Firstly, Balmoral is so large it’s almost its own ecosystem: mountains, forests, valleys, arable pastures, lochs, grouse moors, and gardens make up the varied topography. Successive members of the royal family have added to the estate, now adding up to a total 53,680 acres of land and 150 buildings, including King Charles III’s house at Birkhall, Craigowan Lodge, and several other cottages (one, reportedly, is a secret hideaway of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge).
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Balmoral is also a working estate — deer stalking, grouse shooting, forestry, and farming all take place on the land. Queen Elizabeth II often used to ride on horseback or drive her beloved Range Rover over its rugged terrain — occasionally with terrified dignitaries inside. The rest of the family has been said to enjoy fishing, hunting, picnicking, and barbecuing, and Prince Philip was allegedly quite the grill-master during summer holidays.
That said, British monarchs aren’t the only protected residents at Balmoral; many endangered red squirrels live on-site and, if you’re so inclined, you can watch them cavort around the estate via a live feed. Then, of course, there’s the royal frolicking. Balmoral has hosted some spectacular royal soirees over the years, including Prince Harry’s 32nd birthday party, and shooting parties are a regular occurrence – glamorous guests and all.
Traditionally, the Ghillies Ball reigns supreme; an annual late-summer tradition hosted by the monarch for the family – and, perhaps most importantly, staff – to mark the end of their yearly stay, beloved for its reel and piper celebrations, as established by Queen Victoria in 1852.
That’s not to say everyone who goes to Balmoral enjoys themselves. Many four- and five-star tourist reviews aside, Tony Blair said his visits were ‘a vivid combination of the intriguing, the surreal, and the utterly freaky,’ and remembered consuming drinks with the strength of ‘true rocket fuel,’ which presumably helped. Margaret Thatcher didn’t fare much better: one official told the Guardian ‘she couldn’t get away fast enough.’
In the 1980s, Balmoral was also the place where Princess Diana and Prince Charles had their honeymoon (although reports suggest it wasn’t quite the romantic getaway one might have dreamed up) and, as Prince Harry and Prince William revealed in the HBO documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, it’s also the place they last spoke to their mother before she died.
Speaking of her own time at Balmoral, however, Princess Eugenie has always reflected fondly of summers spent with her family. ‘Walks, picnics, dogs — a lot of dogs, there’s always dogs — and people coming in and out all the time,’ she recalled. ‘It [was] a lovely base for Granny and Grandpa, for us to come and see them up there, where you just have room to breathe and run.’
Today, Balmoral is open to the public from the 28th of March through August, where visitors can stroll through gardens and peek into the castle’s grand ballroom. Those looking for the full royal treatment can even book one of the several guest cottages on the grounds (corgis not included).
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.houseandgarden.co.uk ’
