The British Royal Family has been quietly setting holiday trends for decades, and a new roundup from Condé Nast Traveller UK traces their favourite escapes across several generations — from Queen Elizabeth II's beloved Scottish estate to Princess Diana's sun-soaked Mediterranean summers and the Alpine ski trips that gave us those iconic photographs of a young Princes William and Harry on the slopes.
The roll call reads like a map of old-school luxury: private islands in the Caribbean, glamour spots along the French Riviera such as Saint-Tropez — where Diana's paparazzi-snapped holiday images became defining moments of the era — sprawling highland estates in Scotland where the late Queen spent her happiest weeks each year, and serious ski resorts in the Alps. Some of these places are true family traditions, passed down through generations; others are remembered mostly for the photographs they produced.
Here's the useful part: most of these destinations aren't off-limits. The Caribbean islands and Riviera beaches have plenty of ordinary accommodation nearby, ski towns in the Austrian Alps welcome everyone from beginners to experts, and Scotland's royal-adjacent corners — think Balmoral country in Aberdeenshire — are ringed with walks, villages and guesthouses regular travellers can book. The same scenery, the same trails, none of the palace budget.
For anyone planning a trip with a royal theme, the appeal is easy to see. Saint-Tropez delivers that Mediterranean mix of beaches and people-watching (with more affordable towns like Sainte-Maxime just across the bay). Skiing where the young royals learnt to ski means well-groomed slopes and family-friendly resorts. And a Scottish escape offers castles, whisky country and long summer evenings — no title required.
So while you probably won't be chartering a yacht anytime soon, you can absolutely build a holiday around the same places. Pick one, time it right, and you're holidaying like royalty at a fraction of the cost.
