Britain’s Royal Residences

The royal residences of Britain offer a captivating insight into the lives of British royalty and their homes around the United Kingdom. With the Great British Heritage Pass you can explore royal palaces, castles and estates around England and Scotland, as well as over 500 other British heritage properties.

Your tour of Britain’s royal residences begins at Balmoral, the Scottish home of the British royal family.  It was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852.  The Estate extends to just over 50,000 acres of heather clad hills, ancient Caledonian woodland, and the beautiful River Dee is nearby.  Over the past 150 years careful stewardship by the owners, The Royal Family, has preserved the wildlife, scenery and architecture which is available for all generations to enjoy.

Glamis Castle was the childhood home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and birthplace of Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret.  It has been visited and lived in by many members of the Scottish and British royal families.  Glamis Castle is also the legendary setting of Shakespeare’s play ‘Macbeth.’ 

Next head towards Falkland Palace, Garden, and Town Hall, a 16th century royal palace, where Mary, Queen of Scots spent some of the happiest days of her life.  Portraits of the Stuart kings and queens hang in the palace and you can get a flavor of palace life when you enter the King’s Bedchamber and the Queen’s Room.  There is also a Royal Tennis Court, Britain’s oldest tennis court. 

Once in Edinburgh, visit Craigmillar Castle, one of Mary Queen of Scots’ favorite residences.  It dates from the 14th century and is a well preserved medieval castle, with a tower house, courtyard, and gardens. 

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen in Scotland.  It is situated at the end of the Royal Mile and was the home of Mary, Queen of Scots.  Kings and queens have made the Palace of Holyroodhouse the premier royal residence in Scotland, and today it is the setting for State ceremonies and official entertaining. 

Be sure to also visit The Queen’s Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse, which was opened by the Queen in 2002 as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations.  Works of art from the Royal Collection are exhibited here, for the first time in Scotland. 

Head into England and visit Hatfield House, where Queen Elizabeth I first spent much of her childhood.