While the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have repeatedly remarked that they want their children to have a normal childhood, their family home is very far from the average “shoebox” British home.
Duchess Catherine and Prince William, along with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, live in Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace in London.
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George is loving life in his royal home!
The young family moved in full-time in mid-2017. They previously lived at Amner Hall on the Queen’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk but since Prince William has left his job with the East Anglican Air Ambulance, it is now only their country home rather than their full-time residence.
What is the apartment like?
According to the Daily Mail, it is more a spacious four-storey house than an apartment.
The family home, overlooking Hyde Park, boasts 20 rooms consisting of two nurseries, three kitchens and dedicated rooms to William’s mother, Princess Diana.
The royals welcomed Barack and Michelle Obama to their home in April 2016.
In April 2016, the then-US President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama visited the young royals and we were afforded a glimpse into their home.
And while you may have been distracted by the adorable photos of Prince George in his dressing gown, if you looked more closely you would have been able to take in and admire the $21.3million refurbished residence of the future king(s).
The apartment was previously the home of Princess Margaret and as fans of hit TV series The Crown will remember Princess Margaret renovated the apartment in 1960, much to the dread of the Queen and other relatives living nearby.
We would have loved to have been flies on the wall when Princess Margaret lived there!
Their country home is a bit more modest but Catherine, William and the fam were definitely not going without when they lived in Norfolk. The 10-bedroom Georgian mansion boasts a swimming pool as well as a private tennis court – which the young couple had replaced during their time here. Perhaps it was a move by the parents to try and further their children’s interests in one of their favourite sports.
Anmer Hall, Catherine and William’s country escape and former full-time residence.
Other royals who live at Kensington Palace:
On top of William and Catherine, there are another 10 royals who also have taken up residence at Kensington Palace.
Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry, Princess Eugenie and fiancé Jack Brooksbank, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester are all royal neighbours of Catherine, William, George, Charlotte and Louis.
The royal family at the 2018 Trooping the Colour.
The royal household doesn’t appear to have an age limit as it is the residence of the youngest royal through to the 85-year-old Duchess of Kent.
Meghan and Harry
The newly married Duke and Duchess of Sussex live in Nottingham Cottage, a small two bedroom household on the estate.
Harry has lived there since 2013, with Meghan moving in after the November 2017 engagement. Yes, this is where the now iconic proposal scene when cooking a roast chicken occurred!
Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank
The loved-up, engaged couple live in Ivy Cottage and reportedly moved in around the time Prince Louis was born. The Cottage is on the other side of the Palace to William and Catherine, closer to Harry and Meghan, presumably chosen so there would hopefully be no middle-of-the-night crying baby to wake them up.
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
Queen Elizabeth’s first cousin and his wife live in Apartment 1, right next to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The large complex is just bigger than William and Catherine’s, comprising of 21 rooms.
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent
Another of the Queen’s cousins, the couple live in Apartment 10 in the main Palace building. Considerably smaller, the apartment consists of only five bedrooms and five reception rooms. According to The Telegraph, they used to live on the property rent free, but since 2008 they have reportedly been paying $17,700 per month in rent.
The Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.
The Duke and Duchess of Kent
Prince Michael’s older brother and his wife live in Wren house. The residence is named after famous British architect Christoper Wren, who built St Paul’s Cathedral, where Diana and Charles married, as well as other royal buildings.
Where do the other royals live?
The Queen and Prince Philip live in Buckingham Palace, only 3.2km from Kensington Palace, while Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla reside in Clarence House in London, also only a short distance from the rest of their family.
