19 Rare Photos of the Royals While On Vacation
There’s no doubt about it—the members of the Royal Family are busy people. Whether spearheading global initiatives, appearing at cultural events, or attending fundraising galas, the Royal Family is always out and about doing something. Which makes you wonder, what do they like to do when they have some time off for themselves?
As it turns out, the Royal Family’s vacations are just as enchanting as you’d expect them to be. From Princess Di taking to the slopes at one of her favorite ski resorts to the family's iconic Scottish country house (er, castle), here are some rare photos of the royals while on vacation.
A Young King Charles
A young King Charles is pictured here skiing while on holiday in Switzerland during the 1960s.
A Four-Day Safari
In the early 1970s, a 20-something-year-old King Charles went on a four-day safari excursion through Kenya's Ngare Ndare Valley.
All Aboard
Here, the late Queen Elizabeth's younger sister, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, waves to onlookers as she and her husband, photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones, board the royal yacht Britannia. The two were about to venture on a six-week honeymoon cruise through the Caribbean.
In the Bahamas
The couple is pictured here in the Bahamas strolling along the water. Princess Margaret and Armstrong-Jones, also known as the Earl of Snowdon, were married from 1960 to 1976.
Splashing Around
Princess Margaret takes a dip in the ocean.
A Vacation to St. Vincent
Princess Margaret smiled while on holiday in Mustique, an island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. She loved the area so much that she purchased a villa there.
A Trip to Balmoral
Speaking of royal couples, King Charles (then known as Prince Charles) and Princess Diana were snapped while on vacation at Balmoral Castle. The Royal Family still frequents the Scottish estate, considered one of Queen Elizabeth's favorite residences.
A Royal Honeymoon
The duo was photographed on the royal yacht Britannia during their honeymoon sailing around the Mediterranean.
Skiing in Style
The princess even looked stylish on the slopes. Here, she flashes a quick smile to the camera while skiing at a Switzerland resort in the late '80s.
Skiing in Switzerland
Princess Diana sported a red ski suit with a braided red, white, and pink headband and navy mittens while on another ski trip to Switzerland.
Vacationing in Mallorca
How much royalty can you fit into one photo? King Charles, Princess Diana, Prince William, and Prince Harry all posed for a photo with the Spanish Royal Family while on holiday in Mallorca in the 1980s.
An Island Getaway
Princess Diana enjoyed some downtime in the British Virgin Islands with her mother, Frances, Prince William, and Prince Harry. The children are pictured here playing in the sand while the princess and her mother look on.
Cruising Along
Zara and Peter Phillips are pictured here with their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, atop the royal yacht as they took off for their cruise through the Western Isles.
Austrian Alps
Prince William and Prince Harry joined their mother on a fun skiing trip to Lech, an exclusive Austrian ski resort said to have been one of Princess Di's favorites.
A Trip Fit for a King
Royal families unite. King Juan Carlos of Spain, Princess Elena of Spain, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Princess Diana, and more wave to onlookers while vacationing together in Mallorca.
All Bundled Up
Sarah, Duchess of York, and her daughter, Princess Beatrice, smiled for the cameras while on a ski trip to Klosters, Switzerland, in 1990. The Duchess wore a chocolate-colored fur-lined jacket with matching boots, while Princess Beatrice sported a red snowsuit with a white knit hat.
All Smiles
In 1997, the Duchess took her children on another ski trip to Switzerland. This time, it was to Verbier, a ski village in the Swiss Alps, and Princess Eugenie was also in tow.
Annual Skiing Holiday
King Charles and his sons, Harry and William, pose for a photo while on their annual ski trip.
A Royal Tradition
Prince William and Princess Catherine, Princess of Wales, pose for a photo while vacationing in the French Alps with their young children Prince George and Prince Charlotte. Prince Louis was born two years later, in 2018.
You Might Also Like
