When King Charles retreats to Norfolk, he stays at Sandringham House on the 20,000-acre royal estate. The manor house, which opened in 1840, is a thing of beauty, but there is one room in particular that is not always comfortable to spend time in.
In Prince Harry‘s tell-all memoir Spare from 2023, the monarch’s youngest son opened up about his time staying at the Jacobean-style property, saying: “The dining room at Sandringham, for instance, was our version of Dante’s Inferno. Much of Sandringham was balmy, but the dining room was subtropical.”
Why was the dining room at Sandringham so hot?
It seems keeping the room warm was a preference of the late Queen Elizabeth II, Harry’s grandmother. Harry revealed that he or Charles would sneakily attempt to open a window, but “the corgis always betrayed us”.
He added: “The cool air would make them whimper, and Granny would say: ‘Is there a draft?’ And then a footman would promptly shut the window. (That loud thump, unavoidable because the windows were so old, always felt like the door of a jail cell being slammed.)”
Borrowed belongings at Sandringham
In the “balmy” dining room are traces of other properties formerly belonging to the royal family, namely Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, the former family retreat of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
© Alamy Stock PhotoAccording to Sandringham’s official website, a Victorian ‘key table’ has been transferred from Osborne House to Sandringham, which seats 22 people.
Three chandeliers, each made from over a thousand pieces of Venetian crystal, have also found a home at Sandringham, having previously resided in both Osborne House and Buckingham Palace.
© Getty ImagesElsewhere in the home, Grade II-listed Sandringham House features over 100 rooms, but while the private residence is large, only eight main ground-floor rooms are open to the public between March and October each year.
Sandringham’s temporary closure
Earlier this week, an update regarding the opening of Sandringham to the public was released. The estate announced the temporary closure of the children’s outdoor playground ahead of the Easter school holidays, and asked for “understanding”.
© Getty ImagesA statement from the estate read: “Please note that the Children’s Play Area will be closed on Monday 9th March for seasonal maintenance ahead of the House and Gardens opening. Thank you for your understanding,” an information notice on the Sandringham Estate website reads.
The 60-acre gardens will reopen to the public on 28 March 2026.
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