King Charles’ favourite royal houses: From Windsor Castle to Highgrove

As the heir to the British throne, King Charles has no doubt grown up frolicking around royal castles and houses owned by his mother, which, upon his ascension in 2022, he now owns.

The monarch is famously a homebody, once being quoted saying that he is "happier at home than anywhere else," and we wonder which one he meant, as he and wife Camilla are known to have favourites from their impressive property portfolio!

As the King, Charles’ official residence is at the iconic Buckingham Palace in London but it is far from his life of favs.

Read on to find out which royal houses are the ultimate safe space for King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Highgrove, Gloucestershire

Described as a passion project, King Charles bought Highgrove in 1980, working closely with British interior designer Robert Kime to bring his vision to life.

Located near Tetbury in the Cotswolds, Highgrove is often considered Charles’ favourite hideaway as it is where Charles and Camilla would meet in the early days of their romance and after his separation from Princess Diana.

The house also embodies his commitment to environmental conservation as it features solar panels, a natural sewage system and even a woodchip boiler.

Clarence House, Central London

Clarence House has served as Charles’ main London residence since 2003, with him and wife Camilla choosing it as their royal base following their 2005 marriage. Before this, it had been the home of Charles’ grandmother, the Queen Mother Elizabeth, for about 50 years!

Located a short walk away from Buckingham Palace, Clarence House was built in 1827 and has since been redesigned by Kime, who also helped King Charles with Highgrove.

Windsor Castle, Berkshire

Considered the ancestral seat of the British monarchy, Windsor Castle has not always been popular with King Charles. In fact, it is believed that several factors put him off the castle for decades, from the noise of aircraft from nearby Heathrow to unpleasant memories from his marriage to Princess Diana.

However, King Charles seems to have finally come around to the castle once again, given that it was the chosen home of his late mother and father, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, and that it holds the most significance in royal history.

The Queen and Prince Philip relocated from Buckingham to Windsor in 2020 and it is where Philip died in 2021. The Queen spent her remaining years here before passing away at Balmoral in 2022.

It is said that King Charles now regularly visits Windsor and is even taking part in restoration and redecoration.

Birkhall, Scotland

The royals’ love for the Scottish Highlands is no secret, and thus, Birkhall, part of the Balmoral Estate, is close to King Charles’ heart.

He inherited Birkhall from the Queen Mother after her death in 2002 and it has since served as one of his favourite holiday homes. The King honeymooned at Birkhall with Camilla after their 2005 wedding and the couple also spent their isolation here while recovering from COVID in 2020.

Charles has also adorably planted an arboretum in the gardens at Birkhall named after his grandson and Prince William’s eldest son, Prince George.

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