Yes, several members of the British royal family and close relatives are buried in the graveyard of St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. While many royals are buried at Windsor, Sandringham holds significant, private interments.
Burials in the churchyard include: Prince John of the United Kingdom (1905–1919) Maurice Roche, 4th Baron Fermoy (1885–1955), maternal grandfather of Diana, Princess of Wales. Edmund Roche, 5th Baron Fermoy (1939–1984), maternal uncle of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Sandringham House has witnessed many historical events and was the location of the deaths of three Kings; King Edward VII in 1901, King George V in 1935 and King George VI in 1952.
No members of the Royal Family live permanently in the main Sandringham House, but it's a significant private retreat used by the King and other royals, with Prince Andrew reportedly set to move to a cottage on the estate in 2026, and the Prince and Princess of Wales using Anmer Hall on the grounds. Sandringham is owned personally by the monarch (currently King Charles) and is famously where the family gathers for Christmas.
The prince purchased the estate in 1862, the year after the premature death of his father. He paid £220,000 for a 29 bedroom mansion dating from the early 1770s and 5,500 acres of land.
Royals arrive for Christmas service at Sandringham
Where do William and Kate stay at Sandringham?
Prince William and Princess Kate primarily stay at Anmer Hall, a 10-bedroom Georgian mansion on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, which was a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth II. While they also have a London home (Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace) and Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, Anmer Hall serves as their peaceful countryside retreat where they spend significant time, especially with their children.
Running a second home can be a drain on resources for anyone, but when you're the Queen of England and your “little place in the country” turns out to be the two sprawling estates of Balmoral (46,000 acres in Scotland) and Sandringham (20,000 acres in Norfolk, England), the figures can be frightening.
Nearby Apartments 8 and 9 were also home to the late Princess Diana. After her marriage to King Charles III, Diana moved into Apartment 9 where they raised their sons, William and Harry. William and Kate now use the residences for office space and entertaining professionally for their various charities.
Windsor Castle is legally owned by the British Crown, held by the reigning monarch, currently King Charles III, "in right of the Crown," meaning it's a state asset, not personal property, with its profits going to the Treasury for national benefit, though the King lives there and uses it as a royal residence, much like Buckingham Palace. While the monarch holds it for the nation, properties like Windsor Castle are part of the "Occupied Royal Palaces" managed for the country, with the Crown Estate handling other vast properties like Windsor Great Park.
Salaries for jobs at Buckingham Palace and the wider Royal Household vary significantly by role, from around £19,000 for entry-level positions like Summer Wardens or £20k for a Groom (with accommodation) to £40,000+ for coordination roles, and even £55,000-£60,000 for senior project managers, with lower-paid roles often including housing/meals in exchange for salary adjustments. Salaries aim for the London Living Wage, but some roles have faced criticism for being low relative to UK median earnings, although perks like accommodation or meals can offset costs.
Operation London Bridge is the code name for the plan for what happens when Queen Elizabeth dies. The plan has never been formally released but elements of it have been leaked over the years.
He tells the true, but incredible, story of Prince John (1905-19), the youngest son of King George V and Queen Mary, who developed epilepsy and pervasive developmental disorder, and who had a learning disability. Royal embarrassment meant that John's existence and condition were concealed.
Christmas at Sandringham 2018 On the 25th of December 2018 Catherine and William attended the traditional Christmas Service at the church of St. Mary Magdalene in Sandringham. After the service, the royals spent time greeting those who had been waiting in the cold to see them.
Jane Seymour, Henry's third wife, died just 12 days after giving birth to Henry's only legitimate son, the future King Edward VI, in 1537. She was buried in St George's Chapel. Henry chose the Chapel, alongside his favourite wife, as his own burial place.
Yes, Johnny Depp is a distant relative of Queen Elizabeth II, specifically her 20th cousin, 20 times removed, through King Edward III, making them distant relatives with a shared ancestor over 500 years ago, according to research for the show Who Do You Think You Are?.
Which royal refused to go to Princess Diana's funeral?
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (then Sophie Rhys-Jones) was the royal who notably skipped Princess Diana's funeral in 1997, not by outright refusal but by a considerate decision supported by the Royal Family, because her strong resemblance to Diana would have been too upsetting for the grieving crowds, as reported in royal biographies.
Which word did Princess Diana remove from her vows?
Princess Diana famously removed the word "obey" from her wedding vows to Prince Charles in 1981, choosing instead to promise to "love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health," a move that modernized royal tradition and was later followed by her daughters-in-law, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle.
Privy Purse – Private finances and estates of the Sovereign. Sovereign Grant – Funds from HM Treasury in support of The King's Official duties, including the maintenance of the Occupied Royal Palaces, which consolidates the funding provided prior to 1 April 2012 under the Civil List and Grants-in-Aid.
Yes, Buckingham Palace has a private indoor swimming pool, built in 1938 by King George VI for his daughters, Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Princess Margaret, where many royals, including current members, learned to swim. It's a private facility used by the Royal Family and senior household staff, with strict rules about staff access when royals are present.
