Royal homes revealed: from Prince William and Kate Middleton to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

The royal family have given fans a glimpse inside more of their homes than ever before since the coronavirus pandemic began, and we can't get enough. From Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new LA home to Prince William and Kate Middleton's base at Kensington Palace, they're every bit as majestic as you'd expect. Take a look through the gallery to see where they are spending Christmas day... 

SEE: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's £11million mansion is full of hidden references - see inside

WATCH: Inside the most epic royal homes of all time

Kensington Palace

Prince William and Kate are believed to be spending Christmas at their country home Anmer Hall, but their main base is Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace. And in 2016, royal watchers were finally given a glimpse of their lavish drawing room when the Obamas visited on an official visit.

Former US President Barack and his wife Michelle were entertained by William, Kate and Prince Harry in the spectacular sitting room, which was decorated with intimate family photos, books, magazines and homely touches including candles and plants. A drinks table had also been set up in the corner for the Obamas, who were invited to dinner at the palace during their brief visit.

The drawing room showed off the royals' impeccable taste in antiques and fine art, while managing to maintain a cosy, homely vibe. 

Kensington Palace

Before sitting down for dinner, the Obamas met Prince George, who had stayed up a bit later than usual to greet Barack and Michelle. Wearing pyjamas and a dressing gown, George sweetly played with his rocking horse which was positioned to one side of the drawing room, overlooking the palace gardens.

At the time, a Kensington Palace spokesman said: "Prince George stayed up to meet The President and First Lady when they arrived at Kensington Palace. He was able to show The President and First lady a rocking horse – given to George when he was born – and a stuffed toy – given to George when Princess Charlotte was born – that had been previously given to him by President and Mrs Obama."

Kensington Palace

Despite the pouring rain, William, Kate and Harry stepped out to greet the former US President and First Lady as they pulled into Kensington Palace. This photo shows a glimpse of the palace entrance, which is generally protected from view. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's LA home

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle officially bought their first home together in California in June 2020, where they live with their son Archie. The Duchess of Sussex first unveiled the couple's living room during a surprise appearance on America's Got Talent, showing that it is decorated with cream walls and a cream sofa, while the prints seen behind her are rumoured to be a gift from Oprah Winfrey. They are likely to be spending Christmas at the property with Meghan's mother Doria Ragland, who lives closeby.

Ivy Cottage in Kensington Palace

Pregnant Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank moved into Ivy Cottage a few months before their October 2018 wedding. The modest royal residence sits within Kensington Palace, just a stone's throw away from Prince Harry's former home, Nottingham Cottage, and close to Prince William and Kate's mansion.

Harry actually gave fans a glimpse into the three-bedroom cottage in October 2019 when he filmed a video with Ed Sheeran to promote World Mental Health Week. The clip posted on Sussex Royal's Instagram account shows Ed ringing the doorbell – which plays God Save The Queen – and Prince Harry answering. Inside the house, a black-and-white official portrait from Eugenie and Jack's wedding hangs in the hallway, while bright geometric patterned cushions are also spotted on the sofa. A fireplace and a large wooden dining table can also be seen in the footage.

Clarence House

In July 2018, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla invited members of their family back to their official London residence, Clarence House. The royals were celebrating the christening of baby Prince Louis - Prince William and Kate's third child who was born in April. Along with Kate's side of the family, the Middletons, the royals posed for official portraits in the Morning Room of Clarence House.

Some stunning features on display include the Chippendale gold-lined sofa that the Cambridges are seated on, and the lavish blue and bronze patterned 18th century Axminster rug. If you look closely, you can also glimpse a portrait of the Queen hanging in the background.

Speaking about taking photos on Louis' special day, Matt Holyoak said: "I was truly honoured at being asked to take the official photographs at the christening of Prince Louis, and to witness at first hand such a happy event. Everyone was so relaxed and in such good spirits, it was an absolute pleasure. I only hope I have captured some of that joy in my photographs."

Keep clicking for more photos!

Clarence House

A beautiful tree was unveiled in the property in 2019, with ornate lights and pretty decorations.

What made it even more special, however, was that children were helping to decorate the tree, as they attended Camilla's annual party to support Helen & Douglas House and Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity.

Highgrove House

Highgrove House in Gloucestershire is currently the country family residence of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, and is where they are spending Christmas day. Back when Princes William and Harry were growing up, the young brothers would spend time at Highgrove with their mum Diana.  

The extensive gardens are open to the public, and welcome more than 30,000 visitors a year.

Windsor Castle

Christmas at Windsor Castle is certainly not done in half measures, and especially so this year, when the Queen and Prince Philip are spending the festive period there for the first time in over 30 years due to the coronavirus pandemic. This incredible tree was installed in St George's Hall and sufficiently began the festivities at the Queen's residence. The tree stood at an impressive 20ft and was sourced from Windsor Great Park and decorated by staff from Royal Collection Trust.

Sandringham House

Sandringham House, located on the Queen's privately owned Sandringham Estate, is the monarch's idyllic country retreat located just a few hours from Buckingham Palace in London.

She typically spends Christmas and New Year's at Norfolk where she is joined by members of the family who drop in for visits, although this year will be different thanks to the coronavirus pandemic meaning that the family will be apart. "It's a place to host informal visits and entertain friends," Prince Philip wrote in his book Sandringham.

Buckingham Palace

The Queen's official royal residence where she spends the majority of the year, Buckingham Palace, has hosted many a Christmas broadcast over the years. From left to right, Her Majesty poses in the palace's White Drawing Room, the Music Room, the 1844 Room and lastly seated in the Regency Room.

The White Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace

For the Queen's 2018 Christmas Day speech, Her Majesty was sat in the White Drawing Room in Buckingham Palace. And while we couldn't help admire all of the adorable framed photos surrounding her, we also swooned over the gilded Erard grand piano behind her. The piano was purchased by Queen Victoria in 1856, and is decorated with oil painted scenes and features beatiful cherubs. 

Buckingham Palace

In the summer months when the Queen and Prince Philip retreat to Balmoral in Scotland, the doors of Buckingham Palace are thrown open for members of the public to visit. Here the Ballroom has been been arranged so that visitors can experience a royal State Banquet.

Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece's New York Townhouse

And it's not just the British royals that enjoy decorating their homes at Christmas time, Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece shared this picture of her towering tree in her home. The Greek royal's home is a townhouse in New York and with its large floor-to-ceiling windows, the views are sure to be incredible.

Amalienborg Palace in Denmark

In September 2019, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark welcomed their Swedish counterparts, Prince Daniel and Crown Princess Victoria, to their home in Copenhagen. Frederik and Mary hosted a private dinner at Frederick VIII's Palace in the north-eastern part of Amalienborg Palace, as part of the Swedish state visit. The photos posted on Instagram and on the Danish royal family's official website showed grand mirrors, glittering chandeliers, cosy lamps and a beautiful marble coffee table flanked by sofas.

MORE: See the cutest photos of baby Archie Harrison including the polo and his christening

The King of Morocco's palace

Prince Harry and Meghan were granted a private audience with King Mohammed VI of Morocco during their visit to Rabat in 2019. The couple were greeted at the palace doors by the king's son, 15-year-old Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, before going inside to meet the monarch, the king's sisters Princesses Meryem and Hasna and his brother Prince Moulay Rachid. Photos of the meeting showed the king's plush abode in the Moroccan capital, which featured gold curtains and lavish red sofas.

Swedish royal palace

To celebrate the anniversary of ten years since they announced their engagement, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and her husband Prince Daniel posed at the Swedish royal palace in February 2018. While the photo captured their love and showed the couple sweetly embracing, the portrait also gave fans a tiny peek at the neutral and elegant furnishings inside the palace.

Photo: Linda Broström Kungl. Hovstaterna / Linda Broström, The Royal Court of Sweden

'The Little House' 

The Queen was gifted a beautiful Wendy House for her 6th birthday. The fully functional cottage, which is two-thirds the size of a standard house, included a kitchen, living room, a bedroom and a bathroom that came complete with hot and cold running water, electricity and even a heated towel rail. For entertainment, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret were treated to a bookshelf complete with the works of Beatrix Potter, a mini radio and a tea set to play tea parties with.

Drottningholm Palace in Sweden

Princess Madeleine of Sweden and her husband Chris O'Neill were based in London at the time of their daughter Princess Adrienne's christening, but the couple travelled back to Drottningholm to celebrate the important occasion with the royals. Here, Madeleine, Chris and their third child are pictured at the official royal residence.

The room has an on-trend pastel colour scheme, with duck egg blue walls offset by ornate pink and gold painted panels. The high panelled windows fill the room with natural light - ideal for those family portraits - while floor-length green patterned curtains add another pop of colour to the room. Meanwhile, an elaborate gold table has been placed next to the wall at the side of the room, topped with a large display of pale pink flowers.

Photo: Erika Gerdemark / Royal family

Villa Eikenhorst in the Netherlands

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands call Villa Eikenhorst home. The plush mansion, located in the affluent area of Wassenaar in The Hague, is primarily a private residence for the king and queen and their three daughters, but it is occasionally used to host foreign visitors.

When the Duchess of Cambridge visited the Netherlands in October 2016 for her first solo trip abroad, she was welcomed to Villa Eikenhorst by the Dutch king. The ground floor features the reception area, while the royals live upstairs.

Villa Eikenhorst in the Netherlands

The Dutch royal family have announced plans to relocate to Huis ten Bosch in The Hague, where Willem-Alexander's mother Beatrix currently lives. For now, Queen Maxima (pictured with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2013) and her family can enjoy their villa located in the forested De Horsten estate.

Balmoral Castle

A "paradise in the Highlands" is what Queen Victoria called Balmoral, the royal home in the Scottish Highlands. It's easy to see why the magnificent estate, set amid mountains, lochs and glens, holds just as dear a place for Her Majesty.

The Queen and Prince Philip regularly spend two months in the summer at Balmoral, where they are "most free". While the grounds are truly spectacular, the castle interior is just as impressive.

This sweet photo shows a relaxed Queen and Prince Philip with one of their pet dogs in Balmoral's Drawing Room in 1977.

Kensington Palace

Throughout her sons' childhood, Princess Diana was often pictured at home, playing with her boys and generally doting on them. This photo, taken in October 1985 when Prince William was three, showed the late Princess helping her son with a puzzle in their Kensington Palace playroom. 

Drottningholm Palace in Sweden

Members of the Swedish royal family live in different parts of Drottningholm Palace, including Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. Here, the couple pose with their newborn son Prince Alexander in May 2016. Carl Philip and Sofia's palatial residence features ornate gilt mirrors, chandeliers, fine art and tapestry rugs.  

Photo: Erika Gerdemark / Royal family

Prince's Pavilion in Spain

In celebration of Queen Letizia of Spain's 40th birthday, the Spanish royal palace released a charming set of family photographs in 2012 that not only showed off Letizia's beautiful daughters and husband King Felipe, but also her regal home.

The family live in the Prince's Pavilion on the outskirts of Madrid, in the El Pardo complex. They are adjacent to Zarzuela Palace, the official residence of Felipe's parents King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia. When Felipe ascended the throne in 2014, he and his wife Letizia chose to stay at the Prince's Pavilion and not move into Zarzuela Palace.

The couple's home spans more than 3,100 square meters made up of two floors. The first is used for entertaining and official functions, while the second is the family's living quarters.

Prince's Pavilion in Spain

More charming photos from the Queen's birthday show the plush royal gardens, decorated with outdoor furniture including a comfortable lounger and a swing set for the young princesses.

Prince's Palace of Monaco

Fans are treated to a glimpse inside Prince Albert of Monaco and Princess Charlene's home every winter, when the couple release their Christmas card. In true festive style, the royals posed with their twins Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella by the ornate tree in the Salon des Glaces.

This one was even more sentimental, as the family posed in front of a painting of Albert's late mother Grace Kelly.

Prince's Palace of Monaco

Before her wedding to Prince Rainier III in 1956, American actress Grace Kelly and her parents were invited to stay at the royal palace in Monaco. This beautiful shot, taken from the palace archives, shows the bride-to-be in the state appartments, while Rainier stayed at his villa in Cap-Ferrat ahead of the wedding.

© Photo : Fausto PICEDI - Archives du Palais Princier

Amalienborg Palace in Denmark

Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark  threw open the doors of Amalienborg Palace one summer's day to host a dinner. It was the first time fans were given a clearer look at the couple's living room, which boasts a magnificent chandelier as its focal point.

Two sofas in neutral tones and two chairs are centred around a cushioned coffee table, and sit on tapestry rugs.

Beautiful plants and flowers, candles and coffee table books are dotted around the room, while floor-length curtains complete the elegant interior design.