Most of us are familiar with at least one royal family and their historic palaces, but there are more than 40 countries with monarchies across the globe, from Europe and Asia to Africa and beyond.
From Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, head of the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world, to Abu Dhabi’s House of Nahyan, the globe’s richest rulers, each royal dynasty has awe-inspiring estates with captivating stories to match.
Click or scroll on to step inside the princely palaces of the world’s most illustrious royal families...
With an estimated fortune of $305 billion (£228bn), the Al Nahyan dynasty is thought to be the richest family in the world.
The family is headed up by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan – MBZ for short – who is the President of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Abu Dhabi.
They own 6% of the world’s oil reserves and have investments in everything from Elon Musk’s SpaceX to Manchester City Football Club, as well as property and palaces around the globe.
A jewel in the crown of their property portfolio is Qasr Al-Watan, the presidential palace of the UEA, which is located in Abu Dhabi. Built between 2010 and 2017, the mammoth property is estimated to have cost around $490 million (£367m) to construct.
While MBZ and his family do not actually live there, instead residing at the nearby Al-Bateen Palace, it remains a working palace complex, hosting state visits and summits. Its gleaming white granite and limestone façade symbolises peace and was built to last hundreds of years.
The palace is triple the size of the Pentagon and was opened to the public in 2019 to give visitors a greater understanding of UAE’s heritage.
Central to its interior design is the eight-pointed star, an important symbol in Islam, which features throughout the palace, not least in the Great Hall with its spectacular domed ceiling and intricately decorated marble flooring.
The east wing of the palace includes this stunning library with more than 50,000 books on the country’s cultural, social and political history. Meanwhile, the Spirit of Collaboration hall, which hosts international summits, features a 12-tonne chandelier made up of 350,000 crystals.
Very few photographs exist of the Qasr Al Bateen, where the Sheikh and his family live. The palace compound is surrounded by fences and gates and is said to have the most expensive security systems that money can buy.
Satellite photos show lush green grounds – no easy feat in a country where the average temperature hits 28°C (82°F) – complete with swimming pools and a tennis court. The buildings are modern and built with huge arched windows, columns and shaded colonnades.
Naturally, the family also owns an impressive fleet of yachts and planes, including a $450 million (£337m) Boeing 747 and Azzam, a $500 million (£375m) 590-foot (180m) superyacht.
It’s not just on home turf that the family has made its mark. The Al Nahyans’ property portfolio extends across foreign shores to the tune of an estimated $7 billion (£5.2bn).
According to one report, the dynasty owns great swathes of real estate in Knightsbridge, Westminster and Kensington, including a £65 million ($86.8m) mansion MBZ snapped up in Chelsea in 2023. The value of the family's London assets is reportedly just behind the British royal family’s crown estate.
The Al Nahyan family owns palaces all over the world, including Château de Baillon in the north of Paris (pictured). The French estate was once the home of Madame de Pompadour, the favourite mistress of King Louis XV.
King Willem-Alexander has been monarch of the Netherlands since 2013. Married to Argentinian-born Queen Máxima since 2002, they have three daughters: Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange and next in line to the throne, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane.
The family are seen here at their official residence, the Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague. The 17th-century manor has been the official home of the Dutch royal family since 1981. King Willem and his family moved in in 2018, following major renovations.
The 30,000-square-foot (2,787sqm) palace boasts an ornate interior, including the Orange Hall, which is adorned with paintings by Jacob Jordaens, a pupil of Rembrandt.
Noordeinde Palace is the King’s place of work. The palace is the property of the state and has been at the centre of various momentous events in the lives of the royal family, including the wedding of the King’s grandmother Queen Juliana to Prince Bernhard, and also the nuptials of his brother Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien.
Located in the middle of the chic Noordeinde shopping district in The Hague, the palace is the former residence of King Willem l, the first king of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is not open to the public.
Although formerly used as a residence by King Willem l, the Royal Palace in Amsterdam is now used mainly for entertaining and official functions, such as state visits. Also known as Dam Palace, it is open to the public throughout the year and hosts exhibitions.
The palace was originally built as a city hall in 1648 and was used as a residence by Emperor Napoleon’s brother, Louis Bonaparte, who became King of Holland in 1806.
While King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Máxima are much more down to earth than their illustrious forbears. They lived at Villa Eikenhorst on the De Torsten Royal Estates in Wassenaar for 15 years before moving to Huis ten Bosch Palace in 2018.
The house was designed by Baron JB van Asbeck in the mid-1980s for the former Queen Beatrix’s youngest sister, Princess Christina, who lived there until 1996 following her divorce from former daycare administrator Jorge Guillermo.
Following her abdication in April 2013, the former Queen Beatrix moved into Drakensteyn Castle near Utrecht.
She had bought the castle, which sits on 49 acres (20ha) of land, back in 1959 and initially lived there with her husband Prince Claus and their three sons until 1980, when she became Queen.
Beatrix was photographed outside the little castle in 1963, when she was still crown princess.
Monaco's royal dynasty, the Grimaldi family, became known around the world in 1956 after its ruler, Prince Rainier lll, married Hollywood movie star Grace Kelly. The couple had two daughters, Caroline and Stephanie, and their only son, Albert ll, became sovereign after his father’s death in 2005.
Prince Albert II's wife, former South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock, gave birth to twins Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques in 2014. They family is pictured here together in 2024.
Built in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, the Prince’s Palace of Monaco has been the official residence of the House of Grimaldi for more than 700 years.
Located in the medieval old town atop “Le Rocher” (the rock), the Italian Renaissance-inspired palace has undergone several transformations over the centuries, with Prince Rainier and his late wife Princess Grace undertaking major improvements that turned the palace into the attraction it is today.
The palace reopened to the public in August 2022 following five years of renovations, revealing previously unseen frescoes, which Hello Monaco reports have been attributed to Genoese masters of the 16th century.
A popular tourist destination, the revamped State Apartments include the Throne Room, which boasts magnificent frescoes and chandeliers and was the location for the civil marriage ceremony of Prince Albert and Princess Charlene in July 2011.
Their religious ceremony was held in the main courtyard, with its stunning marble staircase and ornate archways. The courtyard was built by Monaco’s first Prince Honoré ll, who also founded the extensive collection of art and tapestries now displayed throughout the palace.
The palace was also the backdrop to the wedding celebration of Prince Rainier lll and Grace Kelly, who married at St Nicholas Cathedral nearby.
The actress died in a car accident in September 1982 on her way back from the family’s country home Roc Agel. It was found that Princess Grace suffered a "cerebral vascular incident" and lost control of the vehicle.
Prince Albert is said to prefer the quiet life and often visits the family castle, Château de Marchais in Laon, northern France.
The Prince, seen here with his father and his sister, Princess Caroline, spends several weekends at the rural residence during the summer and hosts hunting parties in February and September, according to Point de Vue.
One of Europe’s most low-key monarchies, the Spanish royal family has nonetheless weathered their share of scandals over the years. The current King, Felipe Vl, came to the throne in 2014 following the abdication of his father, King Juan Carlos I.
The King married his wife, Queen Letizia, a former news journalist and divorcee, in 2004 and the couple has two daughters, Leonor, Princess of Asturias and heir to the throne, and Infanta Sofia.
Although the Royal Family no longer lives in the Royal Palace of Madrid, it is still well worth a visit. With 3,000 rooms and 1,450,000 square feet (134,709sqm) of interior, it's the largest palace in Europe and you could spend an entire day marvelling over its lavish rooms and furnishings.
There has been a royal building on the site since the 9th century and the building is still used for important state functions and ceremonies.
This view of the Throne Room shows that no expense has been spared, with an enormous central chandelier hovering above the ornate space. Also known as the Ambassadors' Room, its vault is frescoed with Tiepolo's "The Greatness and Power of the Spanish Monarchy". The history of the royal family is told through the images, leading the viewer's eye to the throne.
The furniture, including the throne, was brought from Italy by Giovanni Battista Natali, who was in charge of designing the space.
King Felipe Vl, Queen Letizia and their daughters reside at the more low-key Zarzuela Palace, in the El Pardo complex just outside Madrid. Commissioned by Felipe lV in 1627, it was initially intended to be a hunting lodge.
These photos show Prince – later King – Juan Carlos and Princess Sofia with their young daughters Cristina and Elena outside the Zarzuela Palace in the early 1960s.
Juan Carlos l abdicated in 2014 and relocated to Abu Dhabi in 2020 in the wake of fraud investigations. It marked a humiliating fall from grace for the once-admired king, who is widely acknowledged for steering Spain to democracy after the death of fascist dictator General Franco.
The summer residence of the Spanish royal family since 1973, Marivent Palace is located on the island of Mallorca and was commissioned by wealthy engineer and painter John Saridakis in 1923.
Built to house his collection of over 100 paintings by artists such as Sorolla and Picasso, the cliffside dwelling has incredible views of the ocean and expansive gardens, featuring 12 bronze statues by Joan Miró, which have been open to the public since 2017.
Surrounded by lush gardens and pine groves, it has hosted guests including Mikhail Gorbachev, Michelle Obama and Prince Charles and Princess Diana. These days it's used by former Queen Sofia.
Naruhito was sworn in as Japan’s 126th emperor at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo in November 2019, following the abdication of his father, Emperor Akihito. Like his father, Naruhito married for love when he wed Empress Masako, who worked in a diplomatic role before their marriage.
The couple have one daughter, Princess Aiko, who cannot ascend the throne, as only men in the direct male line of succession are allowed to reign as monarch.
Emperor Naruhito and his family moved into the renovated former Fukiage Sento Palace in the grounds of the stunning Imperial Palace, seen here, in September 2021.
They had previously resided at the Akasaka Imperial Residence, which was built in 1960 for Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Michiko, who were Crown Prince and Princess at the time.
If you thought the British royal family had the monopoly on pomp and circumstance, think again. Emperor Naruhito formally proclaimed his ascendancy to the country’s Chrysanthemum Throne in an ornate ceremony in the Imperial Palace in 2019.
During a series of ancient rituals, wearing a traditional robe and black headdress, he pledged to pray for the happiness of his people from the “Takamikura”, the high-curtained throne in the ceremonial hall.
The Imperial couple hosted a court banquet in the Homeiden State Banquet Hall of the Meiji Palace (seen here during the Taisho period between 1912 and 1926).
The event was attended by representatives from nearly 200 countries, including members of many royal families such as Britain's Prince – now King Charles and Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
The former seat of the Emperor of Japan, today the Kyoto Imperial Palace and grounds are open to the public and host several important events during the year, including the Aoi Festival, seen here, which dates back 1,400 years.
The current Imperial family reportedly still uses the palace when they are in the region, as well as their summer retreat near the Nasu Mountains in Tochigi Prefecture.
King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, also known as the Dragon King of Bhutan, came to the throne in December 2008, two years after the abdication of his father, Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
There was initial shock when he married non-royal Jetsun Pema in October 2011 but she has since been embraced by the remote kingdom of some 750,000 people.
The couple welcomed Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck in February 2016, a second son, Jigme Ugyen Wangchuck, followed in June 2020, and their daughter Sonam Yangden Wangchuck was born in September 2023.
The couple married at Bhutan's historic 17th-century Punakha Dzong, which translates to “the palace of great bliss”. The majestic structure, constructed between 1637 and 1638, is the second oldest and largest dzong (or fortified building) in Bhutan and was the backdrop for the King’s historic coronation in 2008.
It has been ravaged by fire and earthquakes several times but has since been renovated and restored to its original design.
The popular, Oxford-educated King meets representatives from all sections of Bhutanese society in the grounds of his home, Lingkana Palace.
It was here that his wife, Jetsun Pema, gave birth to all three of the couple's children. Unlike his father, who has four wives who are all sisters that he married on the same day, according to The World, King Jigme has made it clear that he intends to marry just once.
Jetsun Pema is known for her grace and style and has been dubbed the “Kate Middleton of the Himalayas”, according to Forbes.
Dating back to 1216 and located next door to the Lingkana Palace, the white and red palace of Tashichoedzong has been the seat of Bhutan’s government since 1952 and houses the throne room and the offices of the King. Just 26 when he ascended the throne, the fifth Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan had a hard act to follow.
According to the BBC, his father won international acclaim when he relinquished his absolute powers in March 2008 and Bhutan became a constitutional monarchy.
As well as these incredible homes, Dechencholing Palace in the capital of Thimphu is home to the wider Bhutan Royal Family.
The palace was built in 1953 following the coronation of the third King of Bhutan, Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.
Set among sweeping lawns, ponds and willow trees, the three-storey building has been built in traditional Bhutanese style and was home to the late royal grandmother, who had her own chapel.
Sweden’s longest reigning monarch, King Carl XVl Gustaf celebrated 50 years on the throne in 2023. He is photographed here with his heirs, Crown Princess Victoria and her 11-year-old daughter Princess Estelle. The King and his wife, Queen Silvia, have two other children, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine.
Crown Princess Victoria gained her title in 1980 when the Succession Act became gender-neutral and was made retroactive.
Rather like Buckingham Palace, the Royal Palace in Stockholm is the official home and the administrative headquarters of the Swedish Royal Family, where the King conducts his official duties. The sprawling palace is exceedingly grand and has a staggering 1,430 rooms.
It was announced in 2022 that filming had begun on the Swedish version of hit Netflix series The Crown. The Swedish show has a working title of Monarki. However, more recent reports have revealed the project is delayed, news which is likely to be a relief to the Crown Princess, who has declared she would "rather not be portrayed".
King Carl XVl Gustaf and Queen Silvia moved from the Royal Palace in Stockholm to nearby Drottningholm Palace in 1981, preferring the more secluded location on the island of Lovön.
Inspired by the palaces of France and Italy, the royal family has used the palace since the reign of King Oscar and the palace and grounds were designated a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1991.
Crown Princess Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel moved to Haga Palace in Solna outside Stockholm following their marriage in 2010 and it has become a family home for their two children Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar.
It was also the childhood home of her father King Carl XVl Gustaf and his older sisters during the 1930s and 1940s, before his father Prince Gustaf Adolf’s death in 1947.
These days, the palace has a contemporary and pared-back interior style, which was renovated for the needs of a busy modern family.
The Swedish royal family spends much of the summer at Solliden on the island of Öland in the Baltic Sea. The palace was originally built for Crown Princess Victoria in 1906 and was inspired by the Italian Villa San Michele on Capri.
The royal family is pictured here outside the palace's grand exterior. The summer residence is no doubt a welcome refuge for the monarch when the spotlight becomes too much.
In a documentary to mark his Golden Jubilee, the King revealed that the secret to the success of his then 47-year marriage is separate bathrooms.
King Misuzulu Zulu was crowned King of the Zulu nation in September 2022, following a bitter royal succession dispute. It was the first coronation in more than five decades, following the passing of his father, King Goodwill Zwelithini, who died in March 2021 of a diabetes-related illness.
King Misuzulu is the eldest son of the late monarch’s third wife, who he designated as regent in his will, according to The Guardian.
With an estimated population of 14 million, the Zulu kingdom boasts seven palaces, six of which are located in the small KwaZulu-Natal town of Nongoma. These include Osuthu Palace, the main residence of the late King Goodwill Zwelithini, which is distinctive for the two elephants and tusks that flank its entrance.
The late King was a descendant of King Cetshwayo, who led the Zulu nation against the British colonialists in 1879, reports The Guardian.
Dignitaries including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Charlene, Princess of Monaco (pictured, left) attended the memorial service at the royal palace in recognition of the leader who, while having no official government powers, remained a key figure in democratic South Africa.
The King left behind six wives and at least 28 children.
Distinct from the lavish surroundings enjoyed by many of the Zulu royal family today, King Cetshwayo, the last king of the independent Zulu nation, lived a simple and traditional life.
A reconstruction of his 'isigodlo' (chief’s residence) can be seen at the Ondini Cultural Museum near Ulundi. The original structure and much of Ulundi were destroyed by the British before the eventual demise of the Zulu Kingdom in 1883.
While the new King, seen here with Zulu regiments at the Khangelamankengane Royal Palace, has been installed on the throne, all is not well.
Misuzulu is the first son of Zwelithini’s third wife, Queen Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu, who he designated as regent in his will. When she died a month later and Misuzulu was named successor, all hell broke loose. Zwelithini had at least 12 sons and it was not assumed that Misuzulu was next in line. In an extraordinary story of royal family rivalry, his opponents are still fighting.
In early 2025, King Misuzulu shocked his subjects when he filed for divorce from his first wife, Queen Ntokozo kaMayisela – an unusual move in a country built on polygamy.
While the small European country of Luxembourg may not have a king or queen, it does have a royal family in the form of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa.
Together, the couple has five children: Prince Guillaume, Prince Felix, Prince Louis, Princess Alexandra and Prince Sebastian.
The Grand Duke announced his abdication during his 2024 Christmas broadcast. He will officially step down in October 2025 to make way for his eldest son, Prince Guillaume.
For more than a century, the Grand Ducal Palace has been the Grand Duke's official residence and today it's where he carries out his state duties.
Initially the City Hall, the structure was rebuilt in 1573 after being destroyed by fire almost 20 years earlier. It was badly damaged in the 17th century during the siege of Luxembourg, but the grand Flemish Renaissance building was once again repaired.
In 1890 it became the residence of Grand Duke Adolphe, at which point a new wing was added and the palace was filled with the Duke's fine furniture.
The palace suffered from being occupied by the Nazis during the Second World War and it was meticulously restored by Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte in 1964. A four-year renovation in the early 1990s saw the historic home fully returned to its former glory.
This photo was taken in 2024, during a visit from the late Pope Francis, who posed with the royal family in the grand hall.
The regal room hosts official visitors and it leads to the palace balcony, where the family waves to crowds below. It was also where the Grand Duchess Charlotte and Grand Duke Jean officially abdicated.
Grand Duke Henri has an estimated net worth of around €3.6 billion (£3bn/$4bn), so this royal family can certainly afford to live in luxury.
Since the Second World War, Berg Castle has served as the official home of the Grand Dukes. Situated in the town of Colmar-Berg in central Luxembourg, it came under the ownership of the Grand Dukes in 1845.
The old castle was demolished in 1906, after it was deemed inappropriate for modern living, and the new castle was completed in 1911.
Sadly, the palace was occupied by the Nazis and many of its most valuable works of art were stolen. The regime also made substantial changes to the castle’s internal architecture, repurposing the grand building as a concert hall and tavern.
After the war, an extensive restoration project took place between 1991 and 1996, returning the castle to its former glory – as shown off here by the Grand Duchess in 2016.
Currently the home of Prince Guillaume and his family, the historic Fischbach estate dates back to at least 1050.
The castle has been demolished and rebuilt over the centuries, including after it was set on fire in 1635, during the Thirty Years War. Much like Berg Castle, much of Fischbach's art and furniture was looted by the Nazis, who used it as an artists' retreat.
Today, the home appears much as it did in 1997, when Grand Duke Henri was photographed there with his young family.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as we know it today is a relatively modern creation, founded in 1932 by King Abdulaziz Al Saud. Ruled by the House of Saud ever since, the country has built extraordinary wealth – and palaces – on the back of its oil reserves.
While there's said to be 15,000 members of the Saud family, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (left) has been monarch since 2015.
The king's son Mohammed bin Salman (right) – better known as MBS – is Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler since his father largely stepped back from public life in 2024.
With a reported $1.4 trillion (£1.1tn) fortune, the House of Saud has accumulated an extraordinary property portfolio. King Salman's official residence and the headquarters of the royal court is the Al-Yamamah Palace in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
Built in 1983, the one-thousand-room palace spans four million square feet (371,612sqm) and is where the king – and now the crown prince – coordinates the running of the country and holds state functions.
Inside, enormous halls are filled with luxurious furnishings, including countless chandeliers, decorative plaster and tilework, columns, arches and vast quantities of gold leaf.
This hall, where MBS hosted the American president in May 2025, demonstrates the balance between elegant European features and traditional Saudi Arabian style – not to mention a hefty hint of bling.
As we see here, many of the official rooms are dominated by portraits of King Salman.
Before the Al-Yamamah Palace was built, Saudi Arabia's first king moved into the Al Murabba Palace in 1939, making it his official residence and state headquarters.
Just 1.2 miles (2km) from old Riyadh, it's relatively modest compared to Al-Yamamah with just 32 rooms spread over two floors, which are built around a courtyard.
These days, it's a museum where members of the public can peruse the former king's personal belongings, clothes and photos.
In 2015, King Salman received US President Barack Obama at Erga Palace, another of his luxurious properties. During the visit, journalists noted gold-plated tissue holders, gold chairs and silver waste paper bins.
Naturally, each member of the enormous family has their own private properties around the world. MBS famously bought a €275 million ($309m/£231m) French château in 2015. Meanwhile, his brother Prince Khalid dropped $12 million (£8.9m) in cash on an eight-bedroom, 13-bathroom home in Great Falls, Virginia in 2017. And that's just a drop in the ocean.
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