Inside the palaces where Queen Elizabeth found solace from scandal

At the age of 96, Queen Elizabeth II, in all her legacy and contribution to the British monarchy, has died.

And while her highness tried very eagerly to diffuse all the palace drama, the burden ended with her.

But at the height of each controversy and through it all — from the very public divorce of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, the scandal that plagued her youngest son, Prince Andrew, and the moment her grandchild, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle decided to call it quits — she found solace in places she would call home for most of her life.

In March 2022, Queen Elizabeth, made the decision to leave her main residence at Buckingham Palace to permanently reside at her beloved Windsor Castle, which she had used mostly as her weekend home.

The decision was based partly on an ongoing “reservicing” of the palace, according to the Times of London.

It was also Elizabeth’s preference for the castle over Buckingham Palace, where she spent her last days with her late husband Prince Philip, who passed away just a year prior, sources told the paper.

“Windsor is the place she loves,” one of her acquaintances, royal author and deputy lord lieutenant of Berkshire Hugo Vickers told the UK Times.

But Balmoral Castle in Scotland was her favorite of all her homes, and it’s where she spent the final days of her life.

The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.

The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.

Scroll through to see all of the properties Queen Elizabeth has called home throughout her incredible life.

The Headquarters | Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace was first a sizable townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703. King George III then acquired the home in 1761 as a private residence for his wife Queen Charlotte.

In the 19th century, architects John Nash and Edward Blore expanded the structure by building three wings around the central courtyard.

On July 9, 1982, British citizen Michael Fagan had scaled the walls of the palace twice — an event chronicled on a season of “The Crown.” On his second attempt, he reached Queen Elizabeth’s bedroom, and she awoke when he had come from the curtain.

Following the incident, heightened security measures were put in place.

In 1837, the property was recognized as Buckingham Palace — the official London residence of the British monarchy.

The residence holds a total of 775 rooms, including 19 staterooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms.

Visitors can tour a number of the staterooms inside the palace during specific times of the year.

The Holiday Home | Sandringham Estate/ Wood Farm

This home is usually reserved for entertaining during the holidays and is where the Queen and Prince Philip spent about two months a year during the winter.

The Queen’s famous annual Christmas broadcast is held from the castle each year.

In what is now her final holiday speech at the castle, on December 25, 2021, she said of her husband, who passed away seven months prior: “But life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings; and as much as I and my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas.”

Meanwhile, on the estate is a cottage known as Wood Farm. Prince Philip lived there after his retirement from public service in 2017, and it’s where he has spent most of his time during his final years.

Made from red brick, the estate sits on 20,000 acres. The house features a saloon, a drawing room, a dining room and a ballroom. Other amenities include a gun room, a bowling alley, a library and a billiards room.

The Palace most recently listed the garden home of the estate on Airbnb.

The formal living area with a woodburning fireplace. Neil Longdin

The breakfast room is filled with sunlight.

The breakfast room and sitting area. Neil Longdin

The Country Home | Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is a royal residence in the English county of Berkshire, with almost 1,000 years of architectural history.

During World War II, the Queen first moved there with her sister, Princess Margaret, for safety reasons.

As with Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle is considered Queen Elizabeth’s home for as long as she is the ruling monarch. She frequented the castle during most weekends, due to its close proximity to her London home at Buckingham Palace.

The property spans a massive 13 acres and boasts 1,000 rooms, making it the largest occupied castle in the world.

This was also the place where her husband, Prince Philip, spent his final days until his death on April 9, 2021.

“He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know,” The Queen had said in a statement after his passing.

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was the longest-serving royal consort in British history.

His last wish during his final days was to die peacefully in his home at Windsor Castle.

“We knew that when he was taken home it was to die on his own terms, not in a hospital bed, but in his own bed,” a royal source told The Post, adding, “Philip didn’t want any fuss. He wanted to do things his way until the end.”

The Summer Home | Balmoral Castle

Balmoral Castle is believed to be the Queen’s favorite home in the world — and is her private residence which doesn’t belong to the government. Usually reserved for the end of summer, it is where Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip would spend most of their time during the August and September months.

The Queen spent virtually every summer at the private residence since her childhood.

This year, she arrived at the castle on July 24, where she spent her final days until her passing.

It is considered the largest estate in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The castle has been described by visitors as “freaky” and “surreal,” and has been known as the countryside escape where the Queen had enthusiastically washed her own dishes.

The Hogwarts-looking Scottish summer home was also where the royal and her predecessors annually summered for almost two centuries.

Just off the River Dee, the secluded, 11-bedroom estate — where Prince Philip got engaged to Queen Elizabeth in 1946 — spans a whopping 50,000 acres.

The working estate features grouse moors, forests and farmland, as well as managed herds of deer, Highland cattle and ponies.

With approximately 150 buildings on the estate, the royal family employs about 50 fulltime workers, with 50 to 100 who are part-time, to maintain the estate.

The Scottish Residence | Palace of Holyroodhouse

Also known as the Edinburgh Palace, the home was originally founded as a monastery in 1128.

It was the Queen and Prince Philip’s official residence in Scotland when she typically stayed there during the first week of summer for an event known as “Holyrood Week.” It is a royal event to celebrate Scottish culture.

The Northern Irish Residence | Hillsborough Castle

This is the only royal residence in Northern Ireland and where Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip stay when they are there. Spanning 100 acres, the Georgian country house has several gardens open for tourism.

Restored staterooms include the Throne Room where, in 1953, the Queen received guests at a ball to celebrate her coronation. It also includes the State Drawing Room, Lady Grey’s Study, State Dining Room, Red Room and Stair Hall.

Built in the 1770s, it is also the official residence of Northern Ireland’s Secretary of State.

Now, mourners around the world will gather around her properties to remember the legacy of Queen Elizabeth.

But as the Queen herself once said: “Grief is the price we pay for love.” And she loved her country and the people in it dearly.

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The Headquarters | Buckingham Palace

The Holiday Home | Sandringham Estate/ Wood Farm

The Country Home | Windsor Castle

The Summer Home | Balmoral Castle

The Scottish Residence | Palace of Holyroodhouse

The Northern Irish Residence | Hillsborough Castle

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