The first sign we’re entering somewhere special appears as we steer our rental car through black gates emblazoned with a golden Royal Cypher. Curious dog walkers, also entering the forest, try to peer through the windows to see which member of the Royal Family may be passing by.
My party and I do have ‘a’ King Charles in the car, my cavalier spaniel, Boo Boo. After being handed the keys to our miniature castle by a welcoming Sandringham Estate host, Boo charges around the large front lawn – a city prince, impressed that his private piece of woodland and home for the weekend.
The Folly at Sandringham is a new-to-rent holiday cottage with royal heritage. It was built in 1871 for former Prince and Princess of Wales, Albert Edward and Alexandra of Denmark, who had previously been gifted the Sandringham Estate by Queen Victoria and Prince Edward. They were renowned for hosting parties (hunting/shooting/carriage drives/picnic kind of parties), and also used it when Sandringham House was overflowing with guests.
The turret was built later, so the royal children to look out to the sea. As the story goes, when the King first saw it, he exclaimed “what a folly!” and the name stuck. It took some time for us to find the turret, which we reached via stone steps from the wrap-around balcony. The bedrooms in the house are relatively inconspicuous, too. The principal, with a king-size bed, sits at the top of a spiral staircase, and has double doors that open onto a balcony. It has an original tiled fireplace (with a vintage photograph of the Folly on the mantel), ambient lamps, and a chaise lounge positioned to look out to the orchard.
Two smaller double bedrooms can be found up another set of stairs off the sitting room. A shared bathroom with twin sinks and a shower-bath makes it perfect for a family with young children.
In the lounge, a deep leather sofa, cosy occasional chairs and William Morris wallpaper set the tone. A small wood burner was thoughtfully stacked with Norfolk wood and charcoal in time for our arrival. There’s an original fireplace in the drawing room, too – a lovely place to read or watch the garden sway to birdsong through open French doors.
We ordered a high-tea delivery ahead of time, and enjoyed it outside – a wistful attempt at reliving the original owners’ tea parties in the 1870s. I picked the finest teapot and cups from the kitchen cupboards and debated whether to place the clotted cream or strawberry jam on my scone first. Later, advised by the guest book recommendation list, we went to the Coach & Horses in Dersingham where we feasted on Stiffkey rock oysters, feta and watermelon salad and saffron risotto in the garden.
Guests of The Folly are free to roam the 20,000-acre Sandringham parkland. A short walk away is a children’s play area, the Sandringham Restaurant, a striped ice cream kiosk and a well-stocked shop. Here, you can also purchase tickets to explore Sandringham House & Garden, which is open to the public between April and October.
Our weekend escapades concluded with a stroll around the parish church (which plays a key role in the Royal Family’s Christmas festivities), and the Toipary Garden which will be home to the first ever RHS Flower Show in 2026. It gave us a window into the lives of famous British royalty, both past and present, and let me live out a dreamlike fantasy for two whole days. This is old-age England at its finest.