Inside Balmoral Castle - Queen Elizabeth II's holiday home

We look at the late Queen Elizabeth's former home away from home and find out what makes Balmoral Castle for the Royal Family.

Join us as we take a look at the castle that has always been somewhat of a sanctuary for the Royals.

Location 

Balmoral Castle is located in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire. This is located in the Northeast of Scotland, meaning the area is mountainous and 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.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with their children, Prince Andrew (centre), Princess Anne (left) and Charles, Prince of Wales sitting on a picnic rug outside Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

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. 

Canadian Governor General Designate Julie Payette meets Queen Elizabeth during a private audience at Balmoral Castle

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 chose to spend so much time there during the year.

The Queen regularly hosted 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 have been Prince Philip's favorite thing about the whole estate.

What really set Balmoral apart for Queen Elizabeth is the freedom it granted her compared to Buckingham Palace. She could go for long, solitary walks where she didn't need to worry about the media, and could even enjoy a sort of quiet normality.

This privilege also extended to the rest of the Royal Family. Harry and Meghan have spent time at Balmoral in the past.

Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle with one of her Corgis.

All in all, Balmoral Castle is estimated to cost about $140 million. 

* Originally published in July 2019, updated in Oct 2022.