The grounds, gardens, exhibits, gift stores, and coffee shop of the Royal Family’s Scottish vacation residence, Balmoral Castle, will be available to the public every day beginning on Friday, April 1, and running through Tuesday, August 2. The Balmoral audio tour is available in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, and Spanish and is a great way to take it easy while seeing the gardens, exhibits, and Ballroom.
If there are Covid limitations in place, guests will be requested to abide by them. And it will last about an hour. The Castle’s grandest and most impressive chamber, the Ballroom, is the focal point of the tour. The Ballroom is the sole public section in the palace, while the rest of the palace is used exclusively by Her Majesty.
Visit our newly renovated Mews Gift Shop after your tour for a large selection of Scottish and Royal goods. The Coffee Pod, located near the Main Gates, and the brand new servery in the Pipers Hall both sell light snacks.
History of Balmoral Castle
Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, As with Queen Victoria’s acquisition in 1852, it has served as the official Scottish home of the British Royal Family. From April through July, the public may visit the estate when the Queen and her family are there for the summer. When the Queen and her family often spend the summer there. The present Balmoral Castle dated back to 1855 and was created by Prince Albert and Aberdeen architect William Smith for Queen Victoria. The Castle Ballroom, the biggest room in the Castle, is the only one exposed to the public and is utilized as an exhibition area. Even though the Queen’s private quarters are off-limits to the public, the Castle is nonetheless utilized for official events while the royal family is in residence.
Beginning under Prince Albert’s direction, the gardens have been nurtured and built upon by subsequent generations of the British royal family. When Balmoral Castle is accessible to the public, visitors may stroll around the formal grounds and see the many Victorian interiors has altered little since Queen Victoria used it as a retreat to write her diaries and handle State mail.
Since 1852, when Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband, purchased the Farquharson family’s Balmoral estate and Castle, it has served as a royal retreat for the British monarchy. The first Balmoral Castle was quickly outgrown, giving rise to the present structure. Prince Albert made changes to the plans drawn out by architect William Smith of Aberdeen. Despite being referred to as “Crown Estate,” Balmoral is still the Queen’s personal property.
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The Scottish baronial style is on full display at this Castle, which has been designated a category A listed building by Historic Environment Scotland. In 1856 work was finished on a new castle, and the old one was torn down soon after. Over the years, members of the royal family have continued to expand the Balmoral Estate, which is currently over 50,000 acres in size (20,000 hectares). Herds of deer, Highland cattle, and ponies are kept on this estate together with grouse moors, woodland area, and farming.
One of the best episodes of Season 4 of The Crown takes place in Balmoral Castle in Scotland, the official summer house of the British Royal Family. Lady Diana Spencer’s savvy trip to the rural estate is shown, and Margaret Thatcher’s struggles are chronicled in a film appropriately named “The Balmoral Test.” The episode sheds light on the season’s three most prominent female characters. Putting aside the mystery and tension, the episode’s location is breathtaking. What follows is a comprehensive guide for the design enthusiast, covering the holiday palace’s history, architecture, interiors, and gardens.
Scottish baronial and Gothic revival describe its architectural style. Since Prince Albert’s acquisition of Balmoral, the royal family has found themselves forced to live in a much larger and less comfortable residence. While a new castle was being constructed, King and Queen Victoria moved in with their children there. In 1856, when construction was finally finished, the previous Castle was torn down. John and William Smith, a father-and-son architectural team, designed and constructed the replacement (who were both Scots). It was built with native granite and split into two wings that each center on a courtyard. The clock tower with its turrets is still a prominent landmark.
Albert’s input was invaluable throughout the design phase. The main farmhouse and other outbuildings on the site were all constructed under his supervision. After the death of the prince in 1861, Queen Victoria had many cottages constructed on the property, some of which are still in use today. The property dates back to the 19th century, and it is now a Grade A historical landmark.
Conclusion
This is Balmoral Castle, one of the summer palaces of the British royal family. Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband, bought the ancient palace in 1852. It was demolished to make place for the present-day palace of the monarch. Balmoral is entirely inside Cairngorms National Park.
Herds of Highland cattle, ponies, and deer roam freely among the farms, woodlands, grouse moors, and formal gardens that occupy a whopping 50,000 acres. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, used an army-loaned bulldozer to dig up the lake at Balmoral. Red squirrels, native to Scotland, also do well in this environment. Members and business customers may use the estate’s cricket field and nine-hole golf course.