BUCKINGHAM Palace is the icon of The Royal Family and their traditional home but there are many more properties owned by The Queen.
There are castles all over the UK which The Queen visits but there are a few which she owns as sovereign and privately.
What properties does the Queen own?
The Royal Family has two types of residence – those owned by the Crown Estate and those it privately owns.
Most high-ranking royals lease at least one property from the Crown Estate, with the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William and Princess Anne being among those who also have private residences.
As expected, the Queen boasts the largest portfolio.
Buckingham Palace
The iconic Buckingham Palace sits in the City of Westminster and dates back to 1837.
It is open to the public at certain times of year for a tour of some of the palace’s 775 rooms.
This castle is seen as the main royal residency and is used regularly for official royal business.
Windsor Castle
Not far from Buckingham Palace is the largest occupied castle in the world, Windsor Castle.
It has a massive 1,0o0 rooms and is open to tours as well as being the regular weekend home of The Queen.
Palace of Holyroodhouse
This is the Scottish home of The Queen, although not as popular as her private residence Balmoral.
She often visits in the first week of summer in an event known as ‘Holyrood Week’.
Hillsborough Castle
Standing since 1775, this castle is located in Belfast.
Similarly to Holyrood, The Queen uses Hillsborough for official visits to Northern Ireland.
Sandringham House
Best known for being The Royal Family’s Christmas home, this is where the yearly Christmas Walk takes place.
The Norfolk address was built in 1870 and is where The Queen privately spends the anniversary of her father and her own accession.
She often stays here from Christmas until around February the next year.
Balmoral Castle
This Scottish castle is where The Queen often spends many weeks at in summer.
It has long been rumoured to be her favourite of all her residencies.
It is a private residence of The Queen so not part of the Crown Estate.
What is the Royal Family’s portfolio worth?
The Queen also has a private property portfolio, known as the Duchy of Lancaster.
This was established for the reigning monarch in 1399, as a way to provide independent income to the Sovereign.
It’s one of two royal duchies.
The other is the Duchy of Cornwall, which provides Prince Charles with independent income.
His private residences include Gloucestershire’s Highgrove House, Tamarisk House – which is on the Isles of Scilly – and Llwynywermod in Carmarthenshire, Wales.
Overall, the Royal Family’s property portfolio is worth an estimated £13billion.
What is the Crown Estate?
According to its website, The Crown Estate belongs to the reigning monarch “in right of The Crown”.
This means it’s owned by the monarch for the duration of their reign, by virtue of their accession to the throne.
But it’s not their private property.
They can’t sell it and the revenue it creates doesn’t belong to them.
However, since the Sovereign Grant Act of 2011, the Queen has received 25 per cent of revenue to fund the royals’ official household and duties.
The Estate is managed by an independent organisation – established by statute – and is headed up by a board known as The Crown Estate Commissioners.
Surplus revenue is paid to the Treasury each year, for the benefit of the nation’s finances.
