Yes, several members of the British royal family currently live within the Kensington Palace estate in London, which serves as a working royal residence. While the Prince and Princess of Wales (William and Kate) moved their primary residence to Windsor in 2022, they maintain Apartment 1A as their official London base.
As well as being a popular visitor destination, Kensington Palace is the official London residence of TRH The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, The Duke and Duchess of Kent and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent are also based in the palace's royal apartments.
Do William and Kate actually live at Kensington Palace?
As the house is owned by the Crown Estate, the family will pay a monthly rent. At the same time, they still have at their disposal London apartment 1A at Kensington Palace, as well as Amner Hall, given to them by Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding present.
Who are the current occupants of Kensington Palace?
Kensington Palace
The majestic estate, estimated to be worth $740 million, has been a royal residence for 300 years, and since 2017, home to the Wales family, Prince William and Princess Catherine, with their three children in apartment 1A (formerly occupied by Princess Margaret).
Kensington and its neighboring districts have been home to many music legends: Eric Clapton, Madonna, Sting, Robbie Williams, and Elton John have all owned properties in the area. The Holland Park neighborhood of Kensington is sometimes nicknamed "Millionaire's Row" for its concentration of celebrity homeowners.
Does Anyone Live In Kensington Palace Now? |Who Lives There & What’s It Like Inside? Facts & History
Did Diana live at Kensington Palace?
Kensington later became home for minor royals, including her daughter, the talented sculptor Princess Louise. More recently, the palace has been home to Diana, Princess of Wales, and Princess Margaret.
Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, announced in March 2024 that she was diagnosed with cancer after undergoing abdominal surgery in January of that year; tests revealed the presence of cancer, leading her to begin preventative chemotherapy, which she completed in the summer of 2024, and she has since been focusing on recovery and gradually returning to public duties, though the specific type and stage of cancer remain private.
The couple married in 2018, and Meghan joined Harry at his Kensington Palace home. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also resided in a Cotswolds retreat and a cottage at Windsor Palace before stepping aside from their royal duties in 2020.
A tree-lined avenue half a mile long studded with embassies, Kensington Palace Gardens is one of the most expensive residential streets in the world, and has long been known as "Billionaires Row", due to the huge wealth of its private residents, although in fact the majority of its current occupants are either national ...
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.
Many London areas offer the perfect blend of privacy and luxury, making it the ideal place for celebrities to reside. Holland Park, Hampstead, Richmond and Chelsea all feature residences for millionaires and celebrities.
Millions of mourners lined the route of the funeral procession from Kensington Palace to Westminster Abbey. After the service the cortege made its way to the Spencer family estate at Althorp in Northamptonshire. Diana is buried on the Althorp estate where she spent much of her early life.
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.
Kate and Prince William eat breakfast separately on Christmas Day due to a long-standing royal tradition where the men have a hearty breakfast downstairs while the women eat lighter meals in their rooms to allow more time for hair and makeup before the heavily photographed church service, a custom revealed by former royal chef Darren McGrady, though they dine together for other meals.
Some say the dueling duchesses disliked one another from day one. Others say the war began when the combatants clashed over preparations for Meghan's wedding. Whatever the case, a new poll indicates that when it comes to popularity in the UK, Meghan is no contest for Kate.
Sharing a bed might be seen as too intimate or common for someone of their status. Separate beds or even separate bedrooms emphasised their royal position. Hygiene and Health: In times before modern sanitation, sharing a bed could mean sharing germs and potentially spreading illness.
Why did Kate Middleton have to have abdominal surgery?
Women in their 40s needing to undergo abdominal surgery often need gallbladder surgery, appendiceal surgery, or surgery to remove ovarian cysts. It's important to note that Princess Kate was unaware of her cancer prior to surgery.
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.
