Inside Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's multigenerational palace
A royal place to call home
For newly-married Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, home sweet home is a cottage in the grounds of London's Kensington Palace. Thanks to the Palace's many other occupants - from tiny Prince Louis to the 82-year-old Prince Edward, Duke of Kent - family is never far from their front door. We take a look behind the walls of the magnificent royal residence to reveal the grandest, multigenerational home in the whole country.
Kensington Palace: an overview
One of London's most historic addresses Kensington Palace was purchased by William III as a country retreat in 1689. Once a suburban Jacobean villa known as Nottingham House, the palace has gone through a number of transformations and has been home to some of the country’s most celebrated royals, including Queen Victoria, Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales.
Kensington Palace: an overview
Today, the palace functions as an exclusive form of shared accommodation in which members of the royal family and palace staff live side by side. It’s split into three residential units: a large quadrangle located behind the main palace, two smaller quadrangles directly to its right and a separate cluster of red-brick cottages at the far right end of the palace grounds.
Kensington Palace: an overview
Sounds grand and exclusive, but who’s paying for it all? Technically, the Queen owns Kensington Palace on behalf of the nation, though funds for its upkeep are provided by the Sovereign Grant. While some royals live at Kensington Palace for free in exchange for public royal duties, there are a few family members who have chosen to contribute to its upkeep by paying rent.
Kensington Palace: an overview
While the royal residential quarters are private and closed to the public, tourists are welcome to explore the King and Queen’s State Apartments, which are managed separately by Historic Royal Palaces. This elaborately detailed staircase was designed by William Kent between 1725 and 1727 and is one of the many commissions by the palace's original founders William III and his wife Queen Mary.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: Nottingham Cottage
Harry and Meghan took up residence together at Nottingham Cottage, a 1,300 square-foot, two-bedroom property located within the palace’s small cluster of red-brick cottages. The property is all too familiar to Harry, as he used it as a bachelor pad for the past four years, though we're certain Meghan has since added her own personal touches to the cottage.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: Nottingham Cottage
The cottage is a considerable distance away from the main palace building and is located at the opposite end of the estate, which means Harry and Meghan have plenty of privacy. As of yet, there are no plans for the couple to move into the main palace complex, however, this could change once they start their own family.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: Apartment 1A
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge currently reside in Apartment 1A with their three children George, Charlotte - and one of the palace's youngest residents - Prince Louis. The apartment was given to the couple as an elaborate wedding gift by Queen Elizabeth back in 2013. But prior to this they lived in Nottingham Cottage, Harry and Meghan’s current abode.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: Apartment 1A
Their home is located in the left wing of Clock Court, which is the large quadrangle that sits directly behind the main palace building. Apartment 1A is the largest property within the complex and is the closest to the King and Queen’s State Apartments, which are open to the public.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: Apartment 1A
The exterior of Apartment 1A shows it to be a red-brick Georgian-style structure with large glazed windows that look out onto the Kensington Palace gardens. The scaffolding to the left was put up in i2016, when the couple undertook a $6.2 million (£4.5m) refurbishment project to spruce up their home. Renovations took place while William was stationed in Norfolk, where he lived with Kate, George and Charlotte at Anmer Hall, near Sandringham, one of the Queen's private homes. Anmer Hall remains their country retreat.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: Apartment 1A
This is as close as most people will ever get to William and Kate’s front door, which is located at the centre of Clock Court. The structure is clearly made up of four storeys, which consist of three floors and a basement. Their home features a typical Georgian townhouse stepped entrance.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: Apartment 1A
Though the couple are accustomed to life in the public eye, they’ve set up a number of security measures to ensure their family’s privacy and safety. For this reason, very few photographs of the interior of their home have been made public, though occasional glimpses into their private lives having been captured during official state visits, such as when the Obamas paid a visit in 2016.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: Apartment 1A
William and Kate’s apartment is said to have a total of 22 rooms containing two nurseries, three kitchens, three principal bathrooms and a basement. The interior design scheme is traditional, elegant and understated, with Georgian-style furnishings, hanging paintings and heavy curtains throughout. And with two master bedrooms located on the ground floor, the Duke and Duchess have broken with tradition by sharing a bed!
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: Apartment 1A
Outside the couple's apartment is a sculpture of Prince William’s namesake, William III, who purchased the estate in the 17th century, establishing a long line of royal residents for the centuries to come.
Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon: Apartment 1A
William and Kate aren’t the first royals to live in Apartment 1A, which was previously home to Princess Margaret and her husband Lord Snowdon. The Queen’s sister was gifted the property back in 1960 and is believed to have spent over $120,000 (£85k) in renovations.
Duke and Duchess of Gloucester: Apartment 1
Prince Richard and his wife Brigitte van Deurs are the current rent-free occupants of Apartment 1. The Queen’s cousin and his wife may have to move out in the near future in order to make space for Harry and Meghan should they choose to start a family of their own. The 20-room apartment is adjacent to William and Kate's home, which means the brothers could eventually end up living side-by-side.
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent: Apartment 10
Prince Edward and his wife Marie Christine von Reibnitz have lived in Apartment 10 for over 20 years. The rent for their 10-room home was initially paid for by the Queen, though they began paying their own rent at the market rate of $167,000 (£120k) a year back in 2010.
Duke and Duchess of Kent: Wren House
The Duke and Duchess of Kent live in Wren House, one of the smaller residences at Kensington Palace. The two-storey cottage is more modest than the palace’s flamboyant apartments, having once served as temporary residences for palace staff.
Duke and Duchess of Kent: Wren House
The house was named after notable British architect Christopher Wren, who made considerable additions to the palace during the 18th century. Their home is located within the same quarters as Harry and Meghan’s cottage, which means the royal couples are now neighbours.
Princess Eugenie: Ivy Cottage
Princess Eugenie recently took up residence at Ivy Cottage with fiancé wine merchant Jack Brooksbank. The Queen’s sixth grandchild now resides in a three-bedroom property located in the cluster of red-brick cottages to the right of the main palace complex.
Princess Eugenie: Ivy Cottage
Ivy Cottage is next door to Wren House, home to the Duke and Duchess of Kent and is also a short walking distance from Harry and Meghan’s new home. It’s estimated that Eugenie will contribute an approximate $4,000 (£3k) worth of rent per month. The Princess previously shared a four-bedroom apartment with her sister Beatrice at St. James’s Palace.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana: Apartment 8
Prince Charles and Princess Diana took up residence in Apartment 8 back in 1981 prior to the births of their sons William and Harry. Their apartment is located within the quadrangle that sits between Clock Court and Ivy Cottage. A family photograph taken in the living room suggests that the apartment was traditionally furnished, with brightly patterned wallpaper, paintings and floral bouquets.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana: Apartment 8
Princess Diana’s desk, which sat in the living room, was surrounded by her personal keepsakes, including photographs of her children and her school tuck box. Today the living room is used as an office by Princes William and Harry, while Diana’s desk and tuck box are on display at Buckingham Palace.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana: Apartment 8
Though Diana is famously known to have struggled with the pressures of public royal life, she grew extremely fond of Kensington Palace, which she nicknamed KP. After her divorce in 1996, Diana chose to remain in Apartment 8 and continued to raise her sons there until her untimely death in 1997. Charles moved out as soon as they were separated and currently resides in Clarence House at St. James’s Palace with his second wife Camilla.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana: Apartment 8
Diana loved flowers and was often photographed playing with William and Harry in the palace gardens. In 2017 major renovation works were carried out in the Sunken Garden to transform it into the White Gardens, a beautiful floral tribute to the Late Princess.
Non-royal residents at Kensington Palace
In total there are approximately 50 residents who currently live at Kensington Palace. Other than royal residents, this number is made up of employees, courtiers, ex-military members and wealthy citizens who can afford to rent within the palace walls.
Harry and Meghan's 'other' neighbours
Harry and Meghan have another set of neighbours living within close proximity to their home, as there are a number of billionaires who currently pay up to $8,000 (£6k) per square foot to live up close and personal to the royal family. These include the likes of Leonard Blavatnik, the Russian-American billionaire who purchased a plot of land for $57 million (£41m) in order to build 15 Kensington Palace Gardens, which is located across the road from the happy couple.
Windsor Castle to host the next generation of royals
Kensington Palace isn't the only royal residence to be a prominent feature in newlywed's lives. The couple's wedding took place at another royal residence, Windsor Castle, the oldest inhabited castle in the world and the Queen's favourite weekend retreat. They exchanged rings at St. George's Chapel, located within the castle grounds, before celebrating in style at a private reception with their family and friends, hosted by Prince Charles.
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