About us
Who we are
We are the independent charity that loves and looks after six of the most wonderful palaces in the world.
The palaces are the setting for the stories that shape us all, and we’re bringing them to people in ways that mean more to them.
We want everyone to find themselves in the spaces and stories we share.
History of Historic Royal Palaces
Historic Royal Palaces was established by the government in 1989 in order to care for five royal palaces. We later became an independent charity in 1998 and in 2014 took over the management of Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in Northern Ireland.
‘In Right of Crown’
The palaces in Historic Royal Palaces’ care are all owned by The King ‘in Right of Crown’, except Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. Historic Royal Palaces is contracted by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to manage Hillsborough Castle.
His Majesty holds the palaces in Trust for the next monarch and by law cannot sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any interest in the palaces.
All of the palaces ceased being used regularly for royal court purposes in the 18th century and the government became responsible for their management, an arrangement codified in the Crown Lands Act 1851.
Currently, government responsibility rests with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport.
Our work
Researching History
We have a charitable duty, written into our founding charter, to help everyone learn about the sites in our care. We want everyone to feel welcome and accepted when they visit the palaces.
Collections
Our palaces host internationally important collections of fine and decorative art, the majority forming part of the Royal Collection.
Conservation
We carry out world-leading conservation work to preserve and enhance the thousands of treasures in our guardianship, so that the palaces and collections have a life today and in the future.
Schools
We will aim to reach every school in the country through our rich and diverse Schools programme offering an educational visit, learning resources, or CPD and teacher training opportunities.
Communities
Historic Royal Palaces work collaboratively with local communities to create opportunities for people to meaningfully engage with our spaces and stories and to make our palaces more accessible and relevant for all visitors.
Sustainability
We have set out a commitment to make a positive impact through our environmental sustainability performance. We want to be able to implement solutions for making a difference to the environment.