Who lives at Buckingham Palace?

Buckingham Palace is one of the world’s most recognizable landmarks – known worldwide for its glamor and history.

But it’s not just an attraction – it’s also the home of many members of the royal family.

With 775 rooms and the largest private garden in the capital, there is undeniably enough space for all kinds of uses.

That explains why many of the members of the royal family have private apartments there, with the palace as their home base.

So which members of the family live at Buckingham Palace?

Duke and Duchess of Sussex

After moving from their Kensington Palace home to move into Frogmore Cottage, Prince Harry and Duchess have made Meghan Buckingham Palace their home base in London.

The palace announced that the duke and duchess will use private apartments in the London palace when they are in the capital for official appointments, since their Windsor house is about an hour from London.

It is not yet confirmed whether the duke and duchess have spent time in the palace, with Meghan on maternity leave after welcoming baby Archie.

Prince Edward and Sophie Countess of Wessex

However, like the rest of the family, the count and countess, along with their children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, do not live in the palace full time and instead use it practically as their stay in London.

Sophie and Edward regularly perform royal duties in the capital, so the couple understandably spend a lot of time in their apartments there.

The couple also have offices there where they would do royal business – and where one of their official employees who work with it would also work.

However, a recent announcement has revealed that the Wessex family will soon have to leave the palace.

Buckingham Palace officials have revealed that essential maintenance work will begin on the royal building – mainly on the east wing in front, in April 2019.

While work is in progress, the accommodations and offices of Prince Edward and Sophie are moving to St. James’s Palace – convenient, just a two-minute drive away.

When Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex do not live at Buckingham Palace, they are in their private home, the royal residence of Bagshot Park in Surrey.

The impressive building, complete with 120 rooms, is just 11 miles away from the Queen’s House in Windsor Castle, and sits on 21 acres of land. So we are sure that the couple will have enough space while Buckingham Palace is being renovated!

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip

In 1837 the opulent building became the official, main residence of the monarch. However, Buckingham Palace is not the permanent or most used home of the queen.

Instead, the monarch and her husband often spend their working weeks in the palace and retreat there to their apartments when they are forced to work in London.

The Duke of Edinburgh visits the palace much less often now that he has retired from public duties – but the Queen is there almost weekly for her various engagements.

Princess Anne

Like the Count and Countess of Wessex, Princess Anne, the Queen’s daughter, also has a series of offices in Buckingham Palace. And she will also have to take her workspace out of the house while the maintenance work has been completed.

However, with regard to the real house of Princess Anne, she also has a private home where she can retire.

The Princess Royal lives a large part of the year in Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire, a privately owned monumental building.

The Duke of York

Prince Andrew is the last, oldest member of the royal family to call the palace home. Like Sophie and Prince Edward, the duke has private apartments at Buckingham Palace, which he uses when he is based in London for work or for personal purposes.

Buckingham Palace is also the workplace of 800 people – including personal staff from the royal family, caretakers, gardeners, chefs and more.