Top 6 royal childhood residences

The world responded with joy this morning as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, announced they’re expecting a baby in spring 2019. To celebrate the news, here are six places to visit in the UK where generations of royal children spent their childhood.

Kensington Palace, London

Closely associated with the late Diana Princess of Wales, Kensington Palace is now the home of her grandchildren Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte. Enjoy the intimate gardens surrounding the palace, and allow your inner child to be in awe of the arched tree walk and ornamental pond and gorgeous fountains.  

Sandringham Estate, Norfolk
The Queen’s favourite retreat was also the birthplace of late Princess Diana who was born in a cottage on the estate. Tour the impressive gardens and pop into the museum to see artefacts from Sandringham’s history. Finish your visit with a cup of tea and cake in the Stables Tearoom and enjoy the beautiful views of the gardens. Sandringham is open to the public from April to November.

Buckingham Palace, London

Prince Charles and Prince Andrew were both born at the most well-known castle on our list, Buckingham Palace. Notices of royal births and deaths are still attached to the railings for the public to read, even though you’ll probably read them on Facebook or Twitter first. The palace is open to the public during the summer, and there are also limited tours in December, January and Easter.

Glamis Castle, Angus
With a history dating back to 1034, Glamis Castle has a rich royal legacy. The former childhood home of the Queen is also where her mother, the late Queen Mother and her sister, the late Princess Margaret, were born. Learn about the castle’s lengthy history with a guided tour of the castle or enjoy one of the many nature walks around the grounds.

Pembroke Castle, Pembrokeshire

Go further back in history and explore Pembroke Castle, the birthplace of King Henry VII, the first Tudor king. There’s plenty to keep you busy at Pembroke including exhibitions depicting life in medieval times. Wogan Cavern situated beneath the palace is well worth a visit as its home to special residents of a different sort, pipistrelle bats!

Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh

Perched on an extinct volcano overlooking the city, Edinburgh Castle was the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots’ only child, King James VI.  Forget baby bonnets, at the castle you’ll find the Scottish crown jewels worn by Mary when she was crowned at 9-months-old and James when he was 13-months-old.