The ski resorts beloved by European royalty – and how to visit yourself
Whether it’s the altitude, fresh mountain air or molten cheese, there’s something about skiing that seems to liberate blue-blooded royals. From a youthful then-Prince Charles in 1980 sporting a fake moustache, nose and glasses for photographers in Klosters, Switzerland, to a spirited Prince and Princess of Wales engaged in a snowball fight in Courchevel, France, in 2016, the snow appears to unleash our Royal family’s playful nature.
Skiing is by no means the preserve of British royalty – winter holidays in Europe’s finest resorts are rooted in regal society across the globe. The Dutch royal family have visited Lech each year since the 1950s, the Spanish royals have been fans of Baqueira Beret since 1980, the Danish Crown Prince and Princess own a chalet in Verbier and Morrocco’s royal family share an affinity for Courchevel with Prince William and Catherine.
Following the Waleses’ recent visit to a glamorous resort with their three children, we chart the ski resorts with the royal standard, and share how to visit.
Courchevel, France
With its constellation of five-star hotels, sumptuous chalets and Michelin-star restaurants, Courchevel boasts a history of royal patronage that includes Princess Caroline of Monaco, King Mohammed VI and Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco, and the House of Saud.
Boasting 150km (93 miles) of manicured local pistes, the chic French resort was chosen by the Prince and Princess of Wales for their first family ski holiday in 2016. The Daily Mail and Mirror reported they returned to the Alps this winter with the Middleton siblings and their families. They are rumoured to have stayed in a private chalet and frequented a local mountain restaurant in the resort, the rustic-chic La Cave des Creux.
Do it yourself
Feel like royalty in unabashed Courchevel luxury at Les Airelles hotel (0033 47900 3838). Doubles cost from €2,600 (£2,180) per night, half board, including a special Alpine experience (minimum five-night stay), while the seclusion of one of three Airelles chalets costs from €190,000 for seven nights, full board, based on 15 adults sharing.
Klosters, Switzerland
The King boasts a long and storied past with Klosters, having considered it his winter home-from-home for more than 45 years. So accustomed is the understated little town to hosting royalty, locals barely raise an eyebrow when they spot King Charles catching up with King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden outside the Coop or swapping tales of off-piste derring-do with Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark.
Home to several under-the-radar chalets favoured by regal types for their seclusion, Klosters’ most beloved hotel is the 12-room Chesa Grischuna, whose guest book includes the likes of King Charles, Winston Churchill and Audrey Hepburn. Follow in the monarch’s footsteps by inviting the Palmer-Tomkinsons, who first introduced him to skiing in Klosters, to show you the resort with their family-run company PT Ski.
Do it yourself
PT Ski (020 7736 5557) offers Chesa Grischuna for seven nights from £1,630pp, B&B, including airport transfers, piste hosting and concierge service.
Lech, Austria
Multiple generations of the Dutch royal family have honed their ski skills in the genteel resort of Lech. The picturesque Alpine town first caught the eye of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard during a summer visit in the early 1950s, after which they started a tradition of holidaying in Lech every February, staying at the traditional Gasthof Post hotel. The family-run hotel has form when it comes to regal patronage, having also hosted royalty from Norway, Monaco and Jordan.
The House of Orange-Nassau’s annual pilgrimage to the Arlberg has continued despite the tragic loss of Prince Johan Friso, who was caught in an avalanche while skiing off-piste above Lech in 2012 and subsequently succumbed to his injuries the following year. Lech was also Princess Diana’s preferred resort, and where the world watched her take Princes William and Harry skiing in 1991.
Do it yourself
The boutique Aurelio Hotel (0043 5583 2214) is situated piste-side just above Lech, with a celebrated restaurant and indulgent spa. Doubles cost from €780 (£654) per night, half board.
Verbier, Switzerland
Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark are passionate and accomplished skiers, so it’s little surprise that their go-to resort is Verbier. Believed to have owned a chalet in the resort for over a decade, they sometimes stay for months at a time, with their four children attending the Verbier International School for a brief stint.
The Duke and Duchess of York also owned a chalet here, enjoying countless family holidays in Verbier, often joined by Princes William and Harry (who was rumoured to have held his stag do here in 2018). The Swiss resort, known for its challenging off-piste and pumping nightlife, is also where Princess Eugenie first met Jack Brooksbank in 2010, who was working in the resort at the time.
Do it yourself
Verbier Exclusive (01608 674 011) offers stays at Verbier’s hottest new chalet – Chalet Kitsilano – from CHF29,000 (£25,777) for seven nights for up to 10 guests, including catering and driver service.
Baqueira Beret, Spain
Favoured by several generations of the Spanish royal family since King Juan Carlos I first visited in the 1980s, Baqueira Beret is the winter address for Spain’s well-to-do. The current monarch, King Felipe VI, is often spotted carving down the resort’s 170km of slopes in the company of other royals, such as Prince Kyril of Bulgaria, or with his family, Queen Letizia and their two daughters. Regarded as an honorary local, King Felipe is a fan of the cosy restaurant El Fogòn del Valle, which serves traditional Aranese specialities such as longaniza sausage, stuffed peppers and pistachio tart.
Do it yourself
Emerald Stay (020 4571 8891) offers the five-bedroom Chalet Enza, a chic self-catered property in the sought-after Pleta Arriù enclave, from €1,026 (£863) per night, based on 10 guests sharing. Fly to Toulouse with British Airways from £102 return.
St Moritz, Switzerland
St Moritz is such a royalty magnet it’s almost easier to list the sovereigns who haven’t skied here than those who have. Notably, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands enjoyed their honeymoon here and have visited frequently since with their three daughters.
Prince Albert II of Monaco first discovered his passion for the bobsleigh in the 1980s on the St Moritz Bobsleigh Club course, before going on to compete in five Olympic Games as a bobsleigh pilot. Known to swoop in by private jet, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and their two children are St Moritz fans and, reportedly, members of the prestigious invitation-only Corviglia Ski Club.
Do it yourself
The sumptuous Suvretta House (0041 81836 3636) is the Swedish royal family’s favourite hangout. Doubles cost from CHF630 (£560) per night, half board. Fly to Zürich with easyJet from £115 return.
Méribel, France
More down-to-earth than neighbouring Courchevel, Méribel sits at the heart of the expansive Trois Vallées ski area and is a Middleton family favourite. The Prince and Princess of Wales were spotted on the slopes here in 2012, joining a Middleton family holiday, and it’s said that the Princess celebrated her sister Pippa’s hen party in the resort in 2017 (while William was spotted partying in Verbier on a boys’ ski holiday).
Rumour has it that the Princess and her sister enjoyed a secret holiday in Méribel in 2023, before returning to the Trois Vallées this winter with their families. The Duchess of Edinburgh is also a regular in Méribel in her capacity as patron of the UK Armed Forces Winter Sports Association, enthusiastically cheering on participants in the annual Inter-Services Snow Sports Championships.
Do it yourself
Leo Trippi (01285 366030) offers the secluded six-bedroom Les Trois Ours chalet, located on Le Doron piste with an outdoor hot tub and private cinema, from €29,000 (£24,388) per week, including catering and driver service, based on 10 adults sharing.
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