Watch: Archive footage of the Royal Family at Balmoral

Remarkable British Pathé footage shows the Royal Family, including Queen Elizabeth and newborn Prince Andrew, arrive at their Scottish castle in 1960.

Every year, her Majesty made the journey up to Balmoral to enjoy some rest and recuperation. In the footage below, the family can be seen enjoying the games and relaxing around Balmoral.

The Royals arrive with corgis in tow and the newborn Prince Andrew. Andrew Albert Christian Edward Mountbatten-Windsor was born in the Belgian Suite of Buckingham Palace on 19 February 1960, the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Balmoral Castle

Balmoral Castle is a large estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, owned by Queen Elizabeth II. It is located near the village of Crathie, 6.2 miles (10 km) west of Ballater, and 6.8 miles (11 km) east of Braemar.

Balmoral has been one of the residences of the British royal family since 1852, bought from the Farquason family by the royals Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Soon after the estate was purchased by the royal family, the existing house was found to be too small and the current Balmoral Castle was commissioned. 

The castle is an example of Scottish baronial architecture and is classified by Historic Environment Scotland as a category A listed building. The new castle was completed in 1856 and the old castle demolished shortly thereafter.

The Balmoral Estate has been added to by successive members of the royal family, and now covers an area of approximately 50,000 acres (20,000 ha). It is a working estate, including grouse moors, forestry, and farmland, as well as managed herds of deer, Highland cattle, and ponies.

British Pathe describes the footage as "remarkable footage of the Royal family on holiday in 1960 at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Don't miss a newly born Prince Andrew, Duke of York being pushed in the pram by Queen Elizabeth II with her corgi dogs by her side."

Have a look, courtesy of British Pathé

* Originally published in Feb 2020.