Being a member of the royal family means There is little privacy here.
You can't walk into a corner store or wander around a market anonymously – if you leave your home, a crowd will soon follow you.
So you can't blame the royals for wanting to avoid the spotlight.
Balmoral in the Scottish Highlands was one of those places that the late Queen Elizabeth loved for precisely this reason and where she truly felt at home.
Another – perhaps less well known to some – was not on land. but at sea.
Queen Elizabeth II adored the now-retired royal yacht Britannia, and the vessel was used for everything from official royal tours to private celebrations.
Opened in 1953, just months before the Queen's coronation, it has hosted many dignitaries and world leaders during its 44 years of service. Britannia has hosted world leaders such as Sir Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Ronald Reagan and Rajiv Gandhi.
At the time of its construction, it was estimated to cost £2 million, which, adjusted for inflation, is around £50 million in today's money.
In fact, she loved it so much that she even shed a rare tear in public when it was decommissioned in 1997, calling it a place “where I can really relax.”
The Royal Yacht Britannia was often regarded as a royal palace on water and was a favourite among the Royal Family. During her four decades of service, she travelled over a million nautical miles and was used on 968 state visits.
It was built by John Brown and Co. at the same Scottish shipyard that built the famous ocean liners Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary. Plans were first submitted in 1952, and HMY Britannia’s original purpose was to help keep King George VI – the late Queen Elizabeth’s father – healthy while he travelled. He tragically died just two days later, on 6 February.
The yacht was built and launched just two months before the Queen's coronation in 1953. She used a bottle of wine (not champagne) to do the honours without appearing too frivolous.
During her 44 years sailing the world's seas, the yacht hosted royal holidays and honeymoons, including Charles and Diana's honeymoon in 1981. The royal family also used her for an annual trip to the west coast of Scotland.
The late Queen's favourite room on board was the Sun Room, where she enjoyed breakfast and afternoon tea.
By 1997, the ship had become too expensive to operate, costing a staggering £11m a year. The cost of repairs was set at £17m, and Tony Blair's new Labour government was unwilling to commit public funds to replace the Britannica.
Her late Majesty's beloved boat has been decommissioned.
Now, as a floating museum, the British can see it in all its glory. And the late Queen's legacy lives on in many ways on board. Since December 1997, the clock has read 15:01 – the moment the Queen stepped ashore for the last time after the ship's decommissioning ceremony.