BALMORAL CASTLE

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BALMORAL CASTLE

Balmoral is a 50,000 acre estate and the private Scottish home of the British Royal Family. It was purchased from the Farquharson family by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria in 1852, close to the Highlands they both loved.  The current castle, a classic example of Scottish baronial architecture, is new - Victoria and Albert had it constructed between 1853 and 1856; the old castle was then demolished. There is limited public access to the grounds, gardens and exhibitions (including access to the castle ballroom only) between spring and early summer, when the Royal Family is not in residence. Apart from the ballroom, the castle is not open to the public.  Cottages in the grounds can also be hired.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral on 8 September 2022.  She had habitually spent her summers there, with her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh (until his death in 2021) and family.  The Queen and the Prince spent their last, 73rd, wedding anniversary there in 2020.  It was a place of happy memories for the Queen, from the time she first visited her grandparents, King George V and Queen Mary, there when she was a small child.

The Queen accepted Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s resignation and invited his successor, Liz Truss, to form a government at Balmoral on 6 September 2022, just two days before Her Majesty’s death.

The Royal family often worship at nearby Crathie Kirk and are familiar faces in the village of Ballater.

Region/Nation
Location/Address
Crathie
Nr Ballater
County
Aberdeenshire
Post Code
AB35 5TB
Main Historic Period
Victorian
Useful Website Address
Primary Management
Independent – Historic Houses member

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