Prince Charles' secret farmhouse in Romania revealed - along with his unlikely ancestor

Prince Charles' secret farmhouse in Romania is near a region that the Royal Family's unlikely violent ancestor called home

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales waves to members of the public during a visit to Cockington Court, a centre of creativity which is operated by Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust on July 20, 2022 in Torquay, United Kingdom. The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall are on a 3-day visit to the southwestern region to celebrate the Prince of Wales' 70th year as the Duke of Cornwall.
(Image credit: Andrew Matthews-WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Prince Charles' secret farmhouse in Romania is a far cry from his usual royal residence but the rural location has more links to the Royal Family than you might expect. In particular to his very distantly related ancestor - Vlad the Impaler!


Men ride a carriage in Viscri on October 8, 2010. Nested in the hills of mythical Transylvania, Viscri was faced with a dilemma when almost all its inhabitants of German origin, the "Saxons", left in 1989 after the collapse of the Communist regime of Nicolae Ceausescu. More than 11,000 tourists from around the world came in 2009 to see Viscri's pastel-coloured houses and its UNESCO World Heritage fortified church, among them Britain's Prince Charles who bought a house there. AFP PHOTO / KARINA KNAPEK

(Image credit: KARINA KNAPEK/AFP/ Getty Images)

Prince Charles is known for his royal residences like Highgrove House, his primary residence Clarence House in London, and lesser known boltholes like his Scottish residence Birkhall in Aberdeenshire. However, the Prince of Wales has an extensive property portfolio and Prince Charles' secret farmhouse in Romania is one you can actually rent!

The stunning home is located in Viscri in the Zalán Valley in Transylvania, Romania. Viscri is a Unesco World Heritage site and the Prince of Wales has owned a traditional farmhouse here since 2006, having fallen in love with the country after his first visit back in 1998.

Prince Charles Visiting The Saxon Village Of Mosna In Romania Eating The Traditional Welcome Gift Of Bread And Salt. He Is Accompanied By His Bodyguard, Colin Trimming (left).

(Image credit: Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images)

Prince Charles' love of the country is in his blood, considering he's very distantly related to the infamous 15th-century Romanian warlord Vlad the Impaler, who inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula. According to Romania Tour Store, the heir to the British throne is his great-grandson 16 times removed, through the consort of George V, Queen Mary. No wonder he felt so at home there!

According to Prince Charles' Romanian home's website, "the property has kept its Transylvanian authenticity by having been carefully restored with traditional methods and materials."

As well as respecting local traditional methods and materials, the royal's property in Viscri has been made into a training center for traditional crafts and rural skills. The aim of this center is to help the local communities secure a livelihood in Romania's villages. 

This is a part of the Prince of Wales Foundation in Romania, which was officially launched back in 2015.

Unsurprisingly, considering his dedication to protecting the planet, the location's focus is on eco-friendly holidays. The bedrooms are furnished exclusively with antique Transylvanian furniture and to keep that peaceful vibe - there are no TVs or radios!

Visitors to the beautiful location can enjoy an all-inclusive stay, including food, activities, and access to the stunning grounds for the bargain basement cost of merely $157 - $167 (£135 - £144) per person, per night.

Aoife Hanna
Junior News Editor

Aoife is an Irish journalist and writer with a background in creative writing, comedy, and TV production.

Formerly woman&home's junior news editor and a contributing writer at Bustle, her words can be found in the Metro, Huffpost, Delicious, Imperica and EVOKE.

Her poetry features in the Queer Life, Queer Love anthology.

Outside of work you might bump into her at a garden center, charity shop, yoga studio, lifting heavy weights, or (most likely) supping/eating some sort of delicious drink/meal.