Where is Sandringham Estate and which royals live there?

SANDRINGHAM Estate has links with British monarchs dating back to 1862.

The beloved private country home of the late Queen Elizabeth is steeped in Royal Family history and was passed on to King Charles following her death.

Where is Sandringham Estate?

Located in Norfolk, Sandringham Estate was bought by as a country home for Edward VII, then Prince of Wales, and his soon-to-be wife, Alexandra of Denmark in 1862.

The Grade II-listed house was then passed down to the late Queen's father, George VI, in 1900, who passed it onto her.

To this day, the impressive property continues to be privately owned by the Royal Family.

It was passed on to King Charles following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.

Who lives in Sandringham Estate?

None of the Royal Family permanently lives at Sandringham Estate, but the property has historically been their preferred residence for Christmas and New Year.

In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II gave her first televised Christmas message from the estate.

This came 25 years after the first radio broadcast from the house, made by her grandfather, Edward VIII.

Prince Philip would often stay at Wood Farm, a farmhouse on the grounds of the estate, after retiring from royal duties in 2017.

How big is Sandringham Estate?

The Sandringham Estate covers 20,000 acres of land, and even boasts a sprawling country park.

According to the estate’s website, more than 200 people make their living from the estate, including gamekeepers, gardeners, farmers, as well as workers for Sandringham’s sawmill and its apple juice pressing plant. 

The house is a Grade II listed building and the landscaped gardens, park and woodlands are on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.

Each monarch who has lived in Sandringham has developed the grounds to their taste and infused a bit of their personality. 

As the estate's website explains: “A densely planted shrubbery with a shade woodland walk was instigated by Queen Elizabeth II in the late 1960s.” 

Her Majesty brought a collection of Rhododendron, Camellia, and Magnolia trees from Windsor, another of her favourite residences. 

They were planted in Sandringham in the hope that they would create “more interest, shelter, and privacy in the garden". 

After taking over the estate, King Charles has implemented several changes to the estate as well.

The monarch is known for his message of sustainability, and has reportedly installed bird boxes at the estate and introduced around 500 rare-breed cattle.

How much is Sandringham Estate worth?

In 1862, Sandringham was purchased by the Royal Family for £220K.

Fast forward over a 160 years, and the impressive property is worth a staggering amount.

As of July 2024, Sandringham Estate is valued at around £60M.

Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton have a 10-bedroom property on the Sandringham Estate known as Anmer Hall. 

It was gifted to them by the late Queen after the royal couple's wedding in 2011 and was refurbished for £1.5million. 

Is Sandringham open to the public?

Queen Elizabeth II opened the house to the public during her Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977.

Visitors are allowed to tour the property during certain times in the year, as long as they purchase tickets.