From Kate Middleton to King Charles, Here's Where the Royals Love to Go on Vacation

Mar. 15, 2025

Kate Middleton and Prince William in Tresco, Isles of Scilly in 2016.Photo:Alex Huckle/GC Images

Alex Huckle/GC Images

The British royals historically keep a lower profile around this time of year for a relatable reason — they’re often away on vacation.Kate Middleton,Prince William,King Charles,Queen Camillaand more typically take private vacations between July and August to relax and recharge before the fall. As Princess Kate, 42, and King Charles, 75, both continue to undergotreatment for cancer, a palace insider previouslytold PEOPLEthat the royal family’s annual visit to Balmoral in August was still on the calendar.“She won’t have to be on center stage,” the palace insider told PEOPLE about the Princess of Wales' low-key summer plans. “Being with her family and just being herself will give her energy. There will be plenty of time to focus on her recovery.“Scroll below to discover where the royals escape for some genuine R&R, both during their annual breaks and throughout the year.

The British royals historically keep a lower profile around this time of year for a relatable reason — they’re often away on vacation.

Kate Middleton,Prince William,King Charles,Queen Camillaand more typically take private vacations between July and August to relax and recharge before the fall. As Princess Kate, 42, and King Charles, 75, both continue to undergotreatment for cancer, a palace insider previouslytold PEOPLEthat the royal family’s annual visit to Balmoral in August was still on the calendar.

“She won’t have to be on center stage,” the palace insider told PEOPLE about the Princess of Wales' low-key summer plans. “Being with her family and just being herself will give her energy. There will be plenty of time to focus on her recovery.”

Scroll below to discover where the royals escape for some genuine R&R, both during their annual breaks and throughout the year.

01of 17Birkhall at BalmoralQueen Elizabeth and then-Prince Charles at Birkhall at Balmoral in 2009.John Stillwell-WPA Pool/GettyWhileBalmoral Castlein Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is synonymous withQueen Elizabeth’s summer retreats, the neighboring Birkhall Estate is lesser-known on royal radars. Queen Victoria’s husbandPrince Albertbought the property shortly after he purchased Balmoral (and its 50,000 acre-enclave) in 1852,Country Lifereported.King Charles inherited Birkhall following the death of his beloved grandmotherQueen Elizabeth, the Queen Motherin 2002, and reportedly honeymooned there with Camilla in 2005. The couple is known to spend summers at the 18th-century home, and Charles was interviewed there for the 2018 documentaryPrince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70.

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Birkhall at Balmoral

Queen Elizabeth and then-Prince Charles at Birkhall at Balmoral in 2009.John Stillwell-WPA Pool/Getty

John Stillwell-WPA Pool/Getty

WhileBalmoral Castlein Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is synonymous withQueen Elizabeth’s summer retreats, the neighboring Birkhall Estate is lesser-known on royal radars. Queen Victoria’s husbandPrince Albertbought the property shortly after he purchased Balmoral (and its 50,000 acre-enclave) in 1852,Country Lifereported.

King Charles inherited Birkhall following the death of his beloved grandmotherQueen Elizabeth, the Queen Motherin 2002, and reportedly honeymooned there with Camilla in 2005. The couple is known to spend summers at the 18th-century home, and Charles was interviewed there for the 2018 documentaryPrince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70.

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Highgrove House

King Charles and Highgrove House.getty (2)

getty (2)

Charles, an ardent gardener, has worked diligently on Highgrove’s grounds for four decades, which he designed to “please the eyeand sit in harmony with nature.” Since the early 1980s, he has invited groups, schools and charities to tour the gardens, and used the home to host briefings and receptions.

03of 17Ray Mill HouseJust 15 minutes down the road from Highgrove is Ray Mill House, Queen Camilla’s private residence in Wiltshire. According toThe Sun, she purchased the property in 1996 following her divorce fromAndrew Parker Bowlesand lived there until 2003.Though she has access to Charles’vast portfolio of real estate, Ray Mill House is said to hold a special place in her heart and serve as a favorite gathering place for children and grandchildren.Fans gota glimpse of the gardensin 2022 when Camilla graced (and guest edited) a special edition ofCountry Life— calling on Kate to take her picture.

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Ray Mill House

Just 15 minutes down the road from Highgrove is Ray Mill House, Queen Camilla’s private residence in Wiltshire. According toThe Sun, she purchased the property in 1996 following her divorce fromAndrew Parker Bowlesand lived there until 2003.

Though she has access to Charles’vast portfolio of real estate, Ray Mill House is said to hold a special place in her heart and serve as a favorite gathering place for children and grandchildren.

Fans gota glimpse of the gardensin 2022 when Camilla graced (and guest edited) a special edition ofCountry Life— calling on Kate to take her picture.

04of 17Isles of ScillyPrince William and Kate Middleton visit the Island of St Martin’s in the Scilly Isles in 2016.Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/GettyPrincess Kate and Prince William are known to frequent theIsles of Scillyduring the summer months withPrince George, 11,Princess Charlotte, 9, andPrince Louis, 6. The Prince of Wales haslong visitedthe islands off the southwest tip of England and vacationed there as a boy withPrincess Diana, the future King Charles andPrince Harry.Embracing island energy, William and Kate surprised locals a few summers ago when theybiked around Trescowith their kids!“William and Kate were riding their bicycles, having a laugh. They looked so happy enjoying the weather. I did do a double-take. They were really friendly and said hello,” an onlooker told theDaily Mirror.During a solo work trip to the Isles of Scilly in May, Prince William reportedly joked, “My family are very upsetI’m here without them,” and took home Cornish pastries as a savory souvenir, theDaily Mailsaid.

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Isles of Scilly

Prince William and Kate Middleton visit the Island of St Martin’s in the Scilly Isles in 2016.Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty

Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty

Princess Kate and Prince William are known to frequent theIsles of Scillyduring the summer months withPrince George, 11,Princess Charlotte, 9, andPrince Louis, 6. The Prince of Wales haslong visitedthe islands off the southwest tip of England and vacationed there as a boy withPrincess Diana, the future King Charles andPrince Harry.

Embracing island energy, William and Kate surprised locals a few summers ago when theybiked around Trescowith their kids!

“William and Kate were riding their bicycles, having a laugh. They looked so happy enjoying the weather. I did do a double-take. They were really friendly and said hello,” an onlooker told theDaily Mirror.

During a solo work trip to the Isles of Scilly in May, Prince William reportedly joked, “My family are very upsetI’m here without them,” and took home Cornish pastries as a savory souvenir, theDaily Mailsaid.

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Anmer Hall

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis join the “Clap for Carers” campaign from Amner Hall in Norfolk during an appearance that aired on the BBC in April 2020.Comic Relief/BBC Children in Need/Comic Relief via Getty

Princess Kate is said to feelmost at homeat Amner Hall, and the family isolated there during the coronavirus pandemic.

Amid the princess’ summer of healing as she continues treatment for cancer, it was expected that she and her family would spend time at the country home.

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Beaches of Norfolk

Anmer Hall is close to the beaches of north Norfolk, where the Waleses enjoy outings and boating.

07of 17Time TogetherPrincess Charlotte, Prince William, Prince Louis and Prince George held hands andjumped for joyin another beachy photo published on the Prince of Wales' June 21 birthday.Kensington Palace confirmed that Princess Kate snapped the shot in Norfolk, England, in May.

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Time Together

Princess Charlotte, Prince William, Prince Louis and Prince George held hands andjumped for joyin another beachy photo published on the Prince of Wales' June 21 birthday.

Kensington Palace confirmed that Princess Kate snapped the shot in Norfolk, England, in May.

08of 17JordanIt’s a little-known fact that Katelived in Jordan as a childfor a few years with her family, perhaps inspiring a vacation there decades later. Kate and William revealed that they took George, Charlotte and Louis to Jordan with the release of their 2021Christmas card, and sharedanother shotof the prince with his kids on the following Father’s Day.William, George, Charlotte and Louis looked relaxed in casual clothes with wide smiles, and Louis even playfully sat on his dad’s shoulders.

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Jordan

It’s a little-known fact that Katelived in Jordan as a childfor a few years with her family, perhaps inspiring a vacation there decades later. Kate and William revealed that they took George, Charlotte and Louis to Jordan with the release of their 2021Christmas card, and sharedanother shotof the prince with his kids on the following Father’s Day.

William, George, Charlotte and Louis looked relaxed in casual clothes with wide smiles, and Louis even playfully sat on his dad’s shoulders.

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Botswana

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Botswana in 2016.Netflix

Prince Harry holds Botswana dear as a true refuge and focus oflongstanding conservation work, so it was only natural that he invitedMeghan Marklethere while they dated in 2016.

“I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana. We camped out with each other under the stars. She came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic,” Harry said in theirengagement interviewwith the BBC in November 2017.

Fans got an intimate glimpse of the couple’s trip to Botswana — which doubled as theirthird date— in the Netflix seriesHarry & Meghan, which debuted in December 2022.

10of 17The MediterraneanPrince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018; the Mediterranean.Samir Hussein/WireImage, Federico Scotto/GettyPrince Harry and Meghan tied the knot in May 2018, and he revealed their honeymoon location in his memoirSpare.“Our honeymoon was a closely guarded secret. We left London in a car disguised as a removals van, the windows covered with cardboard, and went to the Mediterranean for ten days. Glorious to be away, on the sea, in the sun,” Prince Harry wrote in the memoir, published in January 2023.

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The Mediterranean

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018; the Mediterranean.Samir Hussein/WireImage, Federico Scotto/Getty

Samir Hussein/WireImage, Federico Scotto/Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan tied the knot in May 2018, and he revealed their honeymoon location in his memoirSpare.

“Our honeymoon was a closely guarded secret. We left London in a car disguised as a removals van, the windows covered with cardboard, and went to the Mediterranean for ten days. Glorious to be away, on the sea, in the sun,” Prince Harry wrote in the memoir, published in January 2023.

11of 17Saint-TropezPrincess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in Saint-Tropez, France on July 26.TheImageDirect.com; GettyPrincess BeatriceandEdoardo Mapelli Mozziwere spotted inSaint-Tropezlast summer, marking a return to a favorite getaway. France is a special spot for the couple, who honeymooned there a few years ago.After Beatrice and Edotied the knotin 2020,a source told PEOPLEthat the newlyweds had a “small honeymoon in France” with a “longer, more luxurious honeymoon” planned.

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Saint-Tropez

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in Saint-Tropez, France on July 26.TheImageDirect.com; Getty

TheImageDirect.com; Getty

Princess BeatriceandEdoardo Mapelli Mozziwere spotted inSaint-Tropezlast summer, marking a return to a favorite getaway. France is a special spot for the couple, who honeymooned there a few years ago.

After Beatrice and Edotied the knotin 2020,a source told PEOPLEthat the newlyweds had a “small honeymoon in France” with a “longer, more luxurious honeymoon” planned.

12of 17PortugalOn a July 2023 episode of her podcastTea Talks with the Duchess and Sarah,Sarah Fergusonrevealed thatPrincess Eugeniewas in Portugal with her sonsAugustandErnest, who she shares with her husband,Jack Brooksbank.In 2022, Jackstarted a new jobthat called for the family to split time between the U.K. and Portugal. The trip might have marked a milestone for Ernest, who wasborn that May— the first stamp in his passport for his first trip abroad.

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Portugal

On a July 2023 episode of her podcastTea Talks with the Duchess and Sarah,Sarah Fergusonrevealed thatPrincess Eugeniewas in Portugal with her sonsAugustandErnest, who she shares with her husband,Jack Brooksbank.

In 2022, Jackstarted a new jobthat called for the family to split time between the U.K. and Portugal. The trip might have marked a milestone for Ernest, who wasborn that May— the first stamp in his passport for his first trip abroad.

13of 17MustiquePrincess Margaret and Les Jolies Eaux in Mustique.getty; shutterstockPrincess Margaretfound a haven in Mustique when her marriage to Anthony Armstrong-Jones turned turbulent in the 1970s. Queen Elizabeth’s younger sister was gifted a 10-acre parcel of land on the private Caribbean island and built a vacation home, christenedLes Jolies Eaux— French for “the beautiful waters.”According toMarie Claire, Margaret made the space her second home for nearly 30 years, and she put the island on the map as a glamorous getaway. She went on to gift the villa to her son David Armstrong-Jones as a wedding present in the 1990s, and he eventually sold it. Today, Les Jolies Eaux isavailable to rent.

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Mustique

Princess Margaret and Les Jolies Eaux in Mustique.getty; shutterstock

getty; shutterstock

Princess Margaretfound a haven in Mustique when her marriage to Anthony Armstrong-Jones turned turbulent in the 1970s. Queen Elizabeth’s younger sister was gifted a 10-acre parcel of land on the private Caribbean island and built a vacation home, christenedLes Jolies Eaux— French for “the beautiful waters.”

According toMarie Claire, Margaret made the space her second home for nearly 30 years, and she put the island on the map as a glamorous getaway. She went on to gift the villa to her son David Armstrong-Jones as a wedding present in the 1990s, and he eventually sold it. Today, Les Jolies Eaux isavailable to rent.

14of 17The CaribbeanPrincess Diana splashes in Nevis in 1993.PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/gettyPrincess Diana was known to love visiting the Caribbean, from Richard Branson’s privateNecker Islandto Nevis (where she’s pictured splashing here in 1993).

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The Caribbean

Princess Diana splashes in Nevis in 1993.PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/getty

PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/getty

Princess Diana was known to love visiting the Caribbean, from Richard Branson’s privateNecker Islandto Nevis (where she’s pictured splashing here in 1993).

15of 17Balmoral CastleQueen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Balmoral in 1972.Central Press/Hulton Archive/GettyQueen Elizabeth had the keys to many royal residences, but none quite so special as Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands. The royal family has owned the hideaway since 1845, andPrince Philipchose it to propose.Balmoral was truly the Queen’s summer sanctuary and shetraditionally spentevery August there. Family and friends convened at the castle and made the most of the grounds with hunting, fishing, horseback riding, picnics and hikes.

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Balmoral Castle

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Balmoral in 1972.Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty

Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty

Queen Elizabeth had the keys to many royal residences, but none quite so special as Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands. The royal family has owned the hideaway since 1845, andPrince Philipchose it to propose.

Balmoral was truly the Queen’s summer sanctuary and shetraditionally spentevery August there. Family and friends convened at the castle and made the most of the grounds with hunting, fishing, horseback riding, picnics and hikes.

16of 17Favorite EscapePrincess Anne, Prince Philip, Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles at Balmoral.Bettmann"I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands,” her granddaughter Princess Eugenie said of Balmoral in the 2016 documentary,Our Queen at Ninety.Queen Elizabeth died at Balmoral at age 96 on Sept. 8, 2022, and King Charles iscontinuing her traditionof spending some of the summer there.

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Favorite Escape

Princess Anne, Prince Philip, Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles at Balmoral.Bettmann

“I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands,” her granddaughter Princess Eugenie said of Balmoral in the 2016 documentary,Our Queen at Ninety.

Queen Elizabeth died at Balmoral at age 96 on Sept. 8, 2022, and King Charles iscontinuing her traditionof spending some of the summer there.

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Beaching It

source: people.com