Balmoral Castle

The public can visit the Balmoral estate grounds, gardens, and exhibitions, but access inside the castle itself is very limited. The estate is typically open to visitors from spring through early August, before the royal family arrives for their summer stay.

Balmoral Castle is privately owned by the British royal family, not a Crown property, having been purchased by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1852. It is personally owned by the monarch as a private estate, distinct from Crown Estate properties.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert purchased the Balmoral estate in 1852 from the Farquharson family. The current castle building was commissioned by Albert and completed in 1856, as the original structure was considered too small.

Balmoral Castle is located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, near the village of Crathie in the Royal Deeside area. It sits along the River Dee and is approximately 50 miles west of Aberdeen.

Yes, Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96. Her family gathered at Balmoral in her final days, and her coffin was first taken to Edinburgh before being transported to London for the state funeral.

The current Balmoral Castle was designed by Aberdeen architect William Smith, with input from Prince Albert himself. It was built in the Scottish Baronial style from local granite and completed in 1856, replacing the earlier 15th-century tower house.

The Balmoral estate covers approximately 50,000 acres (about 20,000 hectares) of the Scottish Highlands, including mountains, forests, moorlands, and farmland. The estate also includes working farms, herds of Highland cattle, and grouse moors.

Yes, Balmoral is relatively close to the village of Braemar, which hosts the famous Braemar Gathering, one of Scotland's most well-known Highland Games. The royal family traditionally attends the Braemar Gathering during their summer stay at Balmoral.