Where is it located?
York Cottage is a house situated within the grounds of the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk in the East of England. It is sometimes referred to as the Bachelor’s Cottage and was built as an overflow residence for the main Sandringham House.
When was it built and when was it used as a royal residence?
The year the cottage was built is not recorded, however in 1893, it was given by the future King Edward VII to his son, the future King George V as a wedding gift following his wedding to the future Queen Mary. It has been previously lived in by Prince Albert Victor, the eldest son of King Edward VII, until his death in 1892 from influenza.
Who has lived there?
King George V and Queen Mary set up their family home at York Cottage and five of their six children were born there, including the future King George VI.
King George V expressed a deep love for York Cottage as he much preferred to live a simpler life, rather than one of exuberance and splendour- which is often associated with royalty. He is recorded as saying that the house resembles “Three merrie England pubs joined together.”
Who is it used by today?
Today, the cottage is used as the estate office for Sandringham, but it also acts as accommodation for estate employees.
