Discover the loveliest places to stay in the realm. You might choose to explore a 400-year-old fortress commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I, a converted wartime bunker with sweeping sea views, or Sandringham's Victorian water tower. Stay amid the gardens of Balmoral, or in a former royal kitchen house at Hampton Court Palace. Two mountain bothies in the Scottish Highlands even offer stays free of charge. Further afield is the King's personal retreat in Transylvania, where his private apartment is available to paying guests.

Most properties stand on royal estates, while others have ceremonial ties to the monarchy, such as the island of Sark, the last fiefdom of the British crown. They open up a world usually admired from behind the railings. Specially commissioned photographs, archival images and meticulously researched essays bring architecture, gardens and characters to life, tracing centuries of royal influence. Contact details for each place help turn the journey on the page into a real holiday.

A Kingdom of Cottages is much more than a royal travel guide. From region to region, the book explores the houses, histories and landscapes, revealing that a room key can offer a surprising new way to get to know the British monarchy.