Where do Duchess Sophie and Prince Edward live, do they own Bagshot Park and is it open to the public?

Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh have lived in the same royal residence since they got married in 1999 and have shared a few brief glimpses of it over the years.

Whilst King Charles and Queen Camilla often host official events or are pictured at residences like Clarence House and Windsor Castle, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh tend to keep their home as a private space. Living outside of London, they get the best of both worlds as they are within easy commuting distance of the capital but with the tranquillity and privacy of the countryside.

They’re not the only ones who don’t live permanently in London and just like where Princess Anne lives, Duchess Sophie and Prince Edward’s home, Bagshot Park, has plenty of history and extensive grounds for them and their children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex to enjoy. Given it’s not often seen, it’s hard to not feel curious about Bagshot Park and here we reveal all we know about this beautiful property.

Where do Duchess Sophie and Prince Edward live and how far is it from Windsor Castle?

Duchess Sophie and Prince Edward live at Bagshot Park in Surrey, but it’s close by to Windsor Castle in Berkshire and is actually located within Windsor Great Park. The two royal residences are understood to be only around 20 minutes drive away, and so it’s no surprise that Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie are said to have spent a lot of time with the late Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle. The couple moved into the main house Bagshot Park after their 1999 wedding and it’s a Grade II listed building.

Originally, this house was built as a part of a series of small lodges designed by Inigo Jones for the Stuart King, Charles I. According to Surrey Heath Borough Council in 1996, the current main house at Bagshot Park was reportedly created for Queen Victoria’s third son Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught and his wife Princess Louise Margaret. Working on the project was architect Benjamin Ferrey and the North Wing was supposedly added in 1887, followed by farm buildings, stables, lodges and coach houses within two years.

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After the Duke of Connaught passed away in 1942, Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie’s home apparently was re-purposed by the Army as the Staff College of the Auxiliary Territorial Service. This eventually closed after World War II ended and Army Chaplains were at Bagshot Park until 1996. The Mansion where the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh now live is made from red brick and stone dressings, with a Tudor gothic style and it’s surrounded by magnificent grounds.

Who owns Bagshot Park?

They might live there, but Duchess Sophie and Prince Edward don’t actually own Bagshot Park - The Crown Estate does - and they are tenants. The Crown Estate owns plenty of the most famous royal homes, including Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, St James’s Palace and Clarence House. All of these properties, including Bagshot Park, are held “in right of the crown” and so belong to King Charles for as long as he reigns, but aren’t his personally.

Prince Edward supposedly first leased Bagshot Park in 1998 and it seems he and Duchess Sophie have no intention of moving elsewhere anytime soon. As per Hello!, it was previously reported by The Telegraph that the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh extended the lease by another 150 years so it looks like they have no intention of leaving their Bagshot Park home. This lease extension allegedly cost around £5 million.

How many bedrooms does Bagshot Park have and what does it look like inside?

Unlike some royal homes like Buckingham Palace, we don’t know exactly how many bedrooms are inside Bagshot Park’s main house. However, it’s rumoured to have around 120 rooms in total so it likely has a fair few bedrooms as part of this. Over the years we’ve only ever been given a few glimpses at the Bagshot Park interiors, but Surrey Heath Borough Council references a room that was panelled throughout and carved by hand at the Mayo School of Art in Lahore. It was reportedly a wedding gift from Princes in India to the Duke and Duchess of Connaught.

In 2021, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh gave a rare joint interview to The Telegraph at Bagshot Park, in which they reflected upon the late Prince Philip’s legacy. Alongside the article they appeared in beautiful pictures, which revealed that Bagshot Park’s main house has a gorgeous conservatory that looks out onto immaculate lawns and hedges.

The carpet in at least one of the rooms, as seen in another of these photos, is a deep purple tone and the walls are panelled with dark wood that they’ve matched with their furniture choices. A squashy armchair upholstered in a champagne, spot-patterned fabric sits beside the large windows in this room. It also seems like Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie don’t have any qualms about their beloved family dogs jumping up on the furniture, as their black Labrador Teal was pictured standing on the armchair, stroked by the Duchess.

Meanwhile, in November 2020, the Duchess of Edinburgh gave us a brief look at her kitchen in a video shared on social media of her baking scones for the #ActYourAge challenge in support of Girlguiding and Children in Need. The kitchen walls are a soft sage green, which has long been a popular interior paint colour trend, whilst the cabinets are a creamy white with brass handles.

A shiny chrome tap can just be seen above the sink behind her and Duchess Sophie and Prince Edward’s kitchen generally has a very cosy, countryside-style feel to it. Another glimpse at the inside of Bagshot Park came in February 2021 when the Duchess virtually presented Priya Ahluwalia with The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.

Joining a video call, Duchess Sophie appeared in a room filled with family photos on display, with a wooden-framed painting on the wall. The wallpaper features a beige-gold and white pattern, with a white dado rail running around the room that instantly draws the eye.

Is Bagshot Park open to the public?

Although Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie lease their Bagshot Park home from The Crown Estate, it remains their own private home and isn’t open to the public. This isn’t the case for all royal residences owned by The Crown Estate, as Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and St James’s Palace are all open to the public at different times throughout the year.