
Queen Elizabeth II, Great Britain’s longest reigning monarch, has died aged 96 on September 8. At 6.30pm local time, Buckingham Palace announced: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.” The statement came hours after doctors looking after the queen had announced they were “concerned” for her health. The palace flag was soon lowered to half-mast.
After Queen Elizabeth II’s death, her son Charles, has ascended to the throne. She leaves behind over $500 million in personal assets from her 70 years on the throne, which Prince Charles will inherit when he is crowned king.
The Queen’s $500 million assets include investments, an art collection, jewellery, and real estate holdings across Britain. She died at what was considered her favourite home, Balmoral Castle. The Scottish Castle is where she is known to have spent many weeks at the end of summer almost every year.
Here is a look at Queen Elizabeth II’s homes which served as her official and private residences.
- Balmoral Castle: Balmoral located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland is a private estate owned by the Queen and is where she breathed her last. The castle is known as the Queen’s summer home, and sits on 50,000 acres with 150 buildings. The vast grounds include separate residences of Birkhall, Craigowan Lodge, Colt Cottages, Connachat Cottage, Karim Cottage, and Rhebreck Lodge. Birkhall was the former home of the Queen Mother, and then-Prince Charles often stayed at the home when visiting Scotland. While, Craigowan Lodge is a more rustic stone cottage about a mile from the main castle. Charles and the late Princess Diana would often opt to stay in the seven-bedroom house during their visits to the Scottish countryside. Balmoral Castle Estate is privately owned, meaning that it is a residence where the royal family lived life outside the public eye. According to the Castle’s website in 2019, “The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, and The Prince of Wales took a close personal interest in running and improving the estates.” Estimated value: $140 million.
- Buckingham Palace: Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of the United Kingom’s monarchs since 1837. Queen Elizabeth moved into the palace’s royal residences after her father ascended to the throne in 1936. Buckingham Palace’s balcony famously hosts the Royal Family on occasions like birthdays, weddings, and the annual Trooping of the Colour. The palace has a total of 775 rooms, including 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, 78 bathrooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, and 19 state rooms. Estimated worth: $4.9 Billion (Fortune).
- Windsor Castle: The castle was a place of refuge for Queen Elizabeth and her sister Margaret, during WWII for safety reasons. In recent decades, the castle was visited by the Queen on weekends, as it is not far from London. Windsor Castle spans 13 acres and boasts 1,000 rooms, making it the oldest and largest continuously inhabited castle in the world, as per Town and Country magazine. According to some reports, this residence will also be the site of Queen Elizabeth II’s final resting place: She will be buried alongside her parents, sister, and her husband at St. George’s Chapel on the property. Estimated worth: $582 million (The National Wales)
- Kensington Palace: Located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, Kensington Palace is the birth place of Queen Victoria. The palace has 547 rooms and is currently home to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Kensington Palace was also the former home of Princess Diana as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Estimated Worth: $630 million (Fortune)
- Holyrood Castle: Another of the Royal residences located in Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile, Holyrood Castle served as Queen Elizabeth II’s official residence in Scotland. She would typically spend the first week of the summer at the castle and the event was known as "Holyrood Week." The stately 900-year old structure has 289 rooms and has played host to international leaders and head of states. Estimated Worth: $64 million (Express.co.uk)
- Sandringham House: The Sandringham estate hosts the Sandringham House which again is a private property of the late Queen Elizabeth. The british monarch spent many if not most of her Christmas at Sandringham House. The estate is spread over 20,000 acres and is located in Norfolk, England. Estimated worth: $65 million
- St. James Palace: St. James's Palace is spread over 300 acres and located in City of Westminster. It contains the London residences of The Prince of Wales, The Princess Royal and Princess Alexandra. It is the place where the Garter King of Arms formally announces the accession of the new king or queen from the palace’s Proclamation Gallery after the death of a monarch. Estimated Worth: $700 million