Sandringham has been the country residence to four generations of sovereigns, and it remains an essential retreat for the Royal Family, well away from the daily glare of public life. Beginning as a smaller property, extended over the years with the growing needs of the Royals, it remains a reasonably modest house but sufficiently grandiose for entertaining close friends.

The name Sandringham originated from a shortened version of 'Sant Dersingham', the sandy part of Dersingham, which can be found in the Doomsday Book of 1086, and there is known to have been a dwelling on the site since 1296. When the Prince of Wales, and future King Edward VII, moved to Sandringham in 1863 with his new wife Princess Alexandra of Denmark, it was a comfortable Georgian home, dating from the latter part of the 18th century. Two new houses were built on the estate, York Cottage providing accommodation for guests, and Park House for members of the household. Park House was later leased by the Spencer family and was the Birthplace of Lady Diana Spencer. Before long it was decided to demolish the main house, and by 1870 a new home had been built to the designs of A J Humbert, with the addition of a grand ballroom eleven years later.

This delightful neo-Jacobean style house, fronted with red brick and dressed with sandstone, has a gabled roof and picturesque turrets. With visitors arriving from all over the world, it was important that it be decorated in the latest style and Charles Carrington, the lifelong friend of Prince Edward, described Sandringham as "the most comfortable house in England". An impressively decorated porch (or porte-cochere) on the east front leads into the vast saloon. This splendid and spacious room, styled along the lines of a Jacobean Hall, has been completed with a magnificent hammer beam roof and a beautifully carved Minstrels' Gallery, supported by three well-proportioned arches. In 1938 genuine Jacobean chimneypieces of carved stone were installed to replace the original Victorian fireplaces at either end of the room.

In the old house, two rooms were brought together for use as a drawing room with such pleasing effect that it was decided to provide a similar arrangement in the present house at Sandringham. Not only was this an area to display an enviable collection of semi-precious stone figurines, but the room itself is a masterpiece to be admired, with craftsmen being brought from Italy to undertake the classical decoration. Not unlike any family home, there are many objects reflecting the various interests pursued by individual members, including sport, horses, guns and associations with the sea, as well as numerous gifts accumulated from Royal tours. Perhaps among the most notable, certainly for sheer number and diversity, is the collection of clocks in the house - around 180 in total, all now keeping good time. Until 1936 the clocks were set on 'Sandringham time' which was half an hour ahead of GMT.

The Royal Family has set many trends at Sandringham. In 1900, King Edward VII, was the first British monarch to own and drive a motor car, and in 1932 King George V made the first radio broadcast, live from Sandringham. Princess Alexandra also established schools of woodwork and needlework for the estate workers children.

Surrounded by woods, heath and arable lands, totalling some 20,000 acres, there is plenty to keep the average family occupied for a full and enjoyable day. It is much more than just a fine stately home with grounds, it is a gloriously self-contained community that is ever striving to improve visitor facilities, but at the same time retaining its privacy when the Royal Family are in residence.