7 Interesting Facts About York Cottage in Sandringham

York Cottage in the Sandringham Estate. Image: Wikimedia Commons

York Cottage is one of the many houses in the grounds of the Royal Family’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. The house, which is just a short walk from Sandringham House, was recently placed under the spotlight after it was reported that Queen Elizabeth II has gifted it to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. If ever the couple finally decides to call this cottage their country home, the will follow the footsteps of the Queen’s grandfather, King George V, who lived here after his wedding to Princess Mary of Teck until he succeeded the throne in 1910. Read on the find out some interesting facts about York Cottage.

1. It was once called the “Bachelor’s Cottage”. It was originally constructed as Sandringham House’s overflow residence with the purpose of accommodating the estate’s male guests.

2. King Edward VII bestowed the cottage as a wedding gift to his son Prince George (the Duke of York and later King George V) and his wife, the Duchess of York (later Queen Mary), in 1893. It served as the couple’s official residence for 33 years.

3. King George V was too enamored of the cottage that he himself furnished it with splendid pieces of furniture he bought from Maple & Co.

York Cottage, c1901. Image: Wikimedia Commons

4. King George V and Queen Mary’s five youngest children were all born in the York Cottage.

5. It is said to be haunted. Prince Albert Victor—more popularly known as Prince Eddy—lived in the cottage in the 1890s until succumbing to influenza when he was just 28 years old. For a long time, his room and his valuables were kept just as they had been when he was still alive. Children who grew up there would remember wanting to move out of the house for they felt like they were still in the prince’s presence.

6. A number of Sandringham’s staff offices are currently located in the York cottage, and some parts of the building have already been converted into flats for people working in the estate.

7. The cottage has been described as “eccentric” and was once said to look a lot like “three Merrie England pubs joined together”.