Queen Elizabeth II made the journey as usual, arriving on 21 July; and while ordinarily, she would have returned to Buckingham Palace to swear in the new Prime Minister Liz Truss last Tuesday, her declining health necessitated the event to take place at Balmoral. Then, yesterday, members of the Royal Family rushed to Scotland to be at her bedside as she peacefully passed away at the age of 96.

She passed away under medical supervision at her beloved Balmoral Castle in Scotland, a place where the queen of England has always felt most comfortable and acted most like her subjects.

Balmoral Castle is located in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire in the Northeast of Scotland – a mountainous area filled with some incredible scenery.No doubt the mystical nature of the area is a huge part of the appeal.

As well as this, the castle is surrounded by Caledonian Pine Forest, adding to the undeniable allure of the terrain located deep into the Scottish highlands.

The secluded, 11-bedroom estate where Prince Philip got engaged to Queen Elizabeth in 1946 was reportedly one of her favorite places in the United Kingdom, let alone the world.The queen and her royal relatives even acted as normal people to a point where the queen enthusiastically washed her dishes.

The secluded, 11-bedroom estate where Prince Philip got engaged to Queen Elizabeth in 1946 was reportedly one of her favorite places in the United Kingdom, let alone the world.The queen and her royal relatives even acted as normal people to a point where the queen enthusiastically washed her dishes.

History 

Balmoral House was built in 1930 by Sir William Drummond. Over the years, ownership of the estate bounced around due to the turbulent political nature of the time. Following Jacobite ownership, the Castle was eventually acquired by Sir Robert Gordon, a diplomat who made many major changes to the Castle’s structure.

Following the death of Gordon in 1847, the house was passed over to Prince Albert, who would own the house, the land, and everyone who worked on the property. He and Queen Victoria quickly fell in love with Balmoral and commissioned architects to upgrade the grounds as well as the castle. 

The castle was seriously upgraded, and quickly became a fully-fledged granite compound truly fit for royalty. Victoria and Albert both played a large role in the rise of Highland culture. They decorated the castle with tartan and proved hugely influential in Scottish culture’s return to prominence in the hearts and minds of the British public.

Located within the boundaries of Cairngorms National Park, Balmoral Estate stretches to 50,000 acres. The estate is home to farmland, deer, ponies, and cattle. 

Queen Elizabeth and Balmoral 

When discussing Balmoral Castle, it is impossible to do so without discussing Queen Elizabeth and her relationship with the estate. Queen Elizabeth’s love of the Castle is well documented, and it is no surprise that she chooses to spend so much time there during the year.

The Queen regularly hosts guests at the castle. Both the drawing room and the study have been used to host dignitaries and special guests. The green interior of both of the rooms is well documented, and the impressive bookshelf located in the study is a real talking point for guests.

As well as this, it is worth noting the importance of Balmoral’s garden. The garden is regularly used for events and garden parties and is alleged to be Prince Philip’s favorite thing about the whole estate.

What really sets Balmoral apart for Queen Elizabeth is the freedom it grants her compared to Buckingham Palace. She would go for long, solitary walks where she wouldn’t need to worry about the media, and can enjoy a sort of quiet normality. This privilege also extends to the rest of the Royal Family. Harry and Meghan have spent time at Balmoral in the past, and it is reported that Archie will soon be introduced to the Castle.

While the area of the Balmoral Estate that the queen resided in were kept private, there are parts of the estate that were open to the public throughout certain times of the year. The grounds, gardens, and gift shops are generally open to the public between April and July.The estate even offers cottages that are open to the public and available to rent at a hefty price. It is worth noting that the cottages may not be available depending on whether or not the Royals will be using them.

Historically, Balmoral has been the site of many momentous royal occasions, both sorrowful and joyous. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip spent their honeymoon there in 1947; a young Prince Charles brought Diana Spencer there in 1980, before they later married and spent their honeymoon at castle’s hunting lodge; and it is said to have been the location for Prince Harry’s 32^nd birthday party. It was also where Princes William and Harry learnt of their mother’s tragic death in 1997.

Dating back to 1390, the 50,000-acre estate was originally bought by Prince Albert as a gift for his wife Queen Victoria, after she had fallen in love with the Highlands on a trip in the autumn of 1842. The couple built the castle in 1856 to house their growing family, and after Albert’s death in 1861, it became Queen Victoria’s sanctuary, amid the sprawling gardens stands a statue of Queen Victoria’s dog, Noble.

When Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip took over the estate, Philip created a large vegetable plot beside Queen Mary’s flower garden. Today, there are 150 houses on the sweeping grounds, including Birkhall, where King Charles spent his honeymoon with the Queen Consort Camilla in 2005. It is also rumoured that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have their own hideaway there, too.

Queen Elizabeth II so loved the area that she named her corgi puppy Muick last year, in tribute to the nearby Coyles of Muick. It was a place she could relax, walking through the hills with her dogs in tow and traversing the grounds on horseback which she did well into her nineties.

Balmoral Castle is a private royal family estate and is estimated to cost about $140 million.