Smallest royal ‘cottages’ – including Kate Middleton’s candy pink home

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank currently split their time between Portugal and the UK with their two sons August and Ernest. When in England, the family are based at Ivy Cottage on the Kensington Palace grounds. 

The property has three bedrooms and a picture-perfect exterior including a white picket fence. It was originally built to house Kensington Palace staff, and was renovated prior to the couple moving there in 2018. 

This humble two bedroom cottage located at Kensington Palace was once home to Prince Harry, who lived there alone prior to meeting his now-wife, Meghan Markle. The Suits actress moved in with Harry at the central London residence after announcing their engagement in 2017, but Harry has admitted he was “embarrassed” to show her round when she first visited.

“I was excited to welcome Meg to my home but also embarrassed: Nott Cott was no palace. Nott Cott was palace adjacent – that was the best you could say for it. I watched her as she walked up the front path, through the white picket fence. To my relief she made no sign of dismay, gave no indication of disillusionment.”

He added: “The rooms were tiny, and the ceilings were doll’s house low. I gave her a quick tour, which took thirty seconds. Mind your head! I’d never noticed until then just how shabby the furniture was.”

The Prince and Princess of Wales’ former home at Adelaide Cottage couldn’t look more idyllic with its candy pink exterior and beautiful rose garden. The royal couple lived in the Windsor residence with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis between 2022 and 2025.

The four-bedroomed home was previously the home of Group Captain Peter Townsend, equerry to the late Queen Elizabeth’s father King George VI, who was offered the property as a grace-and-favour residence in 1944.

It was renovated in 2015, and maintaining the historical architecture and original porch of Adelaide Cottage was a high priority. 

Situated in Windsor Great Park, Frogmore Cottage was most notably home to Prince Harry and Meghan for a brief time before they stepped back from their royal duties. The Grade-II listed property has been in the royal family since the 19th century, but underwent significant renovations prior to the couple moving in in 2019.

The £2.4million renovations included halving the number of bedrooms from ten to five, and modernising the space, which was featured in the couple’s Netflix series, showing a gorgeous country-style kitchen with marble worktops.

Located within the grounds of Osbourne House, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s beautiful holiday home, is the idyllic Swiss Cottage. This Alpine-style chalet was built for the royal children in 1854 to help them learn about domestic life, including how to cook, harvest produce and entertain. It has a balcony running around the upper level where the Duchess of Cornwall and Judi Dench were pictured in 2018.

Inside, it has its own kitchen and pantry with pots, pans and crockery, as well as a dining room with a wooden table and chairs and wall hangings.

Formerly known as Bachelor’s Cottage, York Cottage on the Sandringham Estate is another quaint royal residence. This home first housed Prince George and Princess May of Teck, who later ascended to the throne as King George V and Mary. It was given to the pair as a wedding gift by his father King Edward VII, who was the Prince of Wales at the time, in 1893.

The house eventually earned its title as it was used for the overflow of male guests on the estate, though it has since been used as holiday accommodation, the estate office for Sandringham and as accommodation for employees on the estate. 

At around a quarter of a mile from the estate’s main house, it features its own set of stables and kennel buildings, and overlooks one of the two man-made lakes on Sandringham, according to Historic England.