The first visit by Princess Elizabeth to Sandringham was Christmas 1926, aged just eight months, when she visited her grandparents King George V and Queen Mary.
From that time the Princess made regular visits to Sandringham. During the Second World War she and her sister were often resident on the Sandringham estate, living at Appleton House. In 1943 Princess Elizabeth was featured in newspapers helping with the harvest.
Throughout her reign, The Queen's attachment to Sandringham has remained as strong as that of her father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
Today
The Queen and other members of the Royal Family regularly spend Christmas at Sandringham and make it their official base until February each year. When The Queen or members of the Royal Family are not in residence, the house is open to the public.
The Estate is run commercially by the Land Agent, on The Queen's behalf. Over half of the Estate is let to farm tenants, the remainder being farmed in hand or used for forestry (the Estate has its own sawmill). There are also two studs, a fruit farm and a country park. These, together with the house's gardens, employ over 100 full-time staff.
Sandringham Country Park, open free all year since 1968, is an area of 250 hectares (over 600 acres) of carefully managed woodland and heath. It has two nature trails and camping and caravan club sites. A Visitors' Centre with gift shop and restaurants is open daily in summer and at weekends in winter.
Sandringham Estate hosts craft fairs and country shows throughout the year. The house, museum and grounds are open to visitors.
Opening hours
House, museum and grounds
Sandringham House, Museum and Gardens will be open every day from Saturday, 15 April to Thursday, 20 July 2006, and then every day from Saturday, 29 July to Sunday, 29 October 2006.
House opening times: 11am - 4.45pm (3pm in October)
Museum opening times: 11am - 5pm (4pm in October)
Garden opening times: 10.30am - 5pm (4pm in October)
Visitor Centre and Country Park
The Visitor Centre and Country Park are daily throughout the winter. Dogs, except guide dogs, are not permitted in the grounds.
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