Sure, we’ve all heard of Buckingham Palace, but where does King Charles III actually live? With the release of his new film, Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision, we decided to answer that question once and for all with a look at his extensive property portfolio.
King Charles III was crowned on 6th May 2023 at Westminster Abbey alongside his wife, Queen Camilla. After taking over the throne from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, questions were then raised about where the king and queen would be living.
Prior to the coronation, Charles and Camilla lived primarily in Clarence House in London, sometimes residing in homes like Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, Llwynywermod in Wales and Birkhall in Scotland. Since becoming king, however, there have been changes to Charles’ property portfolio.
Finding Harmony shines a light on the monarch’s longstanding commitment to environmental protection, with filming at Dumfries House, the headquarters of The King’s Foundation, and at Highgrove Gardens, his Cotswolds countryside home. Here’s a closer look at the properties King Charles III calls home.
Buckingham Palace
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Built in 1705, Buckingham House was originally bought by George III as a family home for his wife Queen Charlotte (yes, the one of Bridgerton fame). The house was then made into a palace under King George IV.
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The Royal Family outside the balcony of Buckingham Palace
While Buckingham Palace remains the monarch’s official London residence, it now functions primarily as a working palace rather than the King’s day-to-day home. Today, King Charles does not live there, instead using the building as his ‘operational headquarters’. The palace is currently undergoing extensive renovations, which are expected to be completed in 2027.
Clarence House
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When they’re in London, Clarence House acts as Charles and Camilla’s primary residence. The couple have lived there since 2003 and it’s described as being a ‘much-loved family house’ and ‘very much a home’ on the Royal Family’s official website.
Clarence House sits directly on The Mall and shares a boundary with St James’s Palace, placing it at the heart of London’s ceremonial landscape. Despite this prominent location, it was designed as a comparatively modest private residence rather than a grand palace, and has long been associated with a more domestic style of royal living than Buckingham Palace.
Did you know? Clarence House was home to the Queen Mother for nearly 50 years, from 1953 until her death in 2002.
Highgrove House
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Situated near Tetbury in Gloucestershire, Highgrove House was first bought in 1980 ahead of Charles’ first marriage. As the house is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, ownership then passed to Prince William when Charles became king. Despite this, it is still considered the private residence of the King and Queen.
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Over the years, Charles has devoted a lot of time to transforming Highgrove Gardens. ‘One of my great joys is to see the pleasure that the garden can bring to many of the visitors and that everybody seems to find some part of it that is special to them,’ Charles III said of the gardens.
Sandringham Estate
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Located in Norfolk, Sandringham is a ‘much-loved country retreat’ for the King and Queen. Set within 60 acres of gardens and known for its Jacobean-style exterior, it was once called ‘the most comfortable house in England’.
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Fans of Netflix’s The Crown will know that the Sandringham estate is where the Royal Family frequently spend Christmas and New Year. When Queen Elizabeth II’s children were young, Christmas was celebrated at Windsor Castle, but this changed to Sandringham in 1988.
Windsor Castle
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Windsor Castle is one of the Royal Family’s most important working residences, regularly used for official ceremonies and state visits. It is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, having been in continuous use as a royal residence for nearly 1,000 years. Today, a number of people live within its walls, from the Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle to members of staff who run the College of St George.
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The late Queen Elizabeth II used Windsor Castle both as a private home — where she typically spent weekends — and as an official base for carrying out formal duties. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, spent much of their time at Windsor Castle, which later became her permanent residence following the Duke of Edinburgh’s death in April 2021.
The castle is also home to St George’s Chapel, which serves both the Royal Family and the local community. Steeped in history, it has hosted numerous royal weddings, including those of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018, and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in October 2018.
Balmoral Castle
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Located in Aberdeenshire in Scotland, Balmoral is the place where Prince Philip proposed to Queen Elizabeth II and where Charles and Diana (then the Prince and Princess of Wales) spent part of their honeymoon.
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Nowadays, Birkhall, a private residence on the Balmoral estate, is considered Charles and Camilla’s country home. Described as a ‘treasured retreat,’ according to Balmoral’s official website, ‘a visit to the Highland home has become a cherished part of his year.’
The Palace of Holyroodhouse
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Located in Edinburgh, Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the Monarchy in Scotland. Every year, during ‘Holyrood Week’, the monarch hosts thousands of Scots in Holyroodhouse, offering recognition for their work and positive contributions to society.
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Scotland holds particular significance for the Royal Family. In his first address to Holyrood as monarch, Charles remarked that Queen Elizabeth II thought of Scotland as ‘a haven and a home’.
Hillsborough Castle 
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Another royal residence is the Georgian estate of Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland. Located around 20 minutes outside Belfast, it is perhaps best known in recent years as the setting for the signing ceremony at which King Charles’ pen famously leaked.
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While it is the official residence of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, members of the Royal Family also stay at Hillsborough Castle when visiting the region.
Did you know? Despite the name, it isn’t actually a castle at all but a Georgian country house, built in the 18th century. The ‘castle’ title was later adopted largely for prestige.
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Liz Lane is the Homes Assistant for House Beautiful and Country Living. Writing about everything from gardening tips and decorating trends to the symbolism behind Pedro Pascal’s apartment in Materialists, she’s particularly interested in the intersection where style and pop culture meet. When she’s not working on digital pieces, she’s editing videos or writing for print. Liz has previously written for Red and Good Housekeeping, and she studied English at UEA and Oxford University.