Hampton Court Palace Although most European Royal Families possessed family members amongst their ranks who were on the “royal fringe,” few have had as many colorful quasi - royal individuals in their midst as the British Royal Family. Existing on same the stage, as their more royal & exalted brethren, these “relative royals” lived their lives just outside of the spotlight. Usually only seen when they were lined up on the balcony for the traditional wave to the masses during one of the larger more important family occasions, such as a royal wedding, a jubilee, or the sovereign’s birthday. Towards the end of the 19th century and well into the mid 20th century, the House of Windsor was chockablock with just this sort of family surplus. Queen Victoria’s brood had expanded into a royal population explosion by this time, with many branches of the royal family tree firmly rooted in the United Kingdom itself. With so many princesses from the royal house marrying within the country, it was a very common practice for them to stay home after marriage and establish collateral shoots on home turf. With so many princesses settling at home with their foreign or local husbands and not to mention the surplus royal sons of the sovereign, all poised to raise future generations of royal kinder, a solution had to be found with which to accommodate and house all these home grown princelings. A capital solution was found with the awarding of “grace and favour” homes! Such situations were typically residential property owned by the Crown and thus the gift of the monarch by virtue of their position as head of state and leased rent-free to persons in gratitude for past services rendered. It is rumored that the term possibly crept into English through the writings of Niccolo Machiavelli, who wrote of advisors who 'ministri per grazia e concessione’ - which has been translated as 'ministered through grace and favour'. In the United Kingdom, with each succeeding generation of the royal family contributing to an ever increasing royal population, the “grace and favour” approach was highly success and continues today. In reference to the high concentration of collateral royals, Prince Charles once described Kensington Palace as “the Aunt Heap!” Although a clever play on words, he was dead on with regard to summing up the reality of the situation at hand. Below you will find listed a selection of semi-royal abodes, along with the “royal fringe” inhabitants that called them home. Cumberland Lodge Home Of Prince & Princess Christian Of Schleswig-Holstein Daughter & Son-In-Law Of Queen Victoria Prince Christian Princess Helena Brantridge Park Home Of Princess Alice, Countess Of Athlone & The Earl Of Athlone Granddaughter Of Queen Victoria Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl Of Athlone Formerly, Prince Alexander Von Teck Princess Alice, Countess Of Athlone Barton Lodge Home of Sir Henry & Lady Mary Abel Smith Great Granddaughter Of Queen Victoria Sir Henry & Lady Mary Abel Smith Carisbrooke Castle Home Of Princess Beatrice Daughter Of Queen Victoria Princess Beatrice & Her Children Thatched House Lodge Home Of Princess Alexandra Of Kent, Lady Ogilvy & Hon. Sir Angus Ogilvy Granddaughter Of King George V Princess Alexander Of Kent & Hon. Sir Angus Ogilvy Claremont House Home Of Prince Leopold, Duke Of Albany & Princess Helene, Duchess Of Albany Son & Daughter-In-Law Of Queen Victoria Prince Leopold, Duke Of Albany Princess Helene, Duchess Of Albany White Lodge Home To Princess Mary Adelaide Of Cambridge & The Duke Of Teck Granddaughter Of King George III Parents Of Queen Mary Duke Franz Von Teck Princess Mary Adelaide Of Cambridge, Duchess Of Teck Bagshot Park Home Of Prince Arthur, Duke Of Connaught & Princess Luise, Duchess Of Connaught Son & Daughter-In-Law Of Queen Victoria Home Of Prince Edward, Earl Of Wessex & The Countess Of Wessex Son & Daughter-In-Law Of Queen Elisabeth II Prince Arthur, Duke Of Connaught Princess Luise, Duchess Of Connaught Prince Edward, Earl Of Wessex & The Countess Of Wessex Eastwell Park Home Of Prince Alfred, Duke Of Edinburgh & Princess Marie, Duchess Of Edinburgh Son & Daughter-In-Law Of Queen Victoria Prince Arthur, Duke Of Edinburgh Duke Of Saxe-Coburg Und Gotha Princess Marie, Duchess Of Edinburgh Duchess Of Saxe-Coburg Und Gotha Frogmore House Home Of Princess Victoria, Duchess Of Kent Mother Of Queen Victoria Princess Victoria, Duchess Of Kent St. James Palace York House London Residence Of Prince Henry, Duke Of Gloucester & Princess Alice, Duchess Of Gloucester Son & Daughter-In-Law Of King George V Prince Henry, Duke Of Gloucester & Princess Alice, Duchess Of Gloucester Hampton Court Palace Home Of Princess Friederike Of Hanover, Baroness Von Pawel-Rammingen & Baron Alfons von Pawel-Rammingen Great Granddaughter Of King George III Princess Friederike Of Hanover Baroness Von Pawel-Rammingen Kensington Palace "The Aunt Heap!" Princess Margaret, Countess Of Snowdon Daughter Of King George VI Victoria, Marchioness Of Milford Haven Born Princess Of Hesse Und Bei Rhine Granddaughter Of Queen Victoria Grandmother Of Prince Philip, Duke Of Edinburgh Diana, Princess Of Wales Wife Of Prince Charles, Prince Of Wales Daughter-In-Law Of Queen Elisabeth II Prince & Princess Michael Of Kent Grandson Of King George V Anmer Hall Home Of Prince George, Duke Of Kent & The Duchess Of Kent Grandson Of King George V Prince George, Duke Of Kent & The Duchess Of Kent Royal Lodge Home Of Prince Albert, Duke Of York, Later King George VI & The Duchess Of York, Later Queen Elisabeth Son & Daughter-In-Law Of King George V Home Of Prince Andrew, Duke Of York Son Of Queen Elisabeth II Prince George, Duke Of York & The Duchess Of York Queen Elisabeth, The Queen Mother Prince Andrew, Duke Of York Home Of Prince Edward, Prince Of Wales Later King Edward VIII Son Of King George V Home Of The Hon. Gerald Lascelles Grandson Of King George V Prince Edward, Prince Of Wales King Edward VIII Hon. Gerald Lascelles NR © 2010 The Esoteric Redux. All Rights Reserved