The Royal Family: Holiday homes to be used by the Queen, Prince Charles, William and Kate in 2021

• The Royal Family holiday home getaways likely to be used in 2021.
• As soon as COVID-19 permits, here's where the royals like the Queen, Prince Charles, William and Kate are likely to travel to.
• In other royal news (opens in new tab), The Queen gives up control of major royal duty and hands it over to Prince Charles (opens in new tab)

The Royal Family are partial to a holiday or two, but the ongoing Coronavirus (opens in new tab) pandemic has halted many of their usual getaway plans.

But looking beyond the New Year - and a time when we can hopefully call post-lockdown - the royals are expected to travel for a much-needed break once COVID-19 permits.

The Queen (opens in new tab) owns a large property portfolio - aside from spending the majority of 2020 at Buckingham Palace (opens in new tab) and Windsor Castle (opens in new tab) due to her need to shield - she has a selection of castles and palaces dotted around the UK.

Among those often visited by her majesty are Balmoral Castle (opens in new tab) in Scotland and the Sandringham (opens in new tab) estate, meanwhile Prince William, wife Kate and the kids, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Louis often make trips to a villa in Mustique.

Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

The Queen usually spends her summer break here at Balmoral Castle with husband the Duke of Edinburgh. It is said to be one of her favourite places in the world to visit - and a family favourite since 1842 when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert first paid a visit to the Highlands and ended up buying it for her 10 years later. The estate is set among the mountains, lochs and glens and while the original house was deemed "small but pretty" it led to the commission of Balmoral Castle. But unlike other properties such as Buckingham Palace, it is privately owned.

Villa Antilles, Mustique 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge don't own the villa but that doesn't stop them from wanting to frequently visit the five-bedroom colonial style retreat. It is owned by Prince William's friend Andrew Dunn.

According to reports, the villa costs a staggering £27,000 per week and boasts an infinity pool, private staff and sea views of neighbouring islands of Bequia and Saint Vincent.

Craigowan Lodge, Balmoral Estate, Scotland

This seven-bedroom house is set on the Balmoral estate and is usually where The Queen and Prince Phillip stay for the first couple of weeks of their summer vacation. This is due to the main castle still being open to the public at that time.

Birkhall, Balmoral Estate, Scotland

Balmoral is not just a popular holiday home for her majesty, for son Prince Charles and wife Camilla, Duke and Duchess of Cornwall also enjoy spending their summer on the estate.

But they reside at their 18th century property Birkhall, where they spent most of lockdown after Prince Charles contracted Coronavirus back in March.

The Prince of Wales owns the property after he inherited it from his grandmother when she died in 2002. 

The holiday home hold such special memories as he and Camilla even spent their honeymoon their in 2005.

Castle of Mey, Caithness, Scotland

The second Scottish retreat owned by Prince Charles is the Castle of Mey, located in Caithness on the north coast of Scotland. It was bought by the Queen Mother in 1952 and was another property he inherited after her death.

The Queen Mother would visit the castle every August and October until she was aged 101. 

More recently the Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stayed there in August 2018 alongside Prince Charles and Camilla.

In May this year, the grounds Prince Charles opened a new 10-bedroom B&B called the Granary Lodge. (opens in new tab)

Llwynywermod in Llandovery, Wales

Prince Charles has another holiday home but this time it's in Wales. The Llwynywermod Estate is a beautifully restored Welsh farmhouse and is where Charles and Camilla usually stay during their annual summer tour of Wales.

But he's only owned the property since 2007 - after he spent 40 years searching for the perfect welsh hideaway. The two barn conversions on the grounds are available to rent when not in use by the royals.

Sandringham House, Norfolk, England

Christmas was done differently this year but providing things return to normal in 2021, Sandringham will be the Queen's Christmas getaway. It is her country estate and the house has been the private home to four generations of sovereigns since 1862. It was eventually inherited by the Queen in 1952. Her Majesty traditionally travels to Sandringham shortly before Christmas, and stays there until February every year, after privately marking the anniversary of her father's death.