The history of Balmoral Castle and Estate

Queen Elizabeth II passes away at Balmoral Castle at the age of ninety-six. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days was the longest of any serving British monarch.

Queen Elizabeth’s love of Balmoral was well reported, and she was known to be particularly fond of the wilderness of the estate, once commenting “You can go out for miles and never see anybody, there are endless possibilities.”

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Queen Elizabeth II had a strong connection to Scotland, and the news of her passing reverberated around the country. At Holyrood, Scotland’s Parliament, flags were flown at half-mast as a mark of respect. Ballater, nearby Balmoral, became a hub for those who wanted to pay respects and visit an area that was so close to the late Queen’s heart. In a 2016 documentary, her granddaughter, Princess Eugenie, shares that Balmoral was where the Queen was at her “most happy.”

On this day, King Charles III, formerly known as the Duke of Rothesay, becomes King upon the passing of his mother.

The now King has had an active role in public life for decades, establishing more than 20 charities over 40 years. He is particularly enthusiastic about causes relating to sustainability, the arts and education, and has been instrumental in shaping Balmoral’s New Era.

Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Diamond Jubilee in London. She is the first British Monarch to reach the historic milestone. At Balmoral, there was a special Jubilee party, with the unveiling of a special edition Lochnagar Whisky for the occasion.

The future Monarch, Prince George, is born. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge continue to visit Balmoral over the summer, continuing the tradition of visiting Balmoral Castle as family retreat for a new generation.

A cairn created by Gillian Forbes is unveiled at Balmoral to commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee. 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Future Monarchs, are married at Westminster Abbey, with around 2,000 family, friends and special guests in attendance.

Queen Elizabeth II’s mother, Queen Elizabeth (affectionately known as ‘The Queen Mother), passes away at the age of 101 at Royal Lodge, Windsor.

The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William of Wales, future Monarch, is born at St Mary’s Hospital, London.

In 1931, the original castle gardens were opened to the public for the first time and are now open daily between April and the end of July.

Princess Elizabeth, Future Monarch was born at 2.40am at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London, the home of her maternal grandparents, the Earl, and Countess of Strathmore.

The ornate wrought iron gates that guard the entrance to the royal estate today are commissioned by King George V and Queen Mary in the 15th year of their reign.

The initials on the gates are GR which stands for George Rex and MR for Mary Regina and were made by a local blacksmith.

This same year, the golf course was designed and was exclusively for the Royal Family and Estate Staff. Today it is open to the public during certain times of the year.

In 1923 Queen Mary adds the formal gardens to the south of Balmoral Castle. They are reached through gates with the sovereign’s initials, and today they also have Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s initials on them. This is the first time a new monarch has added their cyphers to the gates, which now appear alongside those of his Great Grandparents.