rustic stone cottage where then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana would stay when in Scotland.
Estimated value $95m
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Clarence House
Since King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles married in 2005, Clarence House has been their official London home. They will continue to live there until at least 2027 while renovations to Buckingham Palace are ongoing.
Built in 1825 and 1827, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip also lived at the five-bedroom townhouse after marrying in 1947, as did William and Kate post nuptials in 2011.
Clarence House was also the final home of the Queen Mother until her passing in 2002.
Prince William and Prince Harry also lived in the luxury home until moving into their own private residences at Kensington Palace in 2011 and 2012, respectively.
Estimated value: $500m
Highgrove House
A private home of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla, Highgrove was purchased by Charles in 1980 for £865,000.
Initially a weekend home for the then-Prince of Wales and Princess Diana, the property has nine bedrooms, six bathrooms and is surrounded by 364ha of organic land and elaborate gardens.
Estimated value: Unknown
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Sandringham House
Acquired in 1862 for the future King Edward VII, this estate has been passed down to each monarch since.
Most well known as the meeting place for royals at Christmas, the 775-room palace has 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms and sits on 7689ha.
Estimated value: $234m
Hampton Court Palace
A popular tourist attraction and museum since 1838, Hampton Court Palace is the former seat of the Tudor dynasty, including the infamous Henry VIII.
The last monarch to actually live at the palace was King George who died in 1760.
More than 500 years old, the historic palace on 24ha has 1390 rooms and has been operating as a museum since 1838.
Estimated value: around $1.7 billion
Frogmore House
An official residence since 1792, it was bought by George III for Queen Charlotte and has remained in the royal family ever since.
Unoccupied since 1872, the royals often host events at the residence including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding reception in 2018.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex briefly lived there after marrying before heading to the US.
Estimated value: $4m
Frogmore Cottage
The former home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Frogmore Cottage shares the same grounds as Frogmore House.
The cottage was built in 1801 under the direction of Queen Charlotte. Formerly five separate apartments, the historic cottage is now a 10-bedroom residence, surrounded by 33 acres of private gardens next to Windsor Castle.
Royal Lodge
Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson live in the 30-room home on the Windsor Estate.
He signed a lease in 2003 and paid for the renovations.
Back in June, King Charles III reportedly threatened to cut ties completely with his brother as the disgraced duke refuses to leave Royal Lodge for his new home in Frogmore Cottage.
Sources close to Andrew told The Sun that he will not leave Royal Lodge citing a 75-year lease on the property that does not expire until June 15, 2078.
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Palace of Holyroodhouse
Although Balmoral was Queen Elizabeth’s favourite Scottish retreat, Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland.
Originally a monastery built in the 1120s, the historic 289-room palace on more than 4ha is best known as the one-time home of Mary Queen of Scots.
MORE: King Charles III has made $50.1m from rents this year amid record rises in the United Kingdom
Hillsborough Castle
A 40ha property dating back to the late 18th century, Hillsborough Castle is the official Northern Ireland residence of the monarch and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
The ten-bedroom mansion underwent a five-year $24 million refurbishment which the Queen reportedly never got to see. Under an exceptional caveat, The Crown is contracted by the Secretary to manage Hillsborough Castle.
Llwynywermod
King Charles bought the home for $2 million in 2007 and Queen Camilla has worked on refurbishing it.
After the death of Queen Elizabeth in 2022, Prince William took ownership of the property.
Last year the King wasn’t happy with his son charging him rent on the Royals’ holiday home.
The Castle of Mey
A residence Charles inherited from his grandmother, The Castle of May is on the north coast of Scotland in Caithness.
In early May 2019, Charles III formally opened Granary Lodge, a 10-bedroom bed and breakfast on the castle grounds, available for rent for about $645 a night.
Dumfries House
Charles III raised a reported $76 million in 2007 to buy the estate and its entire contents through one of his foundations.
Today, the 18th century home on 2000 acres is open to the public for guided tours and has a lodge within the grounds where guests are able to stay overnight.
The Blue House
Although there are only 450 people in the ancient Saxon village of Viscri in Transylvania, Romania, one of the landowners is actually Charles III.
His most notable is a seven-bedroom property known as The Blue House, which can even be rented out from $178 a night.
Harry and Meghan’s Santa Barbara Home
In 2020, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle snapped up a sprawling estate in Santa Barbara after leaving the British royal family.
The property boasts nine bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, as well as a pool, theatre and gym.
The couple bought the lavish home in the celebrity enclave of Montecito, California, where they count the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres as neighbours.
It’s reportedly the first home that both Prince Harry and Meghan had ever owned.
MORE: Latest in home prices from PropTrack
Parts of this story first appeared in The Sun and New York Post are republished here with permission.
Originally published as $33bn: Royals mind-blowing real estate portfolio revealed
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