Official engagements take members of the royal family across the globe every year – but where do they go when they want some time off? We take a look at where the royals like to put their feet up over the summer – and why keeping it local has always been tradition
Words: Amy Dowrick | Images: Getty
Scotland
Balmoral Castle
Summer in the Scottish Highlands has always been a go-to escape for the royal family, and the Balmoral estate especially has been a beloved member of royal retreats for centuries.
Once the summer residence of the late Queen Elizabeth II, the estate now regularly hosts the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children, and the pair have even reportedly told friends they have enjoyed some of their happiest times together there.
Situated close to Birkhall, King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Balmoral residence, it’s the site of many happy family memories. The Waleses reportedly spend their days on the royal estate going swimming, fishing, riding and cycling, and huddle around the barbecue in the evenings. It’s even said Prince Philip used to enjoy cooking for the family al fresco on the estate, using his own specially customised mobile barbecue!
However, this year’s customary summer stay at the castle has been uprooted by the unexpected return of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Just this week, the Balmoral estate saw the royal family make their first public appearance since the news broke, presenting a united front at a religious service together at Crathie Kirk church nearby.
Harry and Meghan’s shock return to Britain: What does it mean for King Charles, William and the Royal Family?
Cornwall
Lostwithiel
Keeping with tradition, the royals have also been regular holiday goers to Cornwall over the years – having spent many a university summer there as young adults.
Lovers of the north of the county, the Prince and Princess of Wales were often regulars at pubs like the Oystercatcher in Polzeath and The Mariners in Rock in the late 2010s – and reportedly would make their way to nearby Daymer Bay in the early hours of the next morning!
Since then, the Duke of Cornwall has inherited Restormel manor in Lostwithiel, part of the Duchy of Cornwall estate, after the late Queen Elizabeth II’s passing in 2022 – and the manor has remained official residence during the King and Queen’s annual tours of Devon and Cornwall.
More recently, Prince George celebrated his 13th birthday in the county this summer, with the official Instagram account for Kate and William marking the moment by sharing a video taken of the children over the Easter holidays – where they are often taken during school breaks.
Wales
Llwynywermod
A favourite of the King and Queen, Charles and Camilla often visit this restored Welsh farmhouse located near Llandovery, in Carmarthenshire, on the edge of the Brecon Beacons.
The property boasts 192 acres of countryside – plenty of room for Charles to get in touch with nature – and was actually purchased by the King while he was the Prince of Wales in 2007.
The King and Queen have their own quarters in the old coach house, but two barn conversions on the estate are actually available for rent by the public. North Range, which sleeps six, and West Range, which sleeps four, are both part of the Royal Household Collection, and sit in the courtyard adjoining the royal residence.
Isles of Scilly
Tresco
During the pandemic, William and Kate joined the rest of us in choosing the humble staycation for their family summer holidays.
Perhaps a nod to his childhood holidays to the island in 1989, the appeal of Tresco island in the Isles of Scilly kept the family hooked during the summer of 2021, and they were said to have enjoyed it so much that they returned with their children in October that same year.
The family were spotted biking on the car-free island, where onlookers reported that they seemed like any other happy family. They stayed at the Dolphin House, a six-bedroom stone cottage with uninterrupted views over the sea and towards the famed Round Island Lighthouse. Complete with a beautiful walled garden, it’s a gloriously private spot – and available to rent by non-royals too.
The island is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall but leased out to the Dorrien-Smith family – and with turquoise waters, tropical gardens and sandy beaches, it’s as close to a holiday abroad as you can get on the British Isles!
