Where does the Queen live? Does Elizabeth II reside in Buckingham Palace - and what are her other residencies

Celebrations such as the Platinum Party at the Palace and the Platinum Pageant, will take place outside Buckingham Palace this coming Jubilee holiday.

The Queen has watched the proceedings over previous anniversaries from the Palace, and may do so to mark her 70-year reign.

Buckingham Palace has been the monarch’s residence for centuries, but with major renovations taking place at the home, and the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic since early 2020, the question remains whether Queen Elizabeth still resides there.

Does the Queen live in Buckingham Palace?

For much of Her Majesty’s 70-year reign, she has resided in central London in Buckingham Palace’s private living quarters.

Buckingham Palace not only acts as a home for the monarchy, but also is used for administrative work and entertaining guests in the state apartments.

Although Queen Elizabeth intended to remain at Buckingham Palace for the 10-year renovations, the pandemic allowed her to reconsider where she was most comfortable to isolate, according to a royal correspondent at Daily Express.

From this, Her Majesty opted to live in another of the Crown’s properties, namely Windsor Castle. Prince Philip and the Queen decided to move to the Berkshire residence at the start of the pandemic, and they lived there together until his April 2021 passing.

Reports state that Windsor Castle will remain as the Queen’s home for the foreseeable.

What refurbishments are taking place?

Buckingham Palace has been undergoing major renovations from 2018, with all work expected to cost around $500 million and to be finished by 2027.

The building was converted into a palace in 1826 making it over 300 years old, therefore the refurbishment will see parts of the 775-roomed house upgraded.

As part of the remodel, the Queen shared a video stating how difficult it was to remove all the Palace’s artwork ahead of the work - some 200 paintings, 40 chandeliers, 100 mirrors, 30 clocks and more, which have been collected over the home’s 300 years.

Work will improve the Palace’s electrical cabling, heating and plumbing systems, which have not been updated since 1950, as well as East Wing renovations, over the next five years

What other residencies do the Royal family have?

In addition to Buckingham Palace, Her Majesty has four other potential residencies.

Before the Queen currently lived at Windsor Castle, the Royal family would often visit the Berkshire home for weekends and Easter. The property covers 13 acres and has 1,000 rooms making it the largest inhabited castle in the world.

Royal author Hugo Vickers spoke of why the Queen has moved there recently: “Windsor is the place [Her Majesty] loves. She has her memories with Prince Philip there, she has her ponies there and family nearby. It makes sense.”

Another residency is Balmoral Castle, located in Scotland, which was originally bought as a holiday home for Queen Victoria. The current monarch uses the castle in summers, and will continue to do so as it undergoes renovations too.

For the winter months and Christmas, the Queen and her family travel to Sandringham Estate in Norfolk - an estate inherited from her father King George VI, and during Royal week (21-27 May) the Queen heads to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland which was built in 1128 as a monastery.