KENSINGTON Palace is one of the most grand buildings in London – but it’s also home to 10 royal family members and numerous staff.
In fact, the magnificent bolthole is currently hosting an exhibition focusing on hardworking “courtiers and servants” who have tirelessly run royal palaces over the years.
Royal fans have got to be quick, as Untold Lives: A Palace at Work is running until October – and features the stories of staff including pages, cooks, wetnurses and seamstresses.
According to royal expert Jennie Bond, residing at Kensington Palace is like “living in an extremely posh apartment block” – so it’s not surprising that a number of royals call it home.
Kate and William
Famously the Prince and Princess of Wales used Kenginston Palace’s 20-room Apartment 1A as a home for a number of years.
Although it is called an “apartment”, royal experts have hailed the royal dwelling as being anything but tiny.
The “enormous” Apartment 1A is spread over four floors and takes up half the Clock Tower wing designed by Sir Christopher Wren for King William and Queen Mary.
It boasts five reception rooms, three main bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, as well as his-and-hers dressing rooms.
Meanwhile, in the basement there is a gym, laundry room and space for luggage.
Of course the family has lots of staff at their beck and call, and there are nine bedrooms for employees on the top floor, which can be reached by a lift.
Despite the impressive amenities, William and Kate uprooted their kids during the summer of 2022 to get out of the “goldfish bowl” of London to create more privacy for their kids – but still use it as their official offices.
Royal biographer and editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, Ingrid Seward, told Fabulous: “Kensington Palace is a glorious prison for kids – they want to be able to play football without being watched from behind the gates.”
Kensington Palace has been hailed as an “upmarket housing estate for the British Royal Family”, as there are a number of other royal residents there living side-by-side.
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank
The daughter of Prince Andrew and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and husband Jack Brooksbank also spend time at Kensington Palace.
The royal couple moved into Nottingham Cottage, the former home of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, in 2022, after previously living in Ivy Cottage on the grounds.
Currently the family split their time between London and Portugal, where they reside at the CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club as Jack is doing marketing, sales and promotion for a property development out there.
Princess Eugenie revealed the lengths she has to go to get a food delivery at the cosy 1,300 square-foot Nottingham Cottage, and it involves going outside in her pyjamas.
The royal appeared on the food-themed Table Manners podcast which is presented by Jessie Ware and her mum Lennie.
Chef Lennie asked the royal: “How do they get into Kensington Palace?”
Eugenie, who is mum to August and Ernest, answered: “You ring down and we say ‘there’s a Deliveroo coming’ and then we’ll get in our pyjamas and drive down and pick it up.”
Lennie was shocked at the effort, and asked: “They won’t bring it to you?”
Eugenie said: “No, we could walk but I don’t want to be in my pyjamas outside.”
Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
The late Queen’s cousin, the Duke of Gloucester, and his wife Birgitte van Deurs currently live in Kensington Palace’s Old Stables.
They moved into the property in 2019 following it being extensively renovated, which cost the taxpayer £1million, according to the Daily Mail.
Previously they had lived in the 21-room Apartment 1, which was next to William and Kate’s Apartment 1A.
Duke and Duchess of Kent
Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, another first cousin of the Queen, lives nearby with wife Katherine Worsley at Wren House.
They have called the five-bedroom home – which is a cottage-style property with a white picket fence – since they tied the knot in 1961.
It was previously used as staff accommodation, and was named after Sir Christopher Wren.
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent
More royal residents at Kensington Palace include Prince Michael and wife Marie Christine von Reibnitz.
They have resided at Apartment 10 for over 40 years, and previously caused uproar in 2002 when it was revealed they had been forking out just £69 a week for the five-bedroom apartment.
They were criticised for being paid for by the taxpayer despite not being working royal family members.
From 2010, they were asked to pay £120,000 a year for the pad.
Who owns Kensington Palace?
TECHNICALLY King Charles owns Kensington Palace on behalf of the nation and upkeep costs are paid for by the Sovereign Grant.
The royal residences are off-limits to the public and closed off, but tourists can go inside the opulent building and explore the King’s State Apartments and the Queen’s State Apartments.
Around 50 residents live in total at Kensington Palace, with the majority of this number being made up of staff, ex-military members and courtiers.
Jennie told OK:“Kensington Palace is a funny old place. Obviously it’s pretty grand, but living there must be rather like living in an extremely posh apartment block.
“You’re never far from your neighbours and there’s not really that much privacy.”