Grace and favour

A grace-and-favour home is a residential property owned by a monarch by virtue of his or her position as head of state and leased, often rent-free, to persons as part of an employment package or in gratitude for past services rendered.

In the United Kingdom, these homes are owned by the Crown or a charity and, in modern times, are often within the gift of the prime minister. Most of these properties are taxed as a "benefit in kind", although this status does not apply to 10 Downing Street or any home granted for security purposes, such as the residence of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.^[1] They are at times granted to senior politicians.^[2]

It is possible that the term crept into English through the writings of Niccolò Machiavelli, who wrote of advisers who are ministers per grazia e concessione, which has been translated as "through grace and favour".^[3]

England

In 1986, there were 120 apartments total, the most splendid being at

In the latter part of Queen Victoria's reign, Frogmore Cottage in the Home Park, Windsor, was the grace and favour residence of her Indian attendant, Abdul Karim (the Munshi). In 2018, it was renovated for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who moved into it in the spring of 2019.^[5]

Other residences include:

• 10 Downing Street, City of Westminster – official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury (now always the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom)
• Chequers, Ellesborough, Buckinghamshire – official country house of the Prime Minister
• Second Lord of the Treasury
  )
• 12 Downing Street, Westminster – formerly the official residence of the Chief Whip, now the site of the Downing Street Press Office
• Dorneywood, Burnham – official ministerial residence; a country residence usually for use of the Chancellor, or for the Deputy Prime Minister (used by Chancellor during May ministry)
• Admiralty House, Westminster – official ministerial residence
• Foreign Secretary
• Speaker's House, Palace of Westminster, Westminster – official residence of the Commons' Speaker
• Lord Speaker's Apartments, Palace of Westminster, Westminster – official residence of the Lord Speaker
• Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace – previously occupied by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex until their move to Frogmore Cottage, which they have also now vacated; previously occupied by other members of the royal family or by senior courtiers
• Garden House, Mayfair – official residence of the Commonwealth Secretary-General
• Adelaide Cottage – a royal family property located just 10 minutes' walk from the King's residence in Windsor, now the home of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children

Northern Ireland

• Hillsborough – official ministerial residence for the Northern Ireland Secretary

• Bute House, Charlotte Square, Edinburgh – official residence of the First Minister of Scotland
• Tulliallan Castle, Kincardine, Fife – official residence of the Chief Constable of Police Scotland
• Moderator's Flat, Rothesay Terrace – official residence of the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

In popular culture

Mary Treadgold's novel for children, The Winter Princess (1962), concerns a child who comes to stay in a grace and favour apartment at Hampton Court.^[6][7]

Gallery

• 
  View of numbers 10, 11, and 12 Downing Street – official residences of the First Lord of the Treasury (Prime Minister), Second Lord of the Treasury (Chancellor of the Exchequer), and the Chief Whip
• 
  Chequers – official country residence of the Prime Minister
• 
  Admiralty House – official ministerial residence
• 
  Admiralty Arch – formerly an official ministerial residence
• 
  Hillsborough Castle – official ministerial residence for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• 
  Palace of Westminster – housing the official residences of the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker of the House of Lords

See also

• Royal Parks of London

References