Want to experience the beauty of autumn at a sprawling Scottish castle? Well, you're in luck as King Charles has now given royal fans the opportunity to see the Balmoral estate in all its "autumnal glory" with free entry - but for a limited time only. 

Situated in the midst of the Scottish Highlands, Balmoral Castle is one of King Charles' many royal residences and was a firm favourite of the late monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who would traditionally spend her summers there and also spent the final days of her life at the royal property. 

The estate is steeped in history and is known to be particularly breath-taking during the autumn months. But don't take our word for it, as the Balmoral estate is now officially open and free to visitors - but not for long. 

Balmoral's official Instagram account shared that the estate is now open every day, seven days a week up until 5th November, meaning visitors have the chance to see the grounds in all their "autumnal glory" with free admission. 

The post reads, "We are now open to the public seven days a week, with no admission fee or requirement to book tickets, until Sunday 5th November. Experience the peace, tranquillity and beauty of the castle grounds in all its Autumnal glory and remember to visit the foundation stone!"

The extra days will allow visitors more of a chance to see the grounds in autumn and for any Halloween lovers, you can now also spend 31st October there to explore the sprawling estate. However, from 5th November onwards, the estate will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays throughout the winter period and will no longer be free (as per the website). So if you've booked a trip to Scotland, be sure to factor this into your planning.

The post also warns potential visitors in the coming days that, "there are no audio tours, mobility scooters or access to the ballroom at this time however the mews café and gift shop remain open to visitors from 10:00 until 16:00".

If you were hoping to add a few more stops to your tour of the royal residences this autumn/winter season, Balmoral isn't the only one opening its doors. Sandringham - which is traditionally where the family spends Christmas - is also open to visit, with free admission to The Royal Parkland and Courtyard all year round.

The estate also announced the return of 'Illuminate Sandringham' which sees the grounds lit up with festive lights throughout and will run from 11th November until 24th December. Keep in mind though that tickets will need to be booked in advance!

Queen Elizabeth’s holiday habit has been revealed by a former royal butler and according to him it made it “hard to find her” by the end of her Scottish break.

• The late Queen Elizabeth used to enjoy an annual extended summer holiday at Balmoral Castle and apparently “loved” sleeping with the windows open.
• Former royal butler Paul Burrell has claimed by October it could be “very, very cold” and there were a huge number of blankets being used by Her Majesty.
• This royal news comes as we revealed Queen Camilla's £95 Monica Vinader gold pendant - and Her Majesty has a special connection to the brand. 

This year King Charles and Queen Camilla have chosen to continue the late Queen Elizabeth’s tradition of spending the summer in Scotland and have already kicked off their summer break at the Castle of Mey. Queen Elizabeth was known for spending August-October at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire during her reign and Scotland held a very special place in her heart. So much so that Princess Eugenie once declared on a 2016 ITV documentary, Our Queen at Ninety, that the highlands were where her grandmother was “most happy”. However, Queen Elizabeth’s holiday habit whilst she was in the highlands might not be everyone else’s idea of fun. 

Speaking about Queen Elizabeth’s holiday habit on behalf of Slingo, former royal butler Paul Burrell alleged that she slept with the windows open to make the most of the highland air.

“She loved the fact that her bedroom windows were open every night and she would get the fresh air from the highlands every night,” he claimed, before adding, “From August until early October, she never closed her bedroom windows.”

Queen Elizabeth traditionally spent this period in Scotland enjoying an extended summer break before she returned to England in October and resumed her busy schedule of engagements. And whilst sleeping with the window open might be one of the best tips for how to sleep in the heat, it turns out that her choice wasn’t always that comfortable towards the end of her Scottish holiday.

Paul likened Queen Elizabeth to the titular Princess in the Princess and the Pea fairytale as he explained that “there were that many sheets and blankets and covers and eiderdowns”. This apparently made it “hard to find her” but it was necessary because “sometimes that bedroom was very, very cold” in October.

However, Paul’s remarks seem to suggest that regardless of the temperature and the apparently huge amount of blankets, having the highland air circulating around her room was important to her. Whether King Charles and Queen Camilla will keep Queen Elizabeth’s holiday habit going even in autumn remains to be seen.

Though apparently keeping the windows open at night wasn’t the only small pleasure the late monarch enjoyed at Balmoral. Paul also claimed that she enjoyed picking wild strawberries and eating the literal fruits of her labour at teatime.

“Her summer holidays we’d go to Scotland, walk through the heather with her dogs, with her sister Margaret and pick wild strawberries and bring them back to the castle, bowls of wild strawberries from the hillside and ask the chef to make jam for tea,” he declared. “When they sat at the tea table, they would eat their own jam, the strawberries that they picked and for the Queen, that was who she was.”

This humble and rewarding tradition is perhaps something that King Charles, who’s known for his love of the natural environment and seasonal, local ingredients, could potentially continue. 

There’s a special family tradition Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis could miss out on this summer for a heartbreaking reason. 

• The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children are expected to head to Scotland to spend time with King Charles and Queen Camilla this summer.
• During the late Queen Elizabeth’s reign there was a tradition she upheld for her great-grandchildren that might not happen anymore.
• This royal news comes as Queen Letizia of Spain’s sapphire blue and white bardot dress and platform espadrilles gave us serious holiday outfit inspo! 

Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have been enjoying the freedom of their school summer holidays for almost a month now and they could soon be making the exciting trip from Adelaide Cottage to Scotland. King Charles and Queen Camilla are already understood to be at the Castle of Mey to start their annual summer break. Reports have suggested Their Majesties could then make Birkhall their base and move over to nearby Balmoral Castle for official visits.

Members of the Royal Family are expected to join them like they did during the late Queen Elizabeth’s reign. This includes the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, though there’s a special family tradition Prince George, Charlotte and Louis could potentially miss out on this year. 

Back in 2016, the Princess of Wales opened up on the ITV documentary, Our Queen at Ninety, about something Queen Elizabeth used to do for the Wales kids.

“[Queen Elizabeth] always leaves a little gift or something in their room when we go and stay, and that just shows her love for her family,” Kate said. 

It’s not known what these gifts were or exactly where they were laid out. Though the royal residences where Queen Elizabeth was known to host her wider family were Sandringham at Christmas and Balmoral in the summer. The Wales family regularly went up to Scotland to enjoy quality time with Queen Elizabeth in the summer, with Kate taking photos at some of these gatherings.

If she did leave a “little gift” for Prince George, Charlotte and Louis when they stayed during the summer then this perhaps became something to look forward to. This year will be the first Balmoral summer trip since Queen Elizabeth passed away. It’s possible this family tradition of gifts being left for them is something Prince George, Charlotte and Louis could miss as it was started and upheld by her. 

King Charles could decide to keep it going, though as this was so associated with her and was her thing to do for them, he might prefer not to. He could choose to focus on forging his own traditions with his grandchildren instead. 

His Majesty is understood to be close to the Wales children and even named an arboretum at Birkhall after Prince George when he was born. The BBC’s former royal correspondent, Jennie Bond, expressed her belief to OK! that King Charles “hugely values” the time he gets to spend with his beloved grandchildren. 

"For all his serious ponderings on the state of the world and in spite of his heavy workload, Charles is quite a soppy old thing really and I’m sure he hugely values the time he has available to spend with his grandchildren," Jennie declared.

Summer in Scotland provides the perfect opportunity for King Charles to enjoy time with Prince George, Charlotte and Louis. And whilst they might not get the “little gifts” Queen Elizabeth used to give them, it’s likely their grandfather will be keen to make this a special trip for them. 

For the first time since the death of the late Queen Elizabeth II, the Royal Family will embark on an emotional journey carrying on a tradition that was deeply important to Her Majesty. The family are all expected to join King Charles and Queen Camilla at Balmoral – continuing the family tradition which the late Queen insisted on. And the reports suggest that there’s an open invitation to all of the royals – and that includes Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Prince Andrew.

• The Royal Family will continue a tradition held close to Queen Elizabeth II’s heart as they spend quality time together at Balmoral
• The annual summer holiday this year apparently includes an open invitation from King Charles to his disgraced brother, Prince Andrew, as well as his estranged son Prince Harry
• In other royal news, who was ‘Backstairs Billy?’ The Queen Mother’s favourite aide who is the focus of a new play starring Downton Abbey icon

While there’s been hints that King Charles has been more than happy to put his own spin on being monarch – breaking away from some customs held firm by his late mother – he is set to continue one of her more heartfelt traditions.

Each summer, Her Majesty would abscond to Balmoral in Scotland – usually taking a holiday from August until October.

It was expected that the entire family would join for intervals throughout this time, and it was a sweet way in which the late Queen kept family at the forefront of everything.

Now, it’s being reported that King Charles and Queen Camilla are extending invites to the family to continue this – marking the first summer holidays since the death of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022.

Perhaps inspired by the late Queen’s insistence on the importance of quality time acting as a ‘real’ family – coming together away from duties and the limelight – the King, it’s thought, has excluded nobody from the invite list.

Prince Andrew, for example, is thought to be joining, despite spending the last year or so out of the spotlight amid fallout from his publicised trial with Jeffrey Epstein victim, Virginia Giuffre.

As Andrew – who settled out of court with a clear stipulation that he wasn’t admitting any guilt in the crimes he was accused of – was stripped of his titles and duties, it has been suggested tensions between he and his brother, the King, have been high.

Some reports have even suggested King Charles wants Andrew to leave the Royal Lodge on Windsor, following the news he had been “evicted” from his offices in Buckingham Palace, too.  

Andrew isn’t the only royal invited despite less than cordial relations.

Several reports indicate an “open invitation” has been extended to Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their children.

While improbable the family will travel to Scotland from Montecito, California, it would be a special reunion for the family – who haven’t all been together since Charles’ first time meeting his youngest granddaughter, Lilibet, during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

How do the royals spend summer at Balmoral?

It’ll be a bittersweet time for the family, as Scotland was considered to be one of the late Queen's favourite places on Earth; she and her late husband Prince Philip even spent part of their honeymoon at Birkhall hunting lodge, located on the estate, in 1947.

Princess Eugenie has previously described the relaxing way the family come together at Balmoral, saying on ITV's Our Queen At Ninety, “It's the most beautiful place on earth. I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands.”

She added what you can expect from a summer at Balmoral. “Walks, picnics, dogs – a lot of dogs, there's always dogs – and people coming in and out all the time. It's a lovely base… for us to come and see them up there; where you just have room to breathe and run.”

Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's wedding rings share a special hidden connection.

• Prince Harry's Spare memoir details how Kate and Meghan's wedding bands are connected in a touching yet subtle way. 
• The long-awaited memoir confirms that the pair's rings are made from the same piece of Welsh gold. 
• In other royal news, the reason the Queen was 'furious' at William and Kate's wedding has been revealed. 

Prince Harry's long-awaited Spare memoir details the sweet connection Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's wedding rings share. 

In a passage in the book, Prince Harry recalled his and Meghan Markle's wedding day, with the couple having tied the knot in May 2018 at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. 

He explained that Meghan Markle's wedding band was made from the same Welsh gold that created Kate Middleton's for her wedding to Prince William in April 2011, with the future King and Queen Consort saying their vows at Westminster Abbey.

Harry wrote that Meghan's ring came from "the same hunk of Welsh gold that had provided Kate's", revealing that the late Queen Elizabeth II had given the last of the precious gold to be put to use making the ring. 

"Granny told me that this was nearly the last of it," Harry wrote, adding, "Last of the gold. That was how I felt about Meg."

The special gold used for the Princess of Wales' ring and the Duchess of Sussex's ring is thought to come from the Clogau St David's mine at Bontddu in North Wales, with Welsh gold holding sentimental and historical value for royal wedding rings. 

Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother, Princess Diana, Sophie Wessex and the Queen's younger sister, Princess Margaret, all wore the rare and expensive Welsh gold wedding rings, too. 

Of course, Meghan and Kate's rings are also presents from the late monarch, who passed away in September 2022 at Balmoral Castle. 

Charlotte Leigh, ring expert and jeweler, told The Express, "The Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex were also both gifted wedding rings from Queen Elizabeth II, made from Welsh gold, which has become a royal tradition started by King George VI."

A St James's Palace statement was shared ahead of Kate and William's wedding, detailing the news that her ring would be made from the iconic gold. 

"The wedding ring that Catherine Middleton will wear will be made of Welsh gold. The gold was given to Prince William by the Queen shortly after the couple were engaged," it read. 

The statement highlighted the royal family importance of the precious metal, adding, "It has been in the family's possession for some years and has been in the care of the royal jewellers."

It was later confirmed in another statement that Meghan's ring would also be given the Welsh gold treatment, with Kensington Palace confirming the news. 

The Queen’s cheeky comment following an accidental wardrobe malfunction of her bagpipe player has been revealed, and it’s typically on brand for the late Queen, celebrated for her dry wit. The funny encounter between the two comes as the piper was seen waking King Charles up at Windsor Castle, confirmation that he is continuing the tradition.

• The Queen’s Piper once had an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction, accidentally flashing Her Majesty – something which she responded to with a hilarious quip
• The Queen also arranged for his children to be cared for when his wife was ill with cancer, proving how close they were as Charles continues the tradition of having an official piper
• In other royal news, King Charles’ suit for his Christmas speech honors the subtle, powerful art taught to him by the late Queen

A wardrobe malfunction is embarrassing at the best of times. But to have one in front of Queen Elizabeth, the longest serving monarch in the history of the United Kingdom, is something else altogether.

But that’s just what happened to Scott Methven, who served as the Queen’s piper from 2015 to 2019.

He previously told The Spectator how, on one rather unfortunate day, the wind had lifted his kilt in front of the Queen - revealing him as a “true Scotsman.”

wears under his kilt, with some insisting a true Scot wears… well, nothing.

While one might think the Queen wouldn’t take too kindly to being (accidentally) flashed, it turned out her signature sharp wit and dry humor saved the poor piper further embarrassment.

He revealed that she found it funny, and even cracked a joke, asking him “if it had been a particularly cold morning.”

Not only did the two share jokes, but the Queen had a relatable and compassionate side. Scott revealed that the late Queen had “pulled it out of the bag” for him when his wife was diagnosed with cancer in 2017.

Showing how deeply she cared for those around her, the Queen made sure his two young children were cared for by royal nannies at Balmoral when their mom was in hospital.

The Queen had also arranged for a basket of strawberries and muffins to be sent to her nurses.

The closeness between the Queen and Piper comes as it’s revealed Charles is carrying on the tradition of having an official piper.

Piper Major Burns will continue working for the monarch, after serving Her Majesty the Queen.

Major Burns will be remembered by history because he had the rare privilege to wake the late Queen Elizabeth II on what would be her final morning at Balmoral.

He also had a significant role during the Queen’s funeral, playing a moving lament as the late monarch’s coffin was lowered at Windsor back in September.

Gordon Webster, who was Piper to the Sovereign in the mid to late 1990s, has previously described the experience as "fantastic — the ultimate piping job in the world".

Opening up about the role, he continued as reported by the Mail, “Because the Queen didn't like that you repeated tunes every other day, I probably had about 700 or 800 tunes and they're all [in my head] because as a bagpiper you don't use music."

The tradition of having a piper goes back all the way to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in the 1800s.

When the pair stayed at Taymouth Castle with the Marquess of Breadalbane, he had his own personal piper. Something which was said to have delighted Victoria.

She wrote in a letter to her mother, the Dowager Duchess of Kent, "We have heard nothing but bagpipes since we have been in the beautiful Highlands and I have become so fond of it that I mean to have a piper at Frogmore.”

It’s not the only tradition set by Queen Victoria which the modern Royal Family still follow. It was she who reportedly first started exchanging gifts on Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day.

Princess Anne and Timothy Laurence's marriage has just reached a new milestone as the couple celebrated their thirty-year anniversary.

• The Princess Royal and her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence have been married since 1992.
• However, there is a unique reason why the royal couple couldn't get married in England.
• In other royal news, Prince William ‘unlikely' to ‘ever’ rebuild relationship with Prince Harry and Meghan after betrayal of ‘trust.’

Thirty years ago today, on December 12, 1992, Princess Anne married Sir Timothy Laurence in Scotland. The couple had been dating for almost three years when they got engaged, but Anne's divorce from her first husband, Mark Phillips, was only completed in 1992. 

The couple had been separated for some time, but as her divorce from her first husband, and marriage to her second husband took place in the same year, some eyebrows were raised. This was particularly touched on in Princess Anne's portrayal in The Crown season five when one episode showed the Princess Royal getting upset after telling the Queen she intends to marry Timothy.

However, the Queen's alleged disapproval of the couple's marriage was not the reason that the Princess nearly didn't wed Timothy. 

In 1992, the Church of England did not allow remarriage after divorce if the former spouse was still alive. This meant that Princess Anne wasn't able to get married in England and was forced to cut around this rule by marrying her fiancee in Scotland. This was the first time that a child of the monarch was remarried after divorce and did go against the rules in place by the church at the time. As of 2002, the rules have now changed and become more open to people getting remarried after a divorce. 

Princess Anne and Timothy's wedding was small and took place at Crathie Kirk near the Balmoral estate. This is the church that the Royal Family frequents when they stay in Balmoral for extended periods. 

The couple kept the service relatively small and only invited 30 guests, most of whom were immediate members of the family. The couple then had a reception at Craigowan Lodge, a property located on the Balmoral estate and just one mile from the main castle. The Lodge is the property that the Queen and Prince Philip would often stay in ahead of their main stay at Balmoral Castle.

For her second wedding dress, Princess Anne opted for a shorter white midi dress which she layered a white jacket on top of. The Princess Royal also wore white flowers clipped into her hair and carried a small bouquet of heather. 

The Princess Royal and Timothy have now been married for thirty years and reside happily in the Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire. 

The Princess' two children, Peter and Zara, also live close by with their children - Anne's grandchildren. Zara and Mike Tindall live with their three children, Mia, Lena, and Lucas on the estate. Similarly, Peter Phillips, Anne's eldest child, has a cottage on the estate. Peter has two daughters named Savannah and Isla with his ex-wife Autumn Kelly, who he divorced in 2021.

Kate Middleton and Prince William will move into Windsor Castle at some point, according to royal insiders.

• The Prince and Princess of Wales relocated from London to Windsor with their three children this summer.
• They now reside at Adelaide Cottage, but according to new reports, this will not be their permanent home.
• In other royal news, King Charles won't move into Buckingham Palace for at least another five years.

Kate and William have only just moved into their new home in Windsor, but it seems it won't be their permanent residence.

As the royal couple along with their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis settle into Adelaide Cottage, royal insiders say that they will eventually move into the 1000-year-old Windsor Castle.

According to the Daily Mail, there is a “radical drive to overhaul the vast royal estate,” which includes moving the Prince and Princess of Wales into Windsor Castle. The outlet says that “Charles’s wide-ranging plans include turning Balmoral into a museum to the Queen and moving the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge into Windsor Castle.”

Windsor Castle is the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world. According to the Royal Collection Trust, 40 monarchs have called the palatial space home since it was built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century. Queen Elizabeth used Windsor Castle regularly throughout her reign, though it is thought that King Charles won't spend as much time there. 

Kate and William moved into Adelaide Cottage at the end of summer, before their children started at Lambrook School in September. Kate and William are thought to have opted to move to Windsor to be closer to the school, which is just 15 minutes from their new home.

According to a source, the royals are enjoying being in a more rural location after living in London for so long. "They love that the kids can go out on their bikes and cycle around the estate, and they are all really excited to meet everyone," a friend told PEOPLE. "It's a real little community."

As well as a new school, the Cambridge children have faced many changes in their new home. At their previous home at Kensington Palace, the royal children were cared for by a live-in nanny named Maria Terresa Barrallo. But now, for the first time, Maria is living separately from them.

Kate and William are thought to want to give their children as normal an upbringing as possible and their move has not only given them more space but has also brought them closer to Kate's family, who live in Berkshire.

King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort will end their period of royal mourning today by paying a special visit to Dunfermline, the birthplace of Queen Elizabeth II's wedding dress. 

• King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort will travel to Dunfermline in Scotland on Monday, in celebration of the former town officially becoming a city.  
• The former Royal Burgh, which received the honor of city status in June, also has a special connection to Queen Elizabeth II's wedding dress. 
• In other royal news, Princess Catherine's 'genius' hair trick that keeps her up-dos looking perfect.
  

King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, will visit Dunfermline, the historic city that holds a special link to the late Queen Elizabeth II's wedding dress, as their first official engagement since the period of royal mourning ended. 

The couple is expected to travel to Fife on Monday in celebration of the former Scottish town's new city status, which it was granted in May after establishing itself as one of Europe's fast-growing towns. 

Dunfermline was one of eight towns across the United Kingdom to receive the upgrade as part of the Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours ahead of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June.

King Charles and Camilla will be greeted by local community groups, including schoolchildren and a pipe band, upon arrival. 

His Majesty will also deliver a speech at the City Chambers in recognition of Dunfermline's new city status before he and the Queen Consort head to Dunfermline Abbey to mark the church's 950th anniversary. 

The couple will finish off their busy day by hosting an evening reception in Edinburgh at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where they will be joined by between 200 and 300 guests from various British South Asian communities in Scotland. 

Dunfermline also holds a special connection to Queen Elizabeth II, who died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle last month.

The silk of the Queen's wedding dress for her nuptials to Prince Philip in 1947 was famously woven at the Winterthur Silk Mill, a factory that existed in the historic town between 1932 and 1970. The material for Her Majesty's coronation dress was also spun at the mill.

As a new era begins for King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, the official Royal Family social media accounts have been changed to reflect this.

• The Royal Family Instagram and Twitter accounts have a new profile picture as the mourning period for Queen Elizabeth ends.
• Queen Elizabeth died on 8 September at Balmoral, with King Charles immediately acceding her.
• This follows royal news that Harry and Meghan 'won't be on the Christmas list' this year.

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Family changed their profile picture on Instagram to an image of the official royal coat of arms to mark the mourning period. The Prince and Princess of Wales also changed their profile picture to the same image.

But now, as the mourning period has officially ended, the Royal Family Instagram and Twitter accounts now show a profile picture of King Charles III and the Queen Consort, marking a new era.

The new image shows the couple staring straight ahead, with the King's military medals on full display. The picture was taken at the Balmoral War Memorial in Scotland in May 2020, on the 75th anniversary of VE Day, when the Allied Forces accepted the surrender of Nazi Germany, the beginning of the end of World War II.

William and Catherine have also now updated their profile picture to a sweet snap of them from Ireland several years ago.

On Tuesday, the Royal Family released a heartfelt statement to mark the formal end of Royal Mourning, along with one of Queen Elizabeth's official accession photos, taken back in 1952.

They wrote, "The period of Royal Mourning following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth has now ended. The Royal Family account will continue to reflect the work of The King, The Queen Consort and other members of The Royal Family, as well as remembering the life and work of Queen Elizabeth."

While national mourning for the Queen ended in the United Kingdom on September 20, the Royal Family remained in mourning for the seven days that followed her state funeral last Monday, which was a direct wish from King Charles III.

Many things are set to change following the death of Queen Elizabeth, including bank notes and coins, flags, and post boxes.

King Charles III is 'unlikely' to extend an olive branch to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle despite mentioning them in his first speech as King, according to a royal expert.

• Co-founder of True Royalty TV Nick Bullen claimed that King Charles III will not be extending an olive branch to rejoin the working royals. 
• Meghan and Harry stepped down as senior members of the Royal Family in 2020.
• This follows royal news that King Charles III has been pictured working with the red box at Buckingham Palace for the first time.

During his first speech as King Charles III, the monarch referenced Meghan and Harry, extending his love for the couple as 'they continue to build their life overseas.'

However, while he claims this was a 'family olive branch', Nick Bullen claimed that it is not one to 'encourage them to rejoin the working royals.'

Nick said, "I think they are all very sad that it just didn’t work out. They’re very sad that the Sussexes are living on the other side of the world. And I think Charles is sad he doesn’t get to see his grandchildren as much as he would like.

"Moments like what we’ve seen when they all came together for the queen’s funeral must have heightened that sadness."

Meghan and Harry flew back to the US soon after Queen Elizabeth's state funeral. The couple were reportedly anxious to reunite with their two young children, Archie, 3, and one-year-old Lilibet, after being separated from the toddlers for a full fortnight. 

The A-list couple was coincidently in England on September 8 for a charity tour when news broke that Her Majesty was being monitored by royal doctors at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Just a few hours later, Buckingham Palace released a statement to confirm that the Queen had died 'peacefully' at the age of 96 – marking the end of her reign as Britain's longest-serving monarch. 

It's understood that Prince Harry rushed from London to Balmoral to see his great-grandmother before she passed away, but was unable to make it to the Aberdeenshire estate in time to say goodbye.

The Sussexes extended their stay in the UK following the Queen's death, remaining at Frogmore Cottage so that they could join the Royal Family and the nation in its official period of mourning. 

Kate Middleton has revealed the Queen's touching sign to the public at Balmoral Castle after her death, explaining how Her Majesty was 'looking down on us'. 

• Kate Middleton revealed how the Queen was 'looking down' on her loved ones after her death in a touching exchange with the public on Thursday. 
• The Princess of Wales made the heartwarming observation at Windsor Guildhall on Thursday, during her first public engagement since Her Majesty's funeral on Monday. 
• In other royal news, King Charles III to honor Queen's morning routine by continuing her special tradition.
  

The Princess of Wales has revealed that Queen Elizabeth II communicated with the public posthumously, explaining how she was "looking down on us" by sending a stunning sign to her loved ones in the hours after her death. 

Kate Middleton shared the sweet reflection on Thursday at Windsor Guildhall, where she and Prince William were meeting the hardworking individuals who helped to organize the Queen's committal service. The solemn ceremony, which took place at St. George's Chapel on Monday afternoon,  was the final stage of the Queen's state funeral before her burial beside Prince Philip at Windsor Castle. 

Speaking with the staff and volunteers at yesterday's event, the future King turned to his wife and asked, "In Scotland, how many rainbows turned up? You hardly ever see rainbows up there, but there were five." 

"Her Majesty was looking down on us," Kate replied.

Rainbows also appeared above Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace following the news that the Queen had died aged 96, reflecting the solemn mood of the nation as it grieved the loss of Britain's longest-serving monarch. 

Prince William and Kate Middleton's surprise visit to Windsor Guildhall yesterday marked their first public appearance since the Queen's funeral. 

The Wales’ traveled to the Berkshire town hall to extend their gratitude to the team behind Her Majesty's committal service, meeting with several volunteers and staff from organizations like St. John's Ambulance and the Crown Estate. 

"How difficult was Monday? How challenging was it?" William reportedly asked some of the volunteers. 

The 40-year-old was later heard saying, "It’s been a busy few days but you guys have been doing long hours as well, so thank you so much."

Balmoral Castle was known to be one of the Queen's favorite royal residences and was where she passed away, with King Charles and Princess Anne by her side.  

• Her Majesty loved spending her annual summer break at Balmoral Castle and had known the residence since she was a little girl. 
• The Queen was spending the summer at the Aberdeenshire castle when it was announced that she had been placed under 'medical supervision' amid concerns for her health, just hours before she passed away on September 8, 2022. 
• Balmoral Castle holds decades of royal history within its walls and sprawling grounds, with Her Majesty spending her final weeks there and even breaking royal tradition to appoint Liz Truss as Prime Minister days before she died. 

While the Queen had various royal residences during her time on the throne, Balmoral Castle was a firm favorite and was a place of tradition and special memories for the late monarch. 

From the Royal Family typically enjoying the festive season at Sandringham House in Norfolk before the pandemic changed things in 2020 and 2021, to spending Holyrood Week at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, there are certain times of year where a particular residence was Queen Elizabeth II's home of choice. 

It was at Balmoral that the Queen made herself at home for her annual summer getaway in Scotland. The Queen traditionally spent the time away from Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle from August-October each year, traveling to Aberdeenshire for a relaxing break in the Scottish Highlands. 

Balmoral has been in the British Royal Family since 1852 and is set amongst acres of lush countryside.

As part of her final royal engagement, the Queen welcomed Liz Truss as the new Prime Minister as she took over from Boris Johnson after winning the Tory leadership race against Rishi Sunak. 

The Queen was said to be 'resting more' at Balmoral in light of her ongoing mobility issues and was unable to travel all the way from Scotland to London for the event.

Just days after Her Majesty was pictured meeting with Liz Truss, it was announced by Buckingham Palace that her health was of great concern to her doctors with the news that she had died at Balmoral coming just hours later.

But where is Balmoral Castle, who owns it, and who lived at the residence that was so close to the Queen's heart?

Where is Balmoral Castle?

As you might expect from a royal country residence, Balmoral Castle is far away from any noisy neighbors and is located in the picturesque countryside of Aberdeenshire. Though it's not completely isolated, the village of Crathie is just six miles away, and Inverness is just under two hours away. 

Balmoral is located mid-way between Ballater and Braemar and the nearest train station and airport are in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen airport is where the Queen would fly to when traveling to Balmoral for her trips to the castle. It is also where key members of The Firm arrived via RAF jet when the news broke that Her Majesty was unwell on the last day of her life. 

Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, and Sophie Wessex arrived on the airport tarmac to be transferred to Balmoral just before it was announced that Her Majesty had passed away, with Prince Harry also arriving on a flight to be with the family at the time. 

Who lives in Balmoral Castle now?

No one permanently lives in Balmoral Castle, though it was one of the Queen's royal residences and is often reported to be her favorite. Throughout the many years that the Queen and Prince Philip were married before his sad passing in April 2021, the couple famously spent the summer and early autumn months there each year. It's a well-established royal tradition though sadly last year marked the first Balmoral getaway without Prince Philip by her side. 

It's understood that Prince William, as well as Kate Middleton and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, spent time with the Queen at Balmoral earlier this year, enjoying quality time with the monarch during her final summer break at the estate. 

King Charles and Camilla also spent plenty of time at Balmoral with the Queen during her final summer break there, with the couple having their own Scottish holiday home, Dumfries House, nearby. 

Having plenty of royal guests wasn't an unusual occurrence for Her Majesty, who often hosted her nearest and dearest during her time at Balmoral over the years.

Princess Eugenie and her sister Princess Beatrice have also often spent summers there. Princess Eugenie once reportedly said of the home, in an ITV documentary, "It's the most beautiful place on earth. I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands."

She also revealed that the great outdoors is very much on the agenda during the family visits as she explained, "Walks, picnics, dogs – a lot of dogs, there's always dogs – and people coming in and out all the time. It's 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."

A Brief History of Balmoral Castle

Balmoral Castle was originally bought by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband. Deeside was reportedly recommended to the Royal Family for more pleasant weather. However, the castle was thought to be too small to suit their needs, so they brought in architect William Smith, to redesign the property.

After the deaths of both Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, the Royal Family continued to use the home.

According to the Royal Family website, Queen Mary took a particular interest in the gardens there. She created the flower garden below the south lawn and the castle was modernised with electricity introduced. 

During his life, the Duke of Edinburgh was actively involved in managing Balmoral's estate and created a vegetable garden that adjoins the flower garden, as well as a water garden and a flowered paved walk along the terrace. 

Who owns Balmoral Castle?

Balmoral Castle is a privately owned property and so unlike other royal homes like Windsor Castle, it's not part of the Crown Estate. This is because it was originally bought by Prince Albert, rather than the monarch at the time, Queen Victoria. This means that the property will pass down through this current Royal Family, and will remain their private property. In contrast, Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace are available for the current reigning monarch to live in but do not personally belong to them. 

Inside Balmoral Castle: What does the Queen's Scottish residence look like?

From pictures taken inside the royal residence, Balmoral is decorated rather traditionally. There's plenty of wooden furniture, as well as the iconic green carpet and green couches that have appeared in plenty of official and personal snaps over the years. 

There are reportedly a whopping 52 bedrooms inside Balmoral, as well as a large number of reception rooms, including the one where the monarch often receives guests for official visits. She has also been pictured in her study before, and in the castle's various living rooms, which are decorated in a similarly majestic style.

When spending time inside Balmoral, it's said that the Queen would enjoy a relaxed, laidback existence. So much so that once tourists walking nearby apparently failed to recognize her looking a little more casual than at public engagements, leading to the Queen's hilarious response.

The Queen even did her own washing up at Balmoral, according to royal experts. Prior to Her Majesty's death, Juliet Rieden told Nine News, “This is where she loves to be, this is holiday time for the Queen. She always said this is where she feels most herself and feels most free."

"When they are out having their barbecues, which they love to do out in the grounds of Balmoral – it’s a massive estate, the most beautiful grounds – where they literally set up a barbecue. And afterward, the Queen does the washing up."

What are the Balmoral Castle grounds like?

The castle is set on the Balmoral Estate, which covers a staggering 50,000 acres and is located within the Cairngorms National Park. The estate is made up of a combination of formal gardens, green spaces, and a working estate, which includes forestry land, farmland, and an array of animals, including deer, Highland cattle, and ponies.

The formal gardens cover three acres, and this is where you're supposedly most likely to find the Royal Family relaxing on a pleasant day. There is an array of glasshouses within the grounds, as well as a water garden, and of course, the front lawn up to the castle itself. 

Also located on the grounds is Craigowan Lodge, a mile away from the main house. It is a seven-bedroom home, and was often used during King Charles and Princess Diana's relationship when the pair visited Balmoral.

Is Balmoral open to the public and when can you visit?

For any royal fans looking to see the historic home for themselves, that's completely possible as Balmoral Castle is open to the public each year. The open season typically begins in April and in 2022 it came to an end on Tuesday, August 2. The Balmoral Castle website advises visitors to book in advance. With an Admission Ticket, you can enjoy access to the grounds, gardens, and exhibitions at the castle. 

But if you'd like a hot drink and cake during your visit then why not book the Coffee & Cake Ticket? This includes morning coffee and cake in The Pipers Hall coffee shop and if you want an extra special treat, then the Afternoon Tea Ticket offers a scrumptious afternoon tea too. 

Visitors are only allowed inside one room of the Castle itself, however. Members of the public can go inside the Castle Ballroom, where different exhibitions are held throughout the year. The ballroom is the largest room in the castle and is actually used by the Royal Family for gatherings and dances that the Queen holds during the summer. 

The dances are known as the Ghillies Ball and have been an annual tradition since Queen Victoria's reign, with 2020 and 2021 exceptions due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, though, the rest of the rooms in Balmoral Castle are the monarch's private rooms, and so are not permitted for public viewing.

How much is Balmoral Castle worth?

Unfortunately, it's not actually known how much Balmoral Castle is actually worth, though Tatler have previously reported that it was bought for £32,000 back in 1852, suggesting that in today's money that would be around £4 million. Centuries have passed since then and given the number of rooms it would likely have only increased in value, with British Heritage Travel previously alleging that the Balmoral Castle is estimated to cost around $140 million. 

What happens to Balmoral now the queen has died?

Now that the Queen has passed, it is rumored that King Charles will be turning Balmoral Castle into a museum. A source told the Daily Mail, "Looking at the number of properties and the number of working members of the Royal family, the King will be looking at the properties and asking: 'What value does this give to the public?'"

The source added that it was likely that the Scottish Castle would be adapted to include an exhibition dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II and her incredible 70-year reign. It was also suggested that pieces of her jewelry and iconic outfits worn by Her Majesty at pivotal points in her career would also be put on display in this property. 

At this stage, the future of Balmoral Castle is most certainly still up in the air and it remains unclear if the new King will decide instead to begin using the property himself. Although some royal commentators think that this is also unlikely seeing as Prince Charles owns his own property called Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate. 

Sophie Wessex was reportedly a “soothing” presence to the Queen and became “like a daughter” to her after setting herself “a series of tasks” early on after joining the Royal Family. 

• The Countess of Wessex is said to have been very “close” to her late mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II.  
• The Queen supposedly often invited Sophie to have a “lift” to church with her as she helped her stay “completely calm”. 
• This royal news comes as the unique connection between Princess Catherine and Meghan Markle's outfits at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral was revealed.  

Joining the King, the wider Royal Family and royals and leaders from across the world, the Countess of Wessex paid her final respects to her late mother-in-law at Queen Elizabeth II’s State Funeral and Committal Service on September 19. Later on that day the Queen was laid to rest in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in a private burial attended by just her close family. Sophie Wessex is understood to have had an incredible with the Queen and looked visibly moved during a walkabout at Balmoral viewing floral tributes last week. 

Now it’s been suggested that Sophie and the Queen regularly enjoyed Saturday catch-ups at Windsor Castle and that she became “like a daughter” to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. 

Sophie married the youngest of the Queen’s children, Prince Edward, at St George’s Chapel in 1999 and according to The Sun, a source has claimed that she soon focused on mastering pursuits often favored by the Royal Family.

“In her early days of marriage, Sophie set herself a series of tasks – she’s quite driven and focused like that – of learning how to ride properly, how to fish, how to shoot game and, more recently, carriage driving,” a friend alleged to the publication. 

They added, “She became like a daughter to Her Majesty, they were that close. It was a view that was shared by Prince Philip, who admired Sophie for the way she buckled down to her duties.”

And it seems as though their bond was also forged via their shared love of films and history - especially military history.

“They watched countless films together,” a royal source claimed. “If some particular event or battle caught their imagination, the Queen would sometimes arrange for the Royal Archives - kept at Windsor - to be opened so the two could pore over any relevant documents.”

They went on to suggest that Sophie is “very keen on history” and “proud of her knowledge of military campaigns”, leading to her and the Queen talking for “hours” about whether different generals or admirals made the right move in “some battle or other”. 

Whilst the late Sovereign is also said to have liked spending time with the Countess before church at Sandringham and Balmoral especially as she helped the Queen to feel “calm”. 

A former royal equerry claimed, “If Sophie was staying at Sandringham then you can pretty much guarantee the Queen would ask her – usually last thing on a Saturday night – if she would like ‘a lift’ to the church. And the same happened at Balmoral. The Queen liked to be completely calm before church and she found Sophie’s presence soothing.” 

Sophie and Queen Elizabeth were often pictured enjoying time together at royal events and occasions over the years and their wonderful relationship has often been remarked upon. The Countess of Wessex and the rest of the Royal Family are currently in royal mourning and Sophie’s precious memories of her late mother-in-law are likely all the more treasured as she grieves the loss of such a remarkable monarch. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to return to the US 'almost immediately' after the Queen's funeral, an inside source has revealed. 

• The Duke and Duchess of Sussex 'can't wait' to 'reunite' with Archie and Lilibet when they return to the US, a royal insider has revealed. 
• Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not seen their two young children in a fortnight, after unexpectedly extending their stay in Europe following Queen Elizabeth II's death on September 8. 
• In other royal news, the Prince and Princess of Wales to 'delay' Windsor Castle move to minimize 'disruption'.
  

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are returning to the US 'almost immediately' in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, according to an inside source. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly anxious to reunite with their two young children, Archie, 3, and one-year-old Lilibet, after being separated from the adorable royal toddlers for a full fortnight. 

The A-list couple was coincidently in England on September 8 for a charity tour when news broke that Her Majesty was being monitored by royal doctors at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Just a few hours later, Buckingham Palace released a statement to confirm that the Queen had died 'peacefully' at the age of 96 – marking the end of her reign as Britain's longest-serving monarch. 

It's understood that Prince Harry rushed from London to Balmoral to see his great-grandmother before she passed away, but was unable to make it to the Aberdeenshire estate in time to say goodbye.

The Sussexes extended their stay in the UK following the Queen's death, remaining at Frogmore Cottage so that they could join the Royal Family and the nation in its official period of mourning. They made their first public appearance with the Prince and Princess of Wales two days after the Queen's death, joining William and Kate for a solemn walkabout at Windsor Castle on Saturday, September 10, to greet mourners and view tributes. 

They also attended the Queen's coffin procession to Westminster Abbey on September 14 and a vigil for the late monarch on September 17. The Sussexes' last outing on their UK visit took place at the Queen's state funeral on September 19, which was succeeded by a committal service at St. George's Chapel in Windsor. 

Meghan and Harry have reportedly already started to make their way back to California, where they have resided since their high-profile withdrawal from the Royal Family in January 2020. It's understood that they 'can't wait' to see their children again, after being thousands of miles away from them for half a month. 

"Meghan and Harry are preparing to return to Montecito almost immediately after the funeral, where they’ll be reunited with Archie and Lilibet after being separated for over two weeks," a royal insider told Us Weekly, before adding that it's "the longest amount of time they’ve been apart from their children." 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly spoken to Archie and Lilibet on a daily basis since they've been gone, but are now desperate to be with the junior royals properly after such a long trip. 

"They’ve missed the kids like crazy and have been FaceTiming them every day, but can’t wait to see and hold them again after a poignant few weeks," the source said. 

A beautiful unseen image of the Queen has been released by the Royal Family. The poignant photograph shows Her Majesty dressed down and in one of her favorite locations.

• Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's funeral took place on Monday, September 19, 2022.
• Following the service, the Royal Family's social media pages posted a rare unseen photo of the Queen that showed her in the Scottish countryside.
• In other royal news, this is how Sophie Wessex's outfit paid subtle tribute to Queen Elizabeth II's love of nature.

The new stunning image shows Queen Elizabeth II in her younger years hiking in the Scottish countryside. Her Majesty is dressed down, wearing a tartan skirt and green cardigan. She also holds her coat in one hand and a walking stick in the other. 

The casual image set in the Scottish Highlands is already being praised by fans who love seeing the Queen in this relaxed manner. The Highlands held a special place in Her Majesty's heart, being the place she spent many summers with her beloved Prince Philip. 

Royal fans took to social media to compliment the Royal Family for posting such a lovely final image to mark the official end of the Queen's mourning period.

"What a beautiful picture 🥺🥺 the wonderful Queen Elizabeth II will never be forgotten and will always be loved by everyone! May she rest in peace 🙏🏻❤️❤️❤️❤️" said one commenter. "Wonderful....back home walking the mountains forevermore," said another.

"Lovely photo with the river Dee behind her up at her Balmoral estate," said an eagle-eyed fan who recognized the land surrounding the Queen's Scottish home, Balmoral Castle.

Wearing her trademark headscarf, the Queen was often known to sport this style while riding, or out walking in the countryside in Scotland.

As a mark of respect on the day of her funeral, one of the Queen's headscarves was placed on the saddle of her favorite pony, Emma.

This was one of the many subtle tributes that were made to the Queen during the funeral. Other key moments from the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II have been documented, including Princess Charlotte’s sweet tribute to the Queen as the young royal wore a horseshoe-shaped diamond brooch that was allegedly given to the young royal by the Queen herself.

The state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II today sees 2,000 people from across the world join at Westminster Abbey to pay their respects to Britain's longest-serving monarch. International royals, world leaders, and high-profile celebrities are all at the historic service. 

• Around 2,000 guests are attending Queen Elizabeth II's funeral at Westminster Abbey
• World leaders, foreign dignitaries, and international royals have traveled to London to pay their respects to Britain's longest-serving monarch. 
• Here's how to send condolences to the Royal Family following Queen Elizabeth II's death.
  

Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral is being held today, Monday, September 19, at Westminster Abbey in London, eleven days after the 96-year-old monarch died peacefully at Balmoral Castle. 

Nearly 2,000 people are in attendance, with invited guests traveling from as far as New Zealand to honor the legacy of Britain's longest-serving sovereign and to pay their respects to the Royal Family. 

Members of the public also gathered on the streets to watch The Queen's coffin travel from Westminster Hall to Westminister Abbey, with accommodations made for large crowds to watch the historic event. 

The funeral commenced at 11am at Westminster Abbey, almost 12 hours after the miles-long queue to see the Queen's Lying-In-State was officially closed on Sunday night.

Which Royal Family members are attending the Queen's funeral? 

All four of Queen Elizabeth II's children, including King Charles III, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward, are attending their beloved mother's state funeral. Their respective spouses – Camilla, the Queen Consort, Sir Timothy Laurence, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, are also present. 

The Queen's second youngest son, Prince Andrew, is also in attendance with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. 

All of the Queen's grandchildren, including Prince William, Price Harry, Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor, and James, Viscount Severn are also present.

Prince William's wife, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, and Prince Harry's wife, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, are also present. Some of the Queen's 12 great-grandchildren, including Prince George and Princess Charlotte, are at the ceremony. However, it's understood that Prince Louis as well as the children of Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie are not.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children, Archie and Lilibet, are also not at the service. 

A number of Queen Elizabeth II’s cousins, including the Duke of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester have joined the congregation. 

Which foreign Royals are attending the Queen's funeral? 

Several members of European, African, and Asian royalty were also invited to The Queen's funeral. 

It's understood that Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia, the Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway, and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark are in attendance, as well as Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco. 

The King of Bhutan, the Crown Prince of Bahrain, the Sultan of Brunei, and the King of Jordan also traveled to London to pay their respects to The Queen. Other international royals in attendance include the King of the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Crown Prince of Kuwait, the Salman of Saudi Arabia, the King of Tonga, and the Sultan of Oman. 

Which world leaders are at the Queen's funeral? 

As Britain's Head of State for over seven decades, the late Queen Elizabeth II met with hundreds of world leaders during her record-breaking reign. 

Her Majesty's state funeral sees the UK host one of the largest gatherings of foreign dignitaries of the century. Representatives from every G7 country have flown into London to pay their respects to the late monarch.

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska are all present.

UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was received by the Queen at Balmoral just two days before the monarch passed away is also in attendance.

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon and Ireland's Prime Minister, Taoiseach, Micheál Martin are also at the service, along with India's President, Droupadi Murmu, and the president of Kenya, William Ruto.

Can the public attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral? 

Queen Elizabeth's state funeral is an invite-only event, meaning the public cannot join the 2,000-member congregation inside Westminster Abbey today. 

A small number of members of the public, however, are in attendance, with 183 people being selected as VIP guests in recognition of their outstanding contributions to their communities. All of these individuals have also already been acknowledged in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. 

Who is not attending Queen Elizabeth's funeral? 

A small number of nations have not been invited to send representation to the Queen's state funeral today. 

Russia was omitted from the guest list in light of President Putin's invasion of Ukraine, while Venezuela and Syria have not received an invitation due to a lack of diplomatic relations. Afghanistan has not been invited in light of its recent Taliban takeover, while North Korea, Nicaragua, and Iran were invited only at an ambassadorial level. 

Catherine, Princess of Wales, shared a sweet update on Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis' start at their new school, revealing they have 'settled in nicely'. 

• Catherine, the new Princess of Wales, has revealed that Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have 'settled in nicely' to Lambrook School in Berkshire. 
• The three children of the Prince and Princess of Wales had their first full day at Lambrook last week, after moving from Kensington Palace in London to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor over the summer.
• In other royal news, Princess Anne accepted flowers from a little girl in Glasgow in a sweet moment as she met with mourners.
  

Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge and Cornwall, has shared an encouraging update on her and Prince William's children and their adjustment to Lambrook School in Windsor. The Princess of Wales revealed they've 'settled in nicely' during their first week at the elite preparatory school and have even made new friends. 

The newly appointed Princess of Wales shared the sweet news at Sandringham Estate on Thursday, where she and Prince William spent about 45 minutes viewing tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II, who died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle. 

"Kate said the children have settled in nicely with their new school and have new friends,” Lydia Bailey, a mourner from Heacham who attended the solemn Norfolk engagement, told People magazine. 

Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, seven, and four-year-old Prince Louis had their first full day at Lambrook School on Thursday, 8 September, the same day their great-grandmother, the Queen, passed away. 

The eldest Wales children had previously been pupils at Thomas's Battersea in south London, while Louis was enrolled at Willcock's Nursery in Kensington. The children's move to Lambrook marks the first time they have all attended the same school – a transition that's expected to make their morning routines that little bit less chaotic. 

It's understood that William and Kate had long been planning to leave London for the Berkshire countryside, where they reportedly hope to give their three children a more normal life outside of the royal spotlight. It will also bring the Wales family closer to their relatives, with Princess Catherine's parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, residing less than an hour away at Bucklebury Manor in Berkshire. 

As well as sharing an update as to how their children were settling into school, the Prince and Princess also spoke candidly during their appearance in Sandringham about how they have been feeling over the past week, with the future King and Queen Consort sharing an insight into their grief. 

Catherine confessed that the whole Royal Family were very 'tried' but, "the crowds and peoples’ support is keeping us going."

Prince William and Kate Middleton traveled to Sandringham Estate in Norfolk on Thursday to greet well-wishers and admire tributes in honor of the late Queen Elizabeth II. 

• Prince William and Kate Middleton headed to Sandringham Estate on Thursday, where they met with well-wishers and viewed tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II. 
• The Prince and Princess of Wales spent nearly an hour at the Norfolk royal property to shake hands and accept condolences from the public. 
• In other royal news, Claire Foy pays tribute to Queen's 'dignity and grace' and the 'honor' it was to play her in 'The Crown'.
  

Prince William and Kate Middleton stepped out at Sandringham Estate on Thursday afternoon to greet mourners and view tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II, exactly one week after the beloved monarch's death.  

The solemn appearance, which lasted nearly an hour, saw the royal couple make their first solo engagement as the new Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke of Duchess of Cambridge and Cornwall. It also marked their first visit to Sandringham, where the Royal Family has historically spent its Christmases, since Her Majesty's passing aged 96 at Balmoral Castle. 

Meanwhile, The Queen's successor, King Charles III, has traveled to Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, where is attending state business and reflecting on the past few days ahead of his lofty new role. 

Thousands of well-wishers gathered outside the gates of the Norfolk estate to pay their respects to William and Kate, who had traveled all the way from London to greet the public in the wake of the British sovereign's death. On Wednesday, the prince and princess attended the Queen's coffin procession into Westminister Abbey, where she will be lying in state until her state funeral on Monday, September 19. 

William and Kate emerged at Sandringham shortly after midday, where they diligently admired the sea of tributes left by over 100,000 people at the estate's gates. The couple took turns kneeling to read cards and gently touch flowers, pointing out various objects that caught their eyes during the poignant reflection. 

They then approached the awaiting crowds to thank them for coming, in a similar format to the walkabout they completed with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on Saturday. 

Kate and William spent approximately 45 minutes speaking with members of the public, some of whom handed the couple bouquets of flowers, before giving a collective goodbye wave and driving off in their black Range Rover. 

For the somber occasion, Kate wore a funereal black dress with a smart black coat with matching black tights and heels. She kept her accessories simple with a black leather handbag, a delicate crucifix necklace, and pearl earrings that had once belonged to the Queen. 

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is now Lying-in-State at Westminster Hall. 

• Her Majesty The Queen is Lying-in-State at Westminster Hall until the morning of her funeral on Monday 19 September.
• The coffin of Her Majesty The Queen will be reposed at Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament 24 hours a day to allow the public to pay their respects. 
• This is how to pay respects to the Queen Lying-in-State.
  

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the Queen's Lying-in-State at Westminster Hall, before Britain's longest-serving monarch's state funeral on Monday 19 September.

Queen Elizabeth II died aged 96 on Thursday, September 8, just hours after Buckingham Palace had announced she was being 'medically supervised' by royal doctors at Balmoral Castle. 

The news marked the end of Her Majesty's 70-year-long reign and the beginning of a new one under her eldest son, King Charles III. Her death has also meant that many members of the Royal Family have had their titles change, as the line of succession moves forward for the first time in seven decades. 

The Queen's coffin was flown into London from Scotland on Tuesday evening, after being temporarily deposed at St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh for the public to pay their respects. It is currently lying in the historic Westminster Hall following a sombre ceremonial procession this afternoon. 

King Charles III, Prince William and Prince Harry, along with other members of the Royal Family, followed the coffin on foot as it made its way past St. James's Park and towards the Houses of Parliament, arriving at Westminster Abbey at 3pm. 

Now the Queen's coffin has been positioned on a catafalque in Westminster Hall, where the Royal Family attended a short service held by the Archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday afternoon. At 5pm on Wednesday September 14, the doors of Westminster Abbey will open for the public to pay their respects. The coffin will remain at Westminster Hall until 6.30am on the day of the Queen's funeral, Monday, September 19. 

Westminster Hall will remain open for 24 hours to give as many people as possible the chance to say their goodbyes and pay their respects to the beloved monarch.

What does Lying-in-State mean? 

Lying-in-State refers to the practice of placing the body of a deceased official, like a King or a Queen, in a state building so that the public can pay their respects. The body may be displayed in an open casket or concealed by a coffin, and is traditionally flanked by a unit of guards. In Britain, the tradition has been taking place at Westminster Hall since the death of King Edward VIII in 1910. 

Hillsborough Castle was Queen Elizabeth II's official residence in Northern Ireland and has played a key role in King Charles III's first days as monarch. 

• Hillsborough Castle was the Queen's official residence in Northern Ireland and hosts the royal family on multiple occasions throughout the year.
• The stunning property was bought by the British government in the early 20th century and has played a part in King Charles' first engagements as sovereign, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. 
• King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla arrived in Belfast to pay a visit to Hillsborough Castle to meet the country's political leaders and meet with mourners.
  

While Queen Elizabeth II famously spent much of her time at the likes of Buckingham Palace, Balmoral Castle, Windsor Castle, and Sandringham Estate during her reign, Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland was her official residence in the country and hosted her multiple times a year. The regal building played a key part in the days after King Charles ascended the throne, following the Queen's death.

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla arrived in Belfast ahead of the Queen's funeral on Monday in order to complete a walkabout to meet with royal mourners paying their respects and pay a visit to Hillsborough. 

At the castle, King Charles vowed to continue his mother's legacy in Northern Ireland, saying, "The Queen made a pledge to dedicate herself to her country and her people, and to maintain the principles of constitutional government.

"This promise she kept with steadfast faith. Now, with that shining example before me, and with God’s help, I take up my new duties resolved to seek the welfare of all the inhabitants of Northern Ireland," the new monarch added. 

With Hillsborough Castle marking a monumental moment in royal history, we look at the inside and the must-know details of the residence.

Where is Hillsborough Castle? 

Nestled in the historic village of Hillsborough in County Down, this grandiose property is just a twenty-minute drive outside of Northern Ireland's capital city Belfast. 

A brief history of Hillsborough Castle 

We'll let you in on a little secret: Hillsborough Castle isn't technically a castle. 

Built in the 18th century for an Irish noble family, the Georgian house was bought by the British government in 1922 after it acquired six out of the nine Ulster counties. It was used as the office for the Governor of Northern Ireland up until 1972 when the post was abolished entirely in favor of direct rule from London. The Queen's Secretary of State moved in as her representative and the house continued to host royal visitors, along with political guests like George W. Bush and Tony Blair. 

Hillsborough remained as the official Northern Irish residence for the Queen , who clocked up 25 state visits to the UK province over her reign. 

How much is Hillsborough Castle worth? 

Hillsborough Castle is not on the housing market, but if it was, it would still be way out of our budget. 

The 100-acre property unveiled a five-year-long renovation in 2019, which saw a total overhaul of its interior architecture. The £24 million project, spearheaded by British design studio Kinnersley Kent Design, included the addition of a shiny new visitor center, along with more retail and dining spaces. 

It also featured a restoration of Hillsborough Castle's Stable Yard, which was originally built in 1780. The site has been converted to install a learning center, which will provide facilities for activities with young people and community groups. 

Who lives at Hillsborough Castle? 

It may surprise you to find out that the royals share Hillsborough Castle with non-royal housemates. When the monarch is not staying, the property is occupied by Northern Ireland's Secretary of State, Brandon Lewis. 

What is it like inside Hillsborough Castle? 

While there may not be any turrets or moats, Hillsborough Castle still is still incredibly lavish. 

The plush manor includes several decadent State Rooms, all of which are gleaming with royal artefacts and elegant furnishings. Its grandest attraction is by far the Throne Room, a saloon that hosted a celebratory ball for the Queen's coronation in 1953. With its green silk damask fabric and colossal crystal chandeliers, the room is the perfect setting for regal weddings and classical concerts. 

There's also the State Dining Room, which continues to be used to serve meals to VIP guests. It can seat up to 40 guests for dinner and host 60 for a reception, making it ideal for medium-sized banquets and galas. 

The Red Room, which unsurprisingly follows a red theme, is the go-to conference space in the house. 

Originally a drawing-room, it was converted in the 1970s to hold high-profile meetings with political leaders. Its crimson walls are decorated with 40 portraits of British monarchs, as well as several royal consorts. A round table sits in the center of the room, reinforcing its function as a space for discussion and debate. 

Hillsborough's outdoors are also brimming with subdued elegance. A walled garden, Yew Tree Walk, and tranquil temple can all be found in its well-maintained outside grounds. 

Is Hillsborough Castle open to the public? 

In the wake of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, all royal residences are closed to the public. Residences will remain closed until after the Queen's funeral, as part of a national period of mourning. 

Under usual circumstances, Hillsborough is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday, with adult tickets costing £9.90. The price includes full access to the house and its gardens, and there's no time limit on the visit. 

Queen Elizabeth II's coffin was carried into St Giles Cathedral today, sitting atop was an elegant floral wreath filled with seasonal blooms. 

• The Queen's coffin procession through the streets of Edinburgh took place on September, 12.
• This marked the beginning of the Queen's laying in state in Scotland.
• To pay your respects, this is how to send condolences to the Royal Family following Queen Elizabeth II's death.

Crowds in Scotland gathered to mourn Queen Elizabeth II as the late monarch's coffin was brought into St Giles Cathedral today. On top of the coffin lay a delicate white flower wreath made up of seasonal flowers and dried heather. 

The wreath itself looked remarkably similar to the white wreath Queen Elizabeth II selected to sit upon her husband, Prince Philip's coffin in 2021.

It was revealed by the Royal Family that the Queen's wreath consisted of, 'Dhalias, Sweet Peas, Phlox, White Heather and Pine Fir from the Balmoral Estate.' It was also reported by the Daily Mail that the wreath also contained, 'white Spray Roses, white Freesias, white button chrysanthemums, dried white heather from Balmoral, spray eryngium, foliage, rosemary, hebe, and pittosporum'.

Similarly, the Duke of Edinburgh's wreath featured all white flowers and was reportedly made up of, 'white lilies, white roses, white freesia, white wax flower, jasmine, and white sweet peas'. 

There is a particular significance to the three flowers that were placed on both the Queen and Prince Philip's coffins. Sweet peas are the birth flower of April - the month of the Queen's real birthday - and are also symbolic of gratitude, kindness, and goodbyes. 

White roses, which appeared on both royal couples' coffins in different forms also have a special meaning. White roses are commonly associated with loyalty, purity, and innocence, and are commonly used at weddings.

Freesias are symbolic of friendship and perseverance and were another flower that featured in both the Queen and Prince Philip's wreaths, a touching nod to their long-lasting marriage.

King Charles III was present at today's service and was accompanied by his sister, Princess Anne, and two brothers, Prince Andrew and the Earl of Wessex. King Charles III carried a special gift from Queen Elizabeth II during the coffin procession in Edinburgh in a sweet nod to his late mother.

Tomorrow, Her Majesty The Queen’s Coffin will depart St Giles’s Cathedral for Buckingham Palace in a Royal Air Force aircraft from Edinburgh Airport accompanied by The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

King Charles III carried a special gift in tribute to his mother as he led the Queen's coffin procession in Edinburgh today, ahead of her final journey back to London. 

• King Charles III made a subtle nod to Queen Elizabeth II as he led his late mother's coffin procession through the streets of Edinburgh earlier today. 
• The new monarch was joined by his sister, Princess Anne, and his two brothers, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, as he followed the hearse of Britain's longest-serving monarch from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St. Giles' Cathedral on Monday afternoon. 
• In other royal news, Prince Harry calls Windsor Castle a 'lonely place' after visiting Queen's favorite home for first time since her death.
  

King Charles III made a touching tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on Monday afternoon, as he led the coffin of his late mother down the streets of Edinburgh to be laid at St. Giles' Cathedral. 

The newly proclaimed sovereign was joined by his younger siblings, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward for the final journey of Queen Elizabeth II from the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where she was temporarily reposed on Sunday for members of the Royal Family to pay their respects in private. 

The Queen died 'peacefully' aged 96 at Balmoral Castle on Thursday, after suffering ongoing health problems for nearly a year. 

The body of Britain's longest-serving monarch has now arrived at St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, where a service of thanksgiving in celebration of her 70-year-long reign will take place. The Scottish public will also be able to pay their respects for 24 hours before she is taken to Westminister Abbey in London. 

All of the Queen's children, except Prince Andrew, were dressed in military uniforms to follow the late monarch's hearse, which was accompanied by a Bearer Party found by The Royal Regiment of Scotland and The King’s Body Guard for Scotland. 

As well as an adornment of military insignia, King Charles III carried a majestic-looking baton that was presented to him by Queen Elizabeth II on her Diamond Jubilee in 2012. 

The special weapon symbolizes his status as a Field Marshal, which is the highest ranking in the British Army. He was given the lofty title in recognition of his service in the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, as well as his role as the Colonel of the Welsh Guards. His appointment as Field Marshal came 17 years after the Ministry of Defence recommended that the five-star ranking be fazed out as part of their 1995 budget. 

The Queen's funeral will be held on Monday, September 19, at Westminster Abbey in London. The state service, to take place on a Bank Holiday, will be followed by seven days of mourning for the Royal Family. This solemn period will also be observed by Royal Household staff, Representatives of the Royal Household on official duties, and troops committed to Ceremonial Duties. 

All of the Queen's residences, including Balmoral Castle, Buckingham Palace, and Sandringham House, will close to the public until after the funeral. 

The Queen's corgis are to live with Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, at their shared home in Windsor, the Royal Lodge.

• The Queen's corgis will live in a home close to Windsor Castle.
• This news comes as no surprise to many as the pets were gifted to the late monarch by the Duke of York.
• In other royal news, Queen’s historic role with Parliament revealed alongside touching throwback photos.

Animal lovers have been curious who'd care for the Queen's corgis after news that Queen Elizabeth II had died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle. Although there was never any concern for the late monarch's beloved dogs' welfare, many are relieved to know what will happen to her beloved dogs.

A spokesperson for the Duke of York has confirmed that he and his former wife; Sarah, Duchess of York; will adopt Muick and Sandy – the two dogs the Queen received as gifts. Muick, pronounced 'Mick' was given to the Queen alongside another dog, named Fergus, who tragically died from a heart condition in May 2021.

According to the Guardian, the Queen's grandchildren Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie gave Sandy to their beloved grandmother, as a birthday gift, in the months after their grandfather Prince Philip passed away.

Prince Andrew and the Duchess live in the Royal Lodge, which is a stone's throw from Windsor Castle and an area that Sandy and Muick are likely very familiar with having spent a lot of their lives there. The Queen's second eldest son grew up with corgis, so is well versed in caring for the specific breed.

In her final years, Queen Elizabeth II continued to frequent her Scottish home at Balmoral and often stayed at Sandringham House in Norfolk. However, Windsor Castle became her official residence back in March 2021. She was often spotted taking walks on the grounds with her precious corgis, who became synonymous with the late Queen.

Key members of the Royal Family gathered at Balmoral for a private church service to remember the life of Queen Elizabeth II today.

• Queen Elizabeth II's children, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward all attended a private service in her remembrance.
• Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Lady Louise Windsor, Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, Zara Tindall, Peter Phillips, and Sir Timothy Laurence were also present.
• In other royal news, King Charles III was officially proclaimed King today during a historic ceremony

Lady Louise Windsor joined Sophie, Countess of Wessex and other key members of the royal family to read tributes and admire flowers left by the public outside Balmoral Castle. The family were in Scotland to attend a private service following Queen Elizabeth II’s death, aged 96 on September, 8.

Following the private service, the family made time to admire the hundreds of floral tributes left by the gates of the private driveway to Balmoral Castle. It’s the first time the family has been seen publicly since the Queen’s passing. Lady Louise, previously labeled a favorite of all the Queen’s grandchildren, was accompanied by her mother Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and father Prince Edward, who thanked well-wishers for standing outside the castle, “thank you very much for coming, we appreciate it.”

The family spent around 10-minutes admiring flowers and greeting crowds, before heading back inside the Aberdeenshire estate.

King Charles III who was officially proclaimed king earlier today wasn’t in attendance due to his duties back in the capital, and he’s now believed to be back at Buckingham Palace with the Queen Consort where well-wishers are still gathered outside.

Members of the British public flocked to many of the Queen’s estates since the news of her passing on Thursday to pay tribute to the longest reigning monarch in British history. The impact of her death has been felt far and wide as the nation comes to terms with losing the long-standing and much-loved monarch. Details of her funeral are yet to be announced but it’s believed the service will be confirmed within the next few days. It’s likely it will take place on Monday, September, 19.

Queen Elizabeth’s children were observed taking more prominent roles in royal life in the months before her death, aged 96, on September 8, 2022. But how many children did she have, who are they and where do they live? 

• Queen Elizabeth's children are some of the most famous royals in the world, and with eight grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren, Her Majesty was the matriarch of a huge family. 
• King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward proved to be a source of great support to Her Majesty after Prince Philip passed away in April 2021. 
• In other royal news, we revealed how long the Queen was married to Prince Philip and when they got married.

Queen Elizabeth II died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle on September 8, 2022. She was the longest-reigning monarch in British history and was left devastated in April 2021 when the Duke of Edinburgh passed away at Windsor Castle. Once described as her “strength and stay”, the Queen and Prince Philip were married for 73 years and had four children together.

How many children did Queen Elizabeth have and who are they?

King Charles III

King Charles is the eldest of Queen Elizabeth's four children and the first of her three sons. The monarch welcomed her heir, then Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, on November 14, 1948. The King was born in none other than Buckingham Palace. At the time of his birth, Her Majesty was still Princess Elizabeth and she ascended to the throne when Charles was three.

At this time, King Charles, as the eldest son of the Sovereign, became heir apparent. He was also the first royal child to watch his mother be crowned monarch and attended Queen Elizabeth II's coronation at Westminster Abbey in 1953.  

On July 29, 1981, the King, then Prince Charles, married Lady Diana Spencer in St Paul's Cathedral and the couple went on to have two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. They sadly went on to divorce in 1996 and Princess Diana tragically passed away a year later in Paris.

As Charles was the first in the royal line of succession, he became King after his mother the Queen died on September 8, 2022. After this, the King's eldest son Prince William takes the title of Prince of Wales and is now first in line to the throne.

The King later went on to marry Camilla Parker Bowles, now Camilla, the Queen Consort, in a private ceremony back in 2005 in Windsor. The beautiful service was followed by a reception at Windsor Castle hosted by the Queen.

Although the King and Queen Consort split their time between their primary London residence, Clarence House, and their countryside home, Highgrove House, in Gloucestershire. 

These are not the only properties they own, as the couple spent much of last year at their Scottish residence, Birkhall. The King also owns a stunning converted farmhouse in Wales where he reportedly headed to grieve Prince Philip in private after his funeral.

Princess Anne, the Princess Royal

The only daughter amongst Queen Elizabeth's children, Princess Anne was born on August 15, 1950. Despite being third in line to the throne when she was born, Princess Anne is now 16th in line for the throne, far lower down than some royal fans might have expected. She and her brother King Charles are very close together in age and are understood to have a close relationship. 

The Princess Royal began public engagements in 1969 when she was 18 years old and went on to make history as she became an Olympian and began her Olympic career in 1976, though sadly she never won a gold medal for Team GB. 

Though her love of horses continued, she retired from professional horse riding in the 1980s. Princess Anne married her first husband and fellow Olympian, Captain Mark Phillips, in November 1973. 

The couple went on to have two children, Peter and Zara, and were married for 19 years before divorcing in 1992. The Princess Royal is now married to Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and the couple lives at the picturesque Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire. 

Zara and her husband Mike Tindall also live on the estate, providing wonderful opportunities for Princess Anne to catch up with their three adorable children, Mia, Lena and Lucas.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York

Just like his older brother the King, Prince Andrew was born at Buckingham Palace. The Queen and Prince Philip welcomed their third child on February 19, 1960, and Prince Andrew was the first child born to a reigning monarch for 103 years. He is currently 8th in line to the throne, just ahead of his daughter Princess Beatrice.

On July 23, 1986, Prince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey and he was created Duke of York by the Queen. The royal couple's first child, Princess Beatrice, was born on August 8, 1988, at The Portland Hospital, with her younger sister Princess Eugenie following in 1990. 

Two years later, the same year that the King and Princess Diana separated, it was announced that The Duke and Duchess of York were also separating. Despite their divorce, however, Prince Andrew and Sarah have remained close friends.

In November 2019, Prince Andrew officially stepped back from royal duties after the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. As of January 2022, Prince Andrew no longer uses his HRH title, after the Queen confirmed that his royal privileges, patronages, and military honors would be returned to her. 

The late Queen's decision followed the news that Prince Andrew's bid to have Virginia Giuffre's civil case against him scrapped was dismissed by a US judge.

Virginia Giuffre claims that she was forced, by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was just 17-years-old. Prince Andrew denies the allegations, the BBC reports that he paid a financial settlement to his accuser Virginia Giuffre - formally ending a civil case brought against him in the US, according to court documents.

Today, Prince Andrew and his former wife Sarah both live at Royal Lodge in Windsor. They are proud grandparents to Princess Eugenie and Jack Brookbank's baby son August, who was born in February 2021, and Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi's baby daughter Sienna, who was born in September 2021. 

Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh

Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, is the youngest of Queen Elizabeth's children and is ahead of his sister Princess Anne in the line of succession in 13th place. This is due to the old system of male primogeniture that put male ascendancy ahead of female ascendancy and has since been changed. 

The Queen gave birth to Prince Edward in March 1964, once again at Buckingham Palace, leaving Princess Anne as the only one of the Queen's children to not be born at this principle royal residence. He met his future wife Sophie Rhys-Jones at a Real Tennis event in 1993 and the couple went on to announce their engagement six years later. 

They married at St George's Chapel, Windsor, in 1999 and it was on the day of the wedding, that it was announced the Queen had made him Earl of Wessex. On his 59th birthday he became Duke of Edinburgh.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have two children, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, who was born on November 8, 2003, and could become a Princess in a matter of months, and James, Earl of Wessex, who was born on December 17, 2007. The family of four live at Bagshot Park in Surrey.

What are Queen Elizabeth’s children's ages?

King Charles is the eldest of the Queen's children, having celebrated his 73rd birthday in November 2021. The second born of Queen Elizabeth's children, Princess Anne, turned 72 in August of 2022. 

She and the King are closer in age to one another than they are to their younger siblings who were born over a decade after the Queen had the King, with Prince Andrew being 62 and Prince Edward 58 years old. 

In 2020, the Royal Family paid a sweet tribute to Princess Anne on her milestone 70th birthday. The official Royal Family social media accounts announced, "We’re sharing photos of The Princess Royal from each decade of HRH’s life ahead of her 70th birthday".

They proceeded to share several throwback pictures of the Princess Royal from significant moments throughout her life, including her wedding to Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

What are Queen Elizabeth’s children’s royal titles?

All of Queen Elizabeth’s children have official titles as children of the monarch. 

Before he became King, Charles was Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cornwall and in Scotland, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.

The late Queen Elizabeth announced her intention to make her eldest son Prince of Wales in 1958, when he was just nine years old. The official ceremony happened in 1969 at Caernarfon Castle in Wales. Prior to his investiture, Prince Charles spent a term at the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth, learning to speak Welsh. 

From that day, King Charles took the position seriously, working tirelessly to educate himself about his Welsh neighbors. He even purchased a country home in Llwynwermod, Wales, and undertakes a week-long tour of Wales every year. 

Princess Anne was given the title of Princess Royal, a title customarily (but not automatically) awarded to the eldest daughter of a British monarch back in 1987. This rare title might be passed to her great-niece Princess Charlotte in the future, though Princess Anne holds it for life.  

The Queen's second son Prince Andrew is known as the Duke of York, a title he received from the Queen on his wedding day in 1986.

Meanwhile, Prince Edward is the only son of Queen Elizabeth who was previously an Earl. He was granted the additional title of Earl of Forfar for use in Scotland on his 55th birthday in 2019 and became Duke of Edinburgh on his 59th birthday in 2023.

What is Queen Elizabeth's children's last name?

The Queen and Prince Philip had a difficult decision to make when it came to which royal surname they would pass down to their children. Her Majesty's surname, Windsor, was established in 1917 as the official last name of the Royal Family. Prince Philip was originally born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark before his family was exiled from Greece when he was still a young child. 

When he married the then-Princess Elizabeth, Prince Philip adopted a new surname as part of his British citizenship. He chose Mountbatten, which was his grandparents' last name and a wonderful way to honor their legacy. 

However, Queen Elizabeth was supposedly pressured not to take Prince Philip’s last name and in 1952 declared their descendants would go by Windsor. Eight years later the couple compromised and the surname Mountbatten-Windsor was born. 

Queen Elizabeth II has died aged 96 after 70 years on the throne and having surpassed Queen Victoria as Britain’s longest reigning monarch. 

• Queen Elizabeth II has passed away hours after Buckingham Palace confirmed that she was “under medical supervision” at Balmoral Castle. 
• Her Majesty’s passing was announced in a Buckingham Palace statement on September 8, as tributes flood in for the truly remarkable monarch.
• Her death comes just three months after the monarch celebrated her Platinum Jubilee.

Queen Elizabeth II has passed away at Balmoral Castle on September 8, 2022, aged 96. Her death comes just three months after the monarch celebrated her Platinum Jubilee in June 2022, marking what was her milestone 70th year of her already extraordinary reign. 

The official statement from Buckingham Palace declared, "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon."

"The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."

The announcement came just hours after Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Queen was under medical supervision following concern from medical professionals. In the hours following, senior members of the Royal Family travelled to her Aberdeenshire home where the monarch had been spending her annual summer break. 

This included Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Princess Anne, whilst Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Prince William and Sophie, Countess of Wessex are understood to have landed at Aberdeen airport this afternoon and arrived at Balmoral shortly afterwards. 

Prince Harry is believed to be currently on his way to Balmoral to join his family, having been due to attend the WellChild Awards with the Duchess of Sussex this evening. 

Prince Charles will lead the country in mourning Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the Royal Family will enter into a 10-day  period of official mourning. 

Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne in 1952 and throughout her reign, her commitment to her royal duties and to the UK and the Commonwealth of Nations has been a source of inspiration to many across the world. Earlier this year the Queen marked her Platinum Jubilee, making her the first British monarch to give 70 years of service. 

This extraordinary milestone was paid tribute to across the Platinum Jubilee weekend, which also saw Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George as Her Majesty’s three direct heirs standing proudly alongside her and supporting her.  

On September 9th, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall are set to return to the capital as they and people across the world reflect on the astonishing legacy and life of one of the most historic British monarchs ever to reign. 

Prince Charles, Prince Edward, and Lady Louise Windsor have all been spotted at the Queen's favorite place to worship in Scotland, Crathie Kirk, over the past few weeks. 

• Crathie Kirk is understood to be the Queen's favorite place to practice her devout Christian faith during her annual summer break at Balmoral Cottage. 
• The 19th-century church has been used as a place of worship by the Royal Family since Queen Victoria's reign. 
• In other royal news, Prince Charles arrives at Royal Family's Scottish church without Queen amid ongoing health concerns.
  

If you've been keeping up to date with the Royal Family's outings in Scotland this summer, it's likely you've stumbled across one of their favorite spots to congregate up North ‒ Crathie Kirk. 

The modest 19th church, nestled just a 15-minute walk from Balmoral Castle, was first embraced as a place of worship in Queen Victoria's era and has been used by every reigning monarch ever since. 

Today, it's largely considered to be the Highlands' equivalent of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, with the royals almost guaranteed to attend at least one service during Her Majesty's annual two-month-long vacation in Aberdeenshire. The Queen has sadly been absent from its weekly ceremonies since she arrived at Balmoral on July 21 due to her ongoing mobility issues, but fortunately, she's had some key senior royals appear on her behalf. 

Prince Charles, Prince Edward, and Lady Louise Windsor have all already been spotted driving into its grounds this summer, dressed in the appropriate formal attire (suits for the Queen's children and a floral dress for her 18-year-old granddaughter.) Prince William and Kate Middleton, as well as Duchess Camilla, have also been photographed in recent years pulling up to Crathie Kirk. It's understood that the Queen last appeared at the Scottish church in 2020, just a few months after the COVID-19 pandemic began. 

Despite the fancy dress code, Sunday worship at Crathie Kirk is reportedly a lowkey affair. According to British theology professor Bryan D. Spinks, the services are "reverent, welcoming and suffers from no artificial formality", with the Queen sitting in the royal pew as a regular member of the congregation. Her Majesty is even known to invite visiting preachers at Crathie Kirk to be her guests at Balmoral for the weekend ‒ a tradition that has left the 96-year-old with a "remarkably good first-hand knowledge of the Church of Scotland." 

Aside from its five stained glass windows, the building itself has been described as relatively simple, in keeping with the architecture of most Scottish Presbyterian churches built in the 19th century. It also features the gravestones of the servants of many royals, as well as idyllic views of the surrounding landscape. 

Prince Charles attended a service at the Royal Family's favorite church in Scotland on Sunday without the Queen, sparking more concerns about the status of the 96-year-old monarch's health. 

• Prince Charles attended a Sunday church service at Balmoral yesterday without the Queen, sparking even more alarm over the monarch's health status. 
• The Prince of Wales drove himself to Crathie Kirk, the Queen's favorite place to worship in Scotland, on Sunday morning. 
• In other royal news, how Meghan and Harry are planning to ‘avoid’ the Cambridges during their UK trip.
  

Prince Charles attended a church service in Scotland on Sunday without the Queen, fueling more concern about the 96-year-old monarch's health status. 

The Prince of Wales made his solo appearance yesterday at Crathie Kirk, the small chapel traditionally favored by the Royal Family during their summer vacation at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. 

He was pictured driving himself onto the grounds shortly before the service commenced, wearing a suit and a brooch with purple flowers in his breast pocket. The royal sighting comes one day after the Queen pulled out of the Braemar Gathering, requiring Charles and her only daughter, Princess Anne, to step in on her behalf. 

The Queen has not been seen in public since she arrived at Balmoral on July 21, with royal insiders claiming she is taking it easy due to her ongoing mobility issues. Her Majesty's stay at the Aberdeenshire estate has been notably low-key this year, with her traditional welcome ceremony being closed to the public and replaced by a low-key, private reception. 

She's also been absent at the past three Sunday church services at Craithe Kirk, despite being a devout practicing Christian. Fears the Queen will not return to Buckingham Palace have now been brewing, following news that a special orthopedic bed has been delivered to Balmoral for her 'comfort'. 

The Queen is expected to emerge for her first public appearance on Tuesday, September 6, to receive the incoming British Prime Minister. The audience will be held at Balmoral Castle in a historic first, having previously always taken place at Buckingham Palace in London. The winner of the Tory leadership race, either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak, will make the 1000-mile round-trip journey to Scotland for the special meeting, which is traditionally called the 'kissing of the hands' ceremony. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will also travel up North for the engagement.

Harry and Meghan have turned down Prince Charles' offer to stay with him at Balmoral during their UK visit, according to royal insiders.

• Harry and Meghan are 'always welcome' to stay with Prince Charles, according to an insider.
• But the couple turned down his invitation to stay with him as they spend time in the UK this week.
• This follows royal news that Kate Middleton has been spotted driving in Windsor after the Cambridges' 'no frills' move.

Prince Charles has extended an open invitation to Prince Harry and Meghan, despite her saying their relationship was 'lost'.

A royal insider explained how Prince Charles thought it might be a good opportunity to build bridges, saying, “He hasn’t wavered, despite the attacks, which seem to be coming with increased vigour.

“The Prince of Wales reiterated his invitation for Harry and Meghan, and the whole family if they wished, to come and stay with him this summer while he is at his home on the Balmoral estate. He thought it might be a good opportunity for everyone to take stock and relax, but the invitation was declined.”

Last week, Meghan suggested that Harry's relationship with his father was irreparable. She told The Cut magazine: “Harry said to me, ‘I lost my dad in this process’. That’s his decision.”

Friend of the couple and author of their biography, Finding Freedom, Omid Scobie added, "I understand that Prince Harry is referring to Meghan’s loss of her own father, and Meghan is saying she doesn’t want Harry to lose his.”

Harry and Meghan, who are in the UK for the first time since the Queen's platinum Jubilee, will visit Manchester on Monday for the One Young World summit, an event which brings together young leaders from more than 190 countries.

They will then head to Germany for the Invictus Games One Year To Go event on Tuesday, before returning to the UK for the WellChild Awards in London on Thursday. Meghan and Harry are thought to be staying at their former residence, Frogmore Cottage, during their stay.

A spokesperson said last month, "Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are delighted to visit with several charities close to their hearts in early September."

The royal couple made a move stateside last year, and now Meghan and Harry live in a  $14 million Santa Barbara mansion, after stepping down as senior royals.

The Queen has pulled out of Scotland's Highland Games 'for her own comfort' amid ongoing mobility issues.

• The Queen was scheduled to attend the Braemar Gathering in Scotland tomorrow however has been forced to pull out. 
• The Highland Games are not a public engagement for Her Majesty however she is known to enjoy attending privately and has been captured beaming with joy at the event over the years, with close members of The Firm beside her.
• In other royal news, the Queen's sad confession about what she hates about her job has been revealed. 

Despite currently spending her summer break at Balmoral Castle, the 96-year-old monarch will miss the iconic Scottish event.

The Queen has been dealing with 'episodic mobility issues' for much of the past year and has pulled out of various events in order to prioritize her health and comfort.

Prince Charles is still expected to attend the Highland Games without his mother. 

The news comes after it was confirmed that the Queen would break royal tradition to appoint the new Prime Minister at Balmoral instead of in London when the winner of the Tory party leadership race is announced on September 6th. 

Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak are expected to travel to the Aberdeenshire estate for the swearing in ceremony so that Her Majesty does not have to make the long journey back to London. 

Speaking on the Queen's decision to shake-up protocol and receive the new Prime Minister in Scotland, a source told The Sun, "Obviously no one tells the Queen what to do and ultimately it is her decision, and as we saw when she made a third appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony at the Jubilee."

The Queen is said to be 'resting more' at Balmoral with changes being made to the residence in order to make it more comfortable for her, reportedly having delivery vans bringing things like a luxury golf buggy and an orthopedic bed to the home from Windsor Castle. 

Fears that the Queen will never return to Buckingham Palace have surged following the news that she will remain in Balmoral Castle for the appointment of the incoming Prime Minister. 

• The Queen will not return to Buckingham Palace in London to hold an audience for the incoming Prime Minister, royal officials have announced. 
• Her Majesty will appoint either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak at Balmoral Castle on September 6, following the news that a special bed has been delivered to the Scottish estate for the monarch's comfort. 
• In other royal news, the Queen is renting out super sweet cottages on her beloved Balmoral Estate for just £15 a night.
  

The Queen will not return to Buckingham Palace for the appointment of the incoming Prime Minister on September 6, royal officials have confirmed. 

Her Majesty will instead fulfill the duty at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where she has been on summer break for the past month. 

The update comes shortly after it was revealed that the Queen is 'resting' more due to mobility issues, having struggled with 'stiffness' since last autumn. It's understood that multiple accommodations have since been made for the 96-year-old monarch's comfort, including the installation of a wheelchair-friendly lift at Balmoral. A removal van has also reportedly delivered a special orthopedic bed and a golf-cart buggy to the royal's 50,000-acre estate. 

The relocation to Scotland for the appointment of the new Prime Minister will mark the first time in Her Majesty's reign that the ceremony has been held outside of Buckingham Palace. The Queen has received 14 Prime Ministers since her ascension to the throne in 1952, with Boris Johnson being the latest leader to govern under her rule. 

Once the new leader of the Conservative Party, either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak, has been announced, they will make the 500-mile journey to Scotland to meet the Queen in person. 

This audience, sometimes called the 'Kissing of hands', traditionally lasts about 20 minutes, and requires the incoming Prime Minister to formally ask Her Majesty for permission to form a new government. After she has granted her blessing to the successful candidate, they will return to Downing St in London to officially begin their term. 

"The fact officials can't be sure the Queen will be well enough to travel next week is yet another reminder of her advanced age and increasing frailty," Peter Hunt, a former BBC royal correspondent, explained. 

"Despite this, the Queen remains determined to carry out her core duties. Appointing a new prime minister is not something that can easily be passed to Prince Charles, a king-in-waiting." 

Alarm that the Queen is sick is now growing amongst royal fans, many of whom have taken to Twitter to share their concerns. 

"I am very worried about this lovely lady, our Queen," one person wrote. "Maybe too ill to travel from Balmoral for the new PM." 

The Queen's appointment of the incoming Prime Minister next week will also coincide with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's trip to the UK and Germany for a series of charitable engagements. It's understood that the couple, who reportedly plan to stay at Frogmore Cottage whilst in England, do not have plans to visit Her Majesty at Balmoral during the highly-anticipated tour. 

If you've always wanted to sleep like royalty, here's your chance to stay at the Balmoral estate.

• Cottages on the Balmoral estate are now available to book via the website
• The cheapest cottage, which houses 5 people, is as little as 15pp per night, when booking for a week
• In other royal news, Prince Charles reveals he's 'so touched' to be taking on creative role inspired by Duchess Camilla

The Queen, who is 'resting' more due to mobility issues, as she stays at Balmoral, loves her summer getaways at Balmoral Castle - due to its acres of lush countryside and royal history. 

Now you could follow in the Queen's footsteps - as the Balmoral estate is offering a chance to holiday in 8 of its cottages and lodges - giving you the perfect place to holiday for a UK staycation.

From the four-star Rhebreck Lodge, which costs £1,620 for the week to the three-star Colt Cottages, which start at £525 for a week, you'll have access to the same grounds as the Queen - but you won't be able to rent the cottages while she's staying there over the summer.

Scotland, like these 7 most beautiful places to visit, can be a picturesque place to holiday - and while the castle and grounds were open to visitors previously you can now stay in Balmoral, where the royal family stay over the summer.

Four of the cottages and lodges are located on the grounds of the estate - including Tigh na Garaidh Cottage and the Rhebreck Lodge. The other four are nearby - including Knocks Cottage and Connachat Cottage.

Depending on how many guests are staying with you the different self-catering accommodations can house from 5 to 7 people. Those on the grounds of the estate, however, are unable to book while the Queen is there for her summer holidays.

The cheapest accommodation are the Colt Cottages, with enough room for 5 people, the starting price for a week is £525, meaning per person, per night, you'll pay just £15 each. 

Situated close to the Castle, near the Estates Office and Stables, for the price of the cottage you'll get 2 bedrooms (1 single and 1 double) and a sofa bed. You'll also have access to a shower room and kitchen.

While you're there, as well as exploring the grounds of Balmoral, you can visit the best lochs in Scotland for beautiful views, wild swimming and highland hospitality.

If you've missed out on booking this year, they've just announced fresh dates for 2023 staycations at the cottages - but be quick, other royals fans may beat you to it!

The Queen is 'resting' more this summer, after changes in her mobility, according to a new source.

• The Queen is spending the summer in Balmoral where she is said to be 'resting'.
• A source has said that the royal's mobility has changed in the past few weeks.
• In other royal news, The heartbreaking reason Meghan and Harry refuse to share too many images of Archie and Lilibet.

Just days ago it was announced that, according to a royal insider, the Queen is likely to remain at Balmoral Castle for the appointment of the incoming Prime Minister.

Now, due to her health struggles, it's thought that the Queen is 'resting' more as she is less mobile. A source told the Daily Mail that the Queen's mobility has had ‘a change in the past few weeks’ - meaning she may not be able to attend one of her favorite events of the year - the Braemar Games. 

Last October Her Majesty spent the night in King Edward VII's Hospital in London, where she underwent 'preliminary investigations', and was then forced to cancel multiple engagements due to an undisclosed health issue.

Her health seemed to be getting better this year, even though she was pictured with a walking stick - including at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. 

However, as she rests at Balmoral castle, during her summer break, it's been thought that many members of the royal family have visited her - including all her grandchildren. Son Prince Charles is said to be staying nearby, and visiting his mother every day too.

“The Queen’s condition is not what you would call ideal, but then Her Majesty is 96 after all,” the royal source also said.

While the Queen's condition could mean that she won't be able to attend the Braemar Games. The games, which are held on the first weekend in September, are an annual tradition that the Queen never misses.

Last week the Queen's health struggles meant another royal duty had to be changed - it's understood that the winner of the Conservative leadership race either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak, could be summoned to meet the Queen at Balmoral instead. If the relocation goes ahead, it will be the first time that a new Prime Minister will have been received in Scotland. 

"Obviously no one tells the Queen what to do and ultimately it is her decision, and as we saw when she made a third appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony at the Jubilee, she likes surprises," another source told the Sun last week. 

The Queen has paused her summer holiday in Balmoral to send a profound message to those affected by the floods in Pakistan. 

• The monarch took to Instagram to write the message, signing it off with her name.
• The flash floods have killed over 1000 people and could affect millions of other people in the country.
• To donate head to British Red Cross or Islamic Relief.

The Queen began her Balmoral holiday with two-week stay at Prince Philip’s favorite summer cottage back in July - and she's likely to stay in Balmoral Castle until early September.  

However, the Queen took a break yesterday to tell the world that the royal family and UK are thinking about those affected by the devasting floods in Pakistan - with a heartfelt Instagram message, signed by the Queen herself.

The monsoon rains and flash floods in Pakistan have had a devasting impact on the country - leaving $10bn (£8.5bn) of damage in its wake.

In a bid to show how the royal family and the UK have been impacted by the awful news the Queen took to social media yesterday to say, "I am deeply saddened to hear of the tragic loss of life and destruction caused by the floods across Pakistan.

"My thoughts are with all those who have been affected, as well as those working in difficult circumstances to support the recovery efforts. The United Kingdom stands in solidarity with Pakistan as you recover from these terrible events."

The floods are said to be worse than those that hit the country in 2010, with a third of Pakistain currently underwater - while government officials believe there will be food shortages and a big financial impact on the country.

Pakistan's planning minister Ahsan Iqbal told the Reuters news agency."I think it is going to be huge. So far, (a) very early, preliminary estimate is that it is big, it is higher than $10 billion."

The Queen traveled to Balmoral Estate in Scotland to begin her annual summer holiday last month, after spending most of June busy with the Platinum Jubilee celebrations and performing both virtual and in-person engagements. It's understood that she will remain at the Highlands estate until September when her work calendar resumes for the autumn and winter. 

After cancelling more royal duties earlier this week, reports that Prince Charles has been making “highly unusual” frequent visits to Her Majesty has sparked fresh concern over the wellbeing of the Queen.

• Prince Charles is reportedly making “highly unusual” frequent visits to be by his mother, the Queen’s side
• These visits have sparked further concern over the health of the Queen, who earlier this week has been advised against leaving Balmoral to travel to Windsor Castle or Buckingham Palace
• In other royal news, Britain’s most popular tourist attractions have been named, and the Queen pulls in a bigger crowd than the Beatles

Earlier this week, it was announced that the continuing Queen's health struggles have forced Her Majesty to cancel yet another royal duty as she's advised not to leave Balmoral.

After being advised against traveling home to Windsor Castle or Buckingham Palace to officially appoint Britain’s pending new Prime Minister, the Queen will receive them at Balmoral.

This change to protocol has led to fresh concerns over the Queen’s health, and new reports of Prince Charles’ frequent visits have only given more cause for concern.

The Queen has been suffering from mobility issues for almost a year now and the traditional welcoming party on her arrival at the Scottish estate was moved behind closed doors.

Furthermore, Her Majesty has not been pictured in public since getting off her plane at Aberdeen Airport back in July.

However, Buckingham Palace did reassure fans that there wasn’t much to worry about, suggesting the change was “in line with adapting Her Majesty's schedule for her comfort.”

While Charles and the Queen have always had a close relationship, they don’t usually see one another as frequently as has recently been reported.

On these new regular visits to Balmoral, Ingrid Seward of Majesty Magazine, has commented, “It’s highly unusual for Prince Charles to make these kinds of impromptu visits to see his mother.”

“But Charles is a very thoughtful person, and who else can she rely on now Prince Philip has gone? Everyone thinks they normally see each other all the time, but they don’t.”

“They often blame it on the geography because everyone is scattered all around the country.”

The Queen is expected to appoint the incoming Prime Minister at Balmoral Castle after being advised against traveling to Windsor or London for the ceremonial event. 

• The Queen is expected to remain at Balmoral Castle to appoint the incoming Prime Minister on September 6, a royal insider has claimed. 
• Her Majesty was reportedly planning on ending her Scottish holiday early to return to London or Windsor for the historic event but has now been advised not to make the journey. 
• In other royal news, a new victory for Meghan Markle as her latest career venture nabs instant success.
  

The Queen is likely to remain at Balmoral Castle for the appointment of the incoming Prime Minister, according to a royal insider. 

Her Majesty's summer break at the Scottish residence was initially expected to be interrupted so that the monarch could travel to Windsor Castle or Buckingham Palace for the historic ceremony on September 6. 

However, the 96-year-old monarch has reportedly since been advised against making the 1,000-mile journey due to her ongoing health issues. 

It's understood that the winner of the Conservative leadership race to succeed Boris Johnson as UK Prime Minister, either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak, will now be summoned to meet the Queen at Balmoral instead. If the relocation goes ahead, it will be the first time that a Prime Minister will have been received in Scotland. 

"Obviously no one tells the Queen what to do and ultimately it is her decision, and as we saw when she made a third appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony at the Jubilee, she likes surprises," the source told the Sun on Thursday. 

Her Majesty, who began her 10-week-long holiday at Balmoral last month with a brief stay at Craigowan Lodge, is said to be determined to fulfill the custom despite "suffering with mobility." The Queen has been struggling with health difficulties since October 2021 and has pulled out of a string of engagements over the past year, including her Service of Thanksgiving at her own Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June. The appointment of Boris Johnson's replacement, however, is apparently not something she intends to miss. 

"There are some parts of her role that Prince Charles can do on her behalf but the Queen is adamant that she appoints the Prime Minister," the source explained. 

"It may not be the best choice to make the Queen travel 1,000 miles there and back for a 48-hour visit when the Prime Ministers can easily get to Balmoral instead." 

The Queen has kept a low profile since arriving in Scotland on July 22, flying into Aberdeen from Windsor on her private plane before being driven to the 5,000-acre estate to begin her Highlands vacation. Her entrance was an uncharacteristically modest affair, with her Balmoral welcome ceremony being axed at the last minute for her comfort. 

It's understood she's been busy hosting her beloved family members, with Prince William and Kate Middleton taking their three children, George, Charlotte, and Louis, up North to see their great-grandmother before their big move to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor. The disgraced Prince Andrew has also reportedly been to see his mother at Balmoral, with some media outlets suggesting he was the first royal to visit her on her annual retreat.

The Queen is ‘totally mentally alert’ at Balmoral Castle and is continuing to work following nearly a year of health issues, a royal expert has claimed. 

• The Queen is 'totally mentally alert' despite battling physical health issues, according to a royal insider. 
• Her Majesty is currently residing at Balmoral Castle in Scotland for her summer break but reportedly has no plans to step down as monarch. 
• In other royal news, Prince Harry and Meghan's home and safe space threatened by stealthy predators.
  

The Queen is 'totally mentally alert' at Balmoral Castle despite her physical ailments, a royal insider has claimed. 

It's no secret that Her Majesty's health has been a major source of concern over the past year, with updates on the 96-year-old monarch making regular headlines ever since she was hospitalized overnight last October. 

The Queen has suffered from ongoing medical problems over the past year, including general mobility issues, a back sprain, and even a COVID-19 diagnosis. Her declining health forced her to cancel multiple engagements in late 2021, including the COP26 summit in Glasgow and the annual Remembrance Sunday service at Cenotaph in London. 

She was also notably less visible at her Platinum Jubilee 2022 in June, appearing at just a small handful of the Bank Holiday weekend's events and even missing her own Service of Thanksgiving after enduring 'discomfort' the previous day. 

Fears for the Queen's health surged again last week when she axed her welcome ceremony at Balmoral Castle, the Scottish getaway where she normally spends her summer break. The highly-anticipated event was made private for Her Majesty's 'comfort' at the last minute, having traditionally taken place in front of locals and tourists. 

It's understood that the £140m property has undergone renovations to accommodate the royal matriarch's mobility needs, including the installation of a 'wheelchair-friendly lift' at its cottage, Craigowan Lodge. 

The Queen has also reportedly had a golf buggy ordered to Windsor Castle, which allows her to move around the 13-acre Berkshire estate without aggravating the 'stiffness' in her legs. 

Despite these physical setbacks, it appears that Her Majesty has no plans to retire from the job any time soon. 

"The Queen is mentally totally alert and carrying out duties, albeit changed duties," royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Express.co.uk on Wednesday. 

While the monarch's workload has been reduced, she has continued to complete many of the tasks that have punctuated her daily schedule for the past 70 years. Her current duties include filing through her Red Box of governmental documents and holding audiences, some of which are virtual, at Windsor Castle. 

The update comes following Nigel Farage's comments that Prince Charles was becoming a 'Prince Regent', suggesting that the Queen was unable to continue her role as Head of State on a full-time basis. 

“It looks as though Prince Charles is becoming Prince Regent which means he will deputize for the Queen on big state occasions, on big international visits with US Presidents or whatever it may be,” the former UKIP leader said during a recent interview with FOX News. 

Fitzwilliams was quick to disagree with Farage's perspective, dismissing the notion that the Queen is incapacitated as "gossip." 

"I don’t see this as a possibility [Charles becoming a Prince Regent.] We will have to see, of course, what is going to happen in the future," he added. 

The Queen will cut her Balmoral holiday short to host an audience with the incoming Prime Minister in London, Buckingham Palace has confirmed. 

• The Queen will leave Balmoral Castle early to hold an audience with the incoming Prime Minister, Buckingham Palace has confirmed. 
• Her Majesty traditionally stays at the Scottish royal residence, which is widely understood to be her favorite property, from mid-July until the middle of September. 
• In other royal news, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie 'banished' from seeing royal cousins for the cruelest reason.
  

The Queen's summer vacation at Balmoral Castle will be cut short so that the monarch can hold an audience with the incoming Prime Minister in London, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson has revealed. 

Her Majesty usually spends about three months at the Scottish royal residence every year, arriving in mid-July and leaving in September to resume her duties as Head of State. It has long been a tradition for Royal Family members to visit the 96-year-old at the £140m property, which is believed to be the favorite of the Queen's multiple royal homes. 

It looks like the Queen will have to squeeze all her family engagements into the next three weeks, however, following the news that she will be leaving Balmoral earlier than usual. 

The royal matriarch is expected to be back in London by September 5, when the winner of the Conservative leadership race is due to be announced. She will then hold an audience with the incoming Prime Minister, with Buckingham Palace predicted as the most likely spot for the private meeting to take place. It's also possible, however, that Her Majesty will host the ceremony - historically known as 'kissing hands' - at Windsor Castle, her permanent residence as of March 2022. 

Technically, the new Prime Minister could travel to Balmoral to save the Queen the 800-mile journey. However, this would delay the process of the formation of the new government. 

Luckily for the Queen, she's no stranger to the formalities involved in the ritual. Her Majesty has given audiences to 14 incoming Prime Ministers over the course of her reign, with Boris Johnson being the latest politician to request permission to form a government under her eye. 

Fears for the Queen's health have sparked once again following the cancellation of her 'traditional' Balmoral Castle welcome ceremony. 

• The Queen's 'traditional' Balmoral Castle ceremony has been replaced by a smaller event, a royal insider has revealed. 
• Her Majesty is normally greeted by a Guard of Honor and excited royal fans when she arrives at the Scotland residence to kick off her annual summer. 
• In other royal news, Kate Middleton and Prince William's luxurious £3.3K airport snack revealed.
  

The Queen's welcome ceremony at Balmoral Castle was canceled yesterday to accommodate the 96-year-old's 'comfort', according to a royal insider. 

Her Majesty was expected to attend a reception to kick off her summer break at the Scottish residence on Monday, as part of an age-old tradition that is 'normally cemented' in her busy calendar. 

For the past several decades, the monarch has stayed at the grandiose Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire from the end of July to the beginning of September. She is normally greeted at the $140m property's gates by a Guard of Honor and hundreds of fans, many of whom have traveled long distances for a glimpse at the royal matriarch in person. 

This summer's reception, however, has been replaced by a 'small, private ceremony' that will be closed off to the public. It's understood that the decision was made at the last minute, amid ongoing concerns for the Queen's physical health as she comes to the end of her Platinum Jubilee year. Her Majesty will still inspect her loyal troops, but no photographers or tourists will be admitted entry to witness the ritual. 

The news comes shortly after it was revealed that the Queen has had a wheelchair-friendly lift fitted at Balmoral's cottage, Craigowan Lodge, to help with her increasing mobility needs. 

"The traditional welcome to Balmoral is normally cemented in the Queen's calendar and something Her Majesty really enjoys, being able to greet locals who travel to see her," a royal source told the Mirror. 

"It's a bitter disappointment the ceremony will not take place in its traditional form." 

Buckingham Palace has since explained that the cancellation is "in line with adapting Her Majesty's schedule for her comfort." 

Last year, the Queen arrived at Balmoral Castle to a warm reception of soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Scotland and even an adorable Shetland pony. The trip marked Her Majesty's first summer break at the Scottish residence without Prince Philip, who died aged 99 at Windsor Castle the previous April. 

Prince William and Kate Middleton are set to move the family to Windsor from Kensington Palace as their permanent residence, but apparently the family enjoy a third secret home in Scotland.

• The Cambridge family have their own special Scottish retreat, used when visiting the Queen at Balmoral, according to reports. 
• There are no photographs of this apparent third home, however the family are said to be very fond of the property. 
• In other royal news, the only people to leave tennis prodigy Emma Raducanu ‘starstruck’ were these two royals

The Cambridge family are set to make a big move from Kensington Palace to Windsor later this year, but they're likely to spend some time at a third home (that's far less reported on) in Scotland over the summer. 

The Mirror reports that when the family visit the Queen at Balmoral in Scotland, they don't need to rely on her putting them up in the main castle, as they have their own private property to reside in.

The newspaper reports that the home is called Tam-Na-Ghar cottage and was gifted to Prince William by the Queen Mother - and is a place very close to his and Catherine's hearts.

In addition to their new Windsor home, the family also have a countryside escape at Anmer Hall on the Queen's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. It's thought that this countryside escape is mainly used when the family are visiting Balmoral over the summer holidays.

Balmoral is one of the key residences where the Royal Family stay in Scotland. The Queen has already started her trip to Aberdeenshire, but it's unclear whether Her Majesty has reached Balmoral Castle yet.

Princess Eugenie has previously revealed on the 2016 documentary, Our Queen at Ninety, what a wonderful time the royals have in Scotland when they all get together.

"Walks, picnics, dogs – a lot of dogs, there's always dogs – and people coming in and out all the time,” she disclosed. 

“It's 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,” she said on the program.  

The Queen’s Balmoral break is a traditional vacation for the monarch but there’s a simple reason why it hasn’t started fully yet. 

• Her Majesty has traveled to Scotland to enjoy a much-deserved two-month long break at Balmoral Castle as she does every summer. 
• She's typically visited during this vacation by her nearest and dearest though the Balmoral break has yet to properly begin at the castle. 
• This royal news comes as Prince Charles read the Queen’s secret message that carries ‘shared hopes and dreams’ after its 90,000 mile journey.    

Anyone wondering where the Queen is since she left Windsor Castle on July 21st might well have expected her to be at Balmoral Castle. The historic home is nestled in the picturesque countryside of Royal Deeside in Aberdeenshire and is believed to be one of Her Majesty’s favorite royal properties. Whilst the Palace of Holyroodhouse is the monarch’s official residence in Scotland, Balmoral is visited far more regularly by the Queen and extended Royal Family. 

Balmoral is one of the key residences where the Royal Family stay in Scotland. But despite the monarch having traveled to Aberdeenshire, it could be said that the Queen’s Balmoral break has yet to really begin for one simple reason - she’s thought not to be at Balmoral Castle yet!

Whilst not confirmed, the Queen's reportedly been staying at Craigowan Lodge on the Balmoral estate in recent days. This beautiful stone cottage is only around a mile from Balmoral and is understood to be a place that the Queen and Prince Philip spent time over the years. 

They’re said to have resided there in late July, just like the Queen is believed to be doing now as the main castle is still open to the public. The Queen’s Balmoral break usually lasts from August-October, with Balmoral Castle open to the public from April-July each year. This year the grounds, gardens, coffee shop, exhibitions and gifts shops are open until August 2nd.

Her Majesty and her household apparently move across to the residence once it closes its doors to visitors, giving her privacy. 

This means that whilst the Queen’s vacation time might technically have started, her Balmoral break will perhaps only fully begin when she can settle in at the castle in a few days' time. It’s at Balmoral Castle itself that the Queen’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have often visited her over the years, making this annual trip all the more special.

This includes her granddaughter Princess Eugenie, who previously revealed on the 2016 documentary, Our Queen at Ninety, that the royals enjoy plenty of outdoor pursuits like walking and picnics there. 

"Walks, picnics, dogs – a lot of dogs, there's always dogs – and people coming in and out all the time,” she disclosed. “It's 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.” 

This sense of freedom is likely incredibly meaningful for the Queen too, given how much of her life is lived in the public eye. The decision to wait to move into Balmoral and fully begin the holiday after the public has stopped visiting her home makes a lot of sense. Once the visitors are gone, the Queen is thought to enjoy a more low-key, relaxed pace of life there surrounded by her nearest and dearest until she returns to England in the autumn. 

There are several historic residences where the Royal Family stay in Scotland, especially during the summer and King Charles and Queen Camilla have continued a royal tradition.

• Their Majesties have traveled to Scotland to begin their summer break at the Castle of Mey but this is only one of several Scottish royal homes.
• Here we share the stunning residences the royals have stayed in during their time in Scotland over the years.  
• This royal news comes as it was revealed King Charles paved the way for Prince William as he proved it’s alright to change your mind.

Since becoming King and Queen Consort last year King Charles and Queen Camilla have remained based at Clarence House but they’ve also been upholding plenty of royal residence traditions. During the late Queen Elizabeth’s reign it became a pattern to see the Royal Family gather at Sandringham House for Christmas and Windsor Castle for Easter. Many royals also have several residences they spend time in, like the Prince and Princess of Wales who live at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor but also have their Anmer Hall home in Norfolk. 

When it comes to the summer fans are accustomed to the Scottish residences getting plenty of use by the royals. Now King Charles and Queen Camilla are said to be at one of them to start their summer break. With more family members predicted to come to Scotland this year, we’ve got you covered with what you need to know about where the Royal Family stay in Scotland…

Where do the Royal Family stay in Scotland? 

Balmoral Castle

Perhaps the most iconic and instantly recognisable of the Royal Family’s Scottish homes is Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire. It’s here that Queen Elizabeth traditionally enjoyed her annual summer break from August-October and was often considered to be one of her favorite royal residences. 

The Queen’s grandchildren, great-grandchildren and her four children were often invited to spend time with her during her Balmoral break. Now alongside precious family memories, the royals might find spending time here a poignant experience too as it was at this beloved residence that Queen Elizabeth passed away last year.

If members of the Royal Family end up staying there this summer this would mark the first time they’ve done so since her death. According to the Daily Mail, it’s been claimed that King Charles and Queen Camilla will “decamp” here for official visits but will make their own Scottish residence their “main base”. However, their nearest and dearest are expected to stay at Balmoral when they come to visit this summer.

Unlike other royal homes like Buckingham Palace, Balmoral Castle is owned privately and isn’t part of the Crown Estate. There are reportedly a staggering 52 bedrooms there and Queen Elizabeth was often pictured in the various living rooms and her study in the castle. 

Opening up about summers there as a family, Princess Eugenie explained on the 2016 ITV documentary, Our Queen at Ninety, how much the highlands meant to her grandmother. 

Princess Eugenie said, "It's the most beautiful place on earth. I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands."

"Walks, picnics, dogs – a lot of dogs, there's always dogs – and people coming in and out all the time. It's 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,” she added, indicating how much being in the great outdoors is factored into royal summer plans in Scotland. 

When it comes to where the Royal Family stay in Scotland, Balmoral Castle was definitely Queen Elizabeth’s go-to Scottish residence with so many precious memories attached to it of summers spent with her nearest and dearest. It’s likely that King Charles will continue to spend time at Balmoral when he’s in Scotland, even if Birkhall remains his primary base.

Birkhall

It might not be quite as famous as Balmoral Castle, but Birkhall on the Balmoral estate is another magnificent royal residence put to good use when two particular members of the Royal Family stay in Scotland. The property is the Scottish home of King Charles and Queen Camilla and had been their official residence there during their time as Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. It’s believed that it was at Birkhall that Their Majesties spent much of the UK’s lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Birkhall once belonged to the Queen Mother, whom King Charles is understood to have had an incredibly close relationship with, and it’s been in the Royal Family for over 150 years. After the Queen Mother passed away in 2002, His Majesty inherited Birkhall and following King Charles and Queen Camilla’s wedding it was here that they spent their honeymoon. 

He also headed for Birkhall after his divorce from the late Princess Diana and has reportedly previously described the residence as "a unique haven of cosiness and character." Whilst Birkhall is his home, King Charles isn’t the only member of the Royal Family to stay at Birkhall when they’re in Scotland. 

Prince William, who is first in the royal line of succession, and the Princess of Wales apparently celebrated New Year’s Eve there with him back in 2011. The King typically spends time at Birkhall in the summer and it’s thought that he used his Scottish home as a base when he visited Queen Elizabeth a short distance away at Balmoral. This year reports have alleged that it will remain his base and he could occasionally move over to Balmoral for official visits. 

According to the Prince of Wales’ website, whilst there, King Charles and Queen Camilla enjoy everything from walking in the countryside to fishing. They are known for their love of the great outdoors and Birkhall clearly means a lot to them. In December 2020 it was a photo taken here that King Charles and Queen Camilla chose to share as their annual Christmas card picture. 

Castle of Mey

Avid royal fans might have heard rumours that the Queen Mother once bought a castle in Scotland for £100. Unfortunately, the actual amount she paid isn’t known, whether £100, less or a whole lot more. But according to the official Castle and Gardens of May website, the Queen Mother bought it in 1952 from Captain F.B. Imbert-Terry.

This purchase was something Netflix’s The Crown showed in their first season and the Queen Mother was pivotal in ensuring the castle and gardens and parklands were renovated and restored. It was also the Queen Mother who restored the Castle of Mey to its original name, having been renamed Barrogill Castle. 

She opened the gardens three days each year in aid of Scotland’s Gardens Scheme and this has continued to this day. This castle is somewhere the Royal Family stay in Scotland and the Queen Mother used to enjoy an annual summer trip at the Castle of Mey each August. She would also traditionally enjoy another ten days at this Scottish residence in October too.

After her death in March 2002, the Royal Family owned the Castle of Mey as it passed to Queen Elizabeth. However, this all changed in 1996 when Queen Elizabeth gifted it with an endowment to the Trust. 

Now the Royal Family no longer privately own the Castle of Mey, though during his time as Prince of Wales, King Charles used to rent the castle for a few days each August and is President of the Trust. This year, he's understood to have traveled to the Castle of Mey with Queen Camilla to kick off their summer holiday there. It's not known exactly how long they will stay, though Their Majesties are expected to make a move to the Balmoral Estate soon. 

Tam-Na-Ghar Cottage

Perhaps the least well-known of all the places where members of the Royal Family stay in Scotland, Tam-Na-Ghar Cottage is the Scottish home of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Just like Birkhall, Tam-Na-Ghar is understood to be on the Balmoral estate and it’s where Prince William, Kate and their kids allegedly sometimes stay when in Scotland. 

The property is said to have been a gift from the late Queen Mother to Prince William before she passed away in 2002. Unlike Balmoral Castle, Tam-Na-Ghar Cottage is a private residence and is never open to the public. There are also virtually no photographs of the residence and the Wales family get to enjoy a high level of privacy whenever they stay there.

Craigowan Lodge

This year it seems like Craigowan Lodge might not be lived in like it used to be during the late Queen Elizabeth's reign. She was understood to spend time here each summer after arriving in Scotland as she waited for Balmoral Castle to close its doors to the public. Only then would she make the move across to the main castle for the remainder of her summer break.

Located on the Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire, this beautiful stone cottage is believed to have seven bedrooms, making it the perfect comfortable residence for royals and any important guests. Over the years Queen Elizabeth and the late Prince Philip are said to have spent time here living like an “ordinary” married couple.

Speaking upon Craigowan Lodge on Channel 5’s Secrets of the Royal Palaces, royal expert Wesley Kerr expressed his belief that “[Queen Elizabeth] and the Duke [Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh] are able to be there as an ordinary married couple without the grandeur.”

However, this summer it's possible that Queen Elizabeth's beloved Scottish hideaway could be neglected. Reports have suggested that King Charles and Queen Camilla are spending time at the Castle of Mey, with Balmoral set to close to visitors on 16th August. Since His Majesty has his own Scottish home on the Balmoral estate, Birkhall, where he can stay whilst Balmoral is open it might be that he doesn't choose to head to Craigowan Lodge in 2023.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Whilst the Palace of Holyroodhouse might not be where the Royal Family spend their private summer breaks, it is the monarch's official Scottish residence. Located in Edinburgh, King Charles was there in July 2023 as he marked the first Royal Week or Holyrood Week of his reign. This week traditionally sees the monarch and other royals celebrate Scottish culture, community and achievements with visits and engagements across the country.

A garden party is also held here during the week, attended this year by King Charles, Queen Camilla and Princess Anne. The monarch set off from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to travel to St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh for a special Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication to King Charles and Queen Camilla's coronation. Their Majesties also viewed the new Jubilee Gates at the palace which were installed to mark Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee.

The King and Queen aren't currently expected to return to stay the Palace of Holyroodhouse until next summer for Holyrood Week 2024. 

The Queen received a heartwarming message from Pope Francis as she continued to relax on her summer holiday at her Scottish home, Balmoral Castle.

• The Queen is currently staying at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
• While on this retreat, Her Majesty received a heartfelt message from the head of the Catholic Church.
• In other royal news, Prince Harry's special bond that 'suffered' as a result of his rift with Prince William.

While enjoying her Scottish summer holiday, the Queen received a sweet message from Pope Francis as he flew over the UK on his way to Canada. 

The message from one head of church to another read, "As I fly over the United Kingdom en route to Canada, I send greetings of good wishes to Your Majesty, the members of the Royal Family and all the people of the realm. I pray that Almighty God will bless you with his gifts of strength, joy and peace." This message was revealed by BBC Religion Editor, Aleem Maqbool on Twitter.

The Queen and Pope Francis met for the first time in 2014 when Her Majesty traveled to Italy and visited the Vatican City. Pope Francis is the seventh Pope that has met the Queen during her 70-year-long reign.

Although the message from the Pope was addressed to the Queen at her London home, Buckingham Palace, the Queen is actually not in London at the moment.

The Queen is currently staying at Craigowan Lodge, her stunning country cottage on the Balmoral Castle estate. This is the Queen's go-to holiday home for the summer and she is planning to stay there for many weeks with a few members of the extended Royal Family.

Prince William and Kate's adorable summer holiday plans with George, Charlotte, and Louis were revealed a few weeks ago. It was confirmed that the Cambridge's would also be joining Her Majesty in Scotland and would be staying on the Balmoral estate.

It was revealed that this invitation for a family holiday was also extended to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. This invitation was seen as the Queen's olive branch to Prince Harry and Meghan, but many experts claim that the royal couple will be rejecting this offer and choose to stay in California this summer.

Craigowan Lodge might not be as well-known as Balmoral Castle, but this stunning property makes for the perfect “ordinary” bolt hole for the Queen. 

• Her Majesty has travelled to Scotland for the start of her annual summer break at Balmoral, but there’s somewhere else she could spend time. 
• Craigowan Lodge on the Balmoral Estate has been stayed in by the Queen and Prince Philip over the years and she might well return this year. 
• This royal news comes as Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were plagued with several serious security breaches at their Californian home. 

The Queen might have spent much of the past few years at her Berkshire home, Windsor Castle, but that’s far from the only royal residence she spends time in throughout the year. And as we might have come to expect from the extended Royal Family, there’s often a certain amount of tradition surrounding where the monarch goes and when. Britain’s longest-reigning monarch typically spends Christmas at her Norfolk residence, Sandringham House, whilst Balmoral Castle is her go-to vacation destination in the summer. 

Craigowan Lodge is another royal home she’s spent time in over the warmer months and it’s where some have predicted the Queen is now ahead at the start of her Balmoral break. Here we reveal what you need to know about Craigowan Lodge including where it is, who else has stayed and when the Queen usually spends time there…

Where is Craigowan Lodge? 

Just like the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla’s country home, Birkhall, and of course, the Queen’s beloved Balmoral Castle, Craigowan Lodge is in Scotland. The stunning stone property is located in the countryside of Aberdeenshire on Her Majesty’s Balmoral Estate, surrounded on several sides by woodland, if the rare photos are anything to go by. 

That means it’s not only close to the main castle itself, but to Birkhall and Tam-Na-Ghar cottage which is understood to be used by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they are in Scotland.   

How far is Craigowan Lodge from Balmoral Castle? 

Whilst Balmoral Castle is perhaps one of the most recognizable and iconic of the Queen’s royal residences, the lesser-known Craigowan Lodge is very nearby indeed. According to reports, the cottage is only around a mile away from the main castle, nestled in the magnificent surrounding Scottish countryside. Both Craigowan Lodge and Balmoral are in Aberdeenshire, with the village of Crathie just a few miles away. The nearest airport is Aberdeen and the Balmoral estate is located between Ballater and Braemar. 

Craigowan Lodge history 

Despite often being described as a cottage, Craigowan Lodge is believed to have seven bedrooms and ample space for the Queen or any esteemed guests when they visit. The highland home has long had a special connection to the extended Royal Family, as it was here that a sweet moment in Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s relationship is understood to have taken place. The future Prince and Princess of Wales’ first official photocall since they announced their engagement was held at Craigowan Lodge. 

During their marriage, it’s said that Prince Charles and Princess Diana often stayed at Craigowan Lodge with Prince William and Prince Harry when they were visiting Balmoral in the summer. Though the Queen has also apparently been a consistent, if infrequent, visitor to the Balmoral property over the years, often with her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. 

The Queen’s grandchild, Princess Eugenie, once opened up on the 2016 ITV documentary Our Queen at Ninety about how much the Scottish highlands mean to her remarkable grandmother. 

"It's the most beautiful place on earth. I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands,” she explained at the time. 

It’s understood that when the Queen is at Balmoral she can relax and enjoy private time with her nearest and dearest without public scrutiny. Craigowan Lodge provides the same level of picturesque privacy and according to royal expert Wesley Kerr, time there allowed Her Majesty and Prince Philip to be an “ordinary” couple.  

Discussing Craigowan Lodge on the Channel 5 documentary, Secrets of the Royal Palaces, Wesley previously expressed his belief that the Queen and Prince Philip enjoyed life without the “grandeur” they experience at other properties like Buckingham Palace.

“I don’t imagine that she’s doing the cooking or anything, but she and the Duke are able to be there as an ordinary married couple without the grandeur,” the expert claimed. 

He went on to add, "I think the Queen sees the grandeur in these amazing houses as, sort of, part of the job. But the Queen, like anybody else, can only be in one room at a time. So one room in a small house is probably a rather nice change.”

Although the seven-bedroom Craigowan Lodge might not sound like much of a “small house”, compared to the 52 Balmoral Castle is believed to have, this beautiful property is very much a scaled-back residence. Following the death of Prince Philip in April 2021, it was suggested that Her Majesty spent time there mourning him. 

When does the Queen stay at Craigowan Lodge? 

It’s not known exactly when the Queen stays at Craigowan Lodge, although over the years reports have suggested that the stone cottage makes the perfect retreat for the monarch ahead of the start of her summer break. Each year Her Majesty traditionally spends August-October at her privately-owned Balmoral Castle and in previous years has often made the trip at the end of July. 

This is also the case this year, with the Queen beginning her Balmoral holiday on Thursday, July 21st, when she was observed leaving Windsor Castle after the UK’s hottest day so far earlier in the week. However, despite the Queen having travelled to Scotland she won’t be able to settle in at Balmoral Castle quite yet.

The historic home is open to the public until the end of July and it’s understood that the Queen has previously stayed at Craigowan Lodge until Balmoral Castle closes to tourists, at which point her household is able to move there. It’s predicted that she is likely doing the same this year during the start of her Scottish vacation. 

Sadly for anyone hoping for a glimpse inside Craigowan Lodge, as a private royal home this isn’t open to the public like many of her other palaces and castles. 

The Queen's olive branch to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has been revealed by a royal source who claims her majesty invited the pair to Balmoral Castle this summer.

• The Queen's olive branch has been revealed by royal insiders.
• However, it's believed it will be rejected by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
• In other royal news, The 'unconventional' meaning behind Sarah Ferguson's rare Burmese ruby engagement ring.

The Queen and other members of the extended Royal Family often spend their summers in Scotland at Balmoral Castle, and it is thought that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are currently staying there with their three children.

It has been revealed that the Queen extended an olive branch to Prince Harry and Meghan by ensuring that they too were invited on the Royal retreat. An insider even revealed that staff have been told to expect the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their two children at Balmoral.

"Staff have been told to expect the full list of royals including Harry, Meghan and their children Archie and Lilibet," a Balmoral insider told The Sun. "They are preparing for the Sussexes.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have only been seen in the UK on a few occasions since they stepped back as senior royals in March 2020. There have been a number of reports of bad blood between the couple and the other members of the Royal Family so this gesture from the Queen could be seen as an olive branch for the couple to come back into the fold.

Another insider said that this potential holiday would be a great opportunity for the royals to spend time with the Queen. "Balmoral is the perfect place for them to spend a little bit of quality time with the Queen," said the insider who added, "they barely had 15 minutes with her at the jubilee."

Despite reportedly not spending a great deal of time with Her Majesty during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, yet another insider has suggested that this olive branch will not be accepted by the royal couple. "I would be stunned if they did turn up," the insider told The Sun. 

Only time will tell if Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan will leave their $14 million Santa Barbara mansion and travel to Scotland for the summer to build bridges with the Royal Family but at the moment it's looking unlikely. 

The Queen has traveled to Balmoral in Scotland for her annual summer holiday, starting with a fortnight stay at Prince Philip's favorite countryside retreat. 

• The Queen has traveled to Scotland to begin her summer break at Balmoral Estate. 
• Her Majesty will reportedly spend the first two weeks of her Highlands holiday at Craigowan Lodge, the adorable cottage in which she spent many summers with her late husband, Prince Philip. 
• In other royal news, ‘gorgeous’ Prince George birthday photo taken by Kate Middleton has got fans seeing double as they notice royal resemblance.
  

The Queen has traveled to Balmoral Estate in Scotland to begin her annual summer holiday, having spent the last couple of months busy with the Platinum Jubilee celebrations and performing both virtual and in-person engagements. 

Her Majesty was spotted leaving Windsor Castle on Thursday in a Range Rover, wearing a floral yellow and purple dress, brown sunglasses, and her signature pearl jewelry. The sighting comes shortly after the 96-year-old monarch broke tradition for her guards at Buckingham Palace by allowing them to shelter from the blazing sun of the UK heatwave earlier this week. 

It remains unknown how the Queen will get to Balmoral from her Berkshire home, but it's possible she'll take a helicopter to speed up the journey in light of her ongoing mobility issues. 

She will most likely be joined by other members of the Royal Family during her summer vacation, with Prince Charles, Duchess Camilla, and the Cambridges all expected to make a visit over the coming weeks. It's understood that Her Majesty will remain at the Highlands estate until September when her work calendar resumes for the autumn and winter. 

The Queen will not, however, be moving into Balmoral Castle straight away. The £115m property remains open to tourists until the end of July, which means it's currently not ready for the royal matriarch to take up her residence. 

In the meantime, she will stay at Craigowan Lodge, a private cottage that was famously loved by her late husband. Her Majesty and Prince Philip, who died aged 99 last year, spent much of their summer downtime at the seven-bedroom bolthole in the years before the Duke of Edinburgh's passing. 

Located about a mile away from Balmoral Castle, the stone abode has recently undergone a £20k refurbishment to accommodate the monarch's mobility needs. In March, it was reported that the Queen had a wheelchair-friendly lift fitted at the cottage, as well as a new security gate, a high-tech intercom system, and multiple CCTV cameras. 

Duchess Camilla’s Ray Mill House and her decision to retain this residence reportedly gives her a “sense of empowerment” and shows she’s a “person in her own right”.  

• Camilla Parker Bowles is understood to have purchased the stunning Wiltshire home after her divorce from Andrew Parker-Bowles in 1996.  
• According to a behavioral expert her decision to keep this residence and have her Country Life cover photo taken there is very significant.  
• This royal news comes as Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla celebrated an iconic event’s return for the first time in two years - and fans were loving it! 

Like many members of the extended Royal Family, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles have several magnificent royal residences they can spend time in throughout the year. From their Gloucestershire idyll, Highgrove House, to Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate and their Clarence House London home they often spend time at different properties. But whilst these are all royal residences and some, like Highgrove, are privately owned by Prince Charles, Duchess Camilla’s Ray Mill House home in Wiltshire is all hers! 

The future Queen Consort is understood to have bought the six-bedroom countryside property for a rumored £850,000 back in 1996 after her divorce from her first husband, Andrew Parker Bowles. And despite marrying Prince Charles in 2005, she’s retained Ray Mill House as her own private home just a short distance from Highgrove...

It’s clear the Wiltshire bolt-hole holds a special place in her heart and was reportedly used as the wedding reception venue when the Duchess' daughter Laura got married in 2006. Meanwhile, it was in the picturesque gardens there that Duchess Camilla was captured by Kate Middleton for her Guest Edited issue of Country Life. 

This edition was released just a few days ahead of her 75th birthday on July 17th and was a huge moment for the Duchess, making her choice to be photographed at Ray Mill Hill even more meaningful. 

Duchess Camilla’s Ray Mill House is also close to family - something she revealed during her British Vogue debut earlier this year. 

She discussed her grandchildren, stating, “One’s at a school very near my house, so when I am in Wiltshire and her parents are away, I can nip over and pick her up and take her home.”

Her reference to being in Wiltshire and the happy family memories connected with it indicate that Duchess Camilla’s Ray Mill House is very special to her. And according to a behavioral expert, the reason for this could lie in the way it helps her “retain a portion” of her life just for herself…

Why is Duchess Camilla’s Ray Mill House so significant to her? 

When it comes to Ray Mill House, it seems that Duchess Camilla’s decision to keep it is a “little haven” just for her as he manages her very public responsibilities.

Opening up about this on behalf of Slingo, behavioral expert Darren Stanton said, “Camilla has given everything to Charles and she fully supports him in every way, altruistically and with a good heart. Even though she has opted into a life of public service alongside him and she enjoys that role, I think anyone no matter who they are in life likes to retain a portion of their life that belongs solely to them, if they are able to.”

He went on to express his belief that it’s likely “important” to the Duchess of Cornwall to be able to have an idyllic escape whenever she might need it.

Darren said, “I think it’s important to her to have her own little haven that she can revisit and take time out for herself knowing that it is all hers. Even the most altruistic of people sometimes need to nourish their own soul and while she connects with other people easily and effortlessly, of course this also means that she takes on their burden which can be draining."

The expert suggested that Duchess Camilla chose for the Duchess of Cambridge to photograph her for Country Life at Ray Mill House partly because it shows a different side to her away from her royal life.

“I believe the photoshoot was conducted at her private residence for a number of reasons. Primarily, I think she wanted to very much be in her own skin, and her own space and to demonstrate a very different facet to her life,” he claimed. “Here we see she has her own property and her own interests, and that not everything has to do with Royal protocol.”

Although Duchess Camilla is set to become Queen Consort - the Queen’s own “sincere wish” - the behavioral expert reflected that no matter what position you’re in, “private moments” are necessary and these could give her a “sense of empowerment”. 

He explained, “[C]ouples may feel stifled inside each other’s pockets 24/7 so Camilla, like many professional people in a relationship, also needs her private moments to take time out from her busy schedule to recuperate, refresh and regroup."

“It’s also about a sense of empowerment by saying ‘Yes, I am a member of the Royal Family and I am married to the future king, however, I am a person in my own right’,” Darren declared.

So it seems there is not only huge significance behind Duchess Camilla choosing to keep Ray Mill House after marrying Prince Charles, but also in her decision to have her cover photo taken there. As someone who is constantly in the public eye, this "little haven" in Wiltshire likely offers her en escape from the pressures of royal life and a chance to just enjoy being herself.

Firefighters rushed to Balmoral Estate, home of the Queen's private Scottish residence, on Sunday to extinguish a campfire left by 'irresponsible' visitors, it has been revealed. 

• A fire crew was called to Balmoral Estate on Sunday to extinguish a fire, according to a spokesperson for the royal residence. 
• The forest fire was caused by visitors to the Queen's Scottish residence after they failed to put out their campfire. 
• In other royal news, Duchess Camilla's 'risqué' humor discussed by close friend in new documentary celebrating her 75th year.
  

Fire services were called to Balmoral Estate on Sunday to extinguish a forest fire caused by visitors, according to a spokesperson for the 50,000-acre property. 

The blaze started after daytrippers to the Queen's private Scottish residence failed to put out their campfire, resulting in the flames spreading and engulfing the surrounding trees. 

A representative of Balmoral took to Twitter afterwards to praise the crew for their speedy work in tackling the fire and to share some reassuring news about some of the forest's non-human inhabitants. 

"Thanks very much to the crews from @fire_scot who extinguished this forest fire yesterday which had been started by an abandoned campfire. Due to their quick response, the fire did not affect a nearby osprey nest." 

Unimpressed royal fans were quick to share their dismay at the negligence of the visitors, with numerous people slamming their actions as 'irresponsible.' 

This is far from the first time Balmoral Estate's stunning environment has been threatened by careless human behavior. In September 2020, rangers at the Aberdeenshire attraction warned that the grounds could be destroyed by wildfires if tourists continued to leave their unattended campfires smoldering. According to staff, rangers are needed to clear the fires on a 'daily' basis. 

"Depressing to find more roots being cut off the old Scots pine trees that line the shores of Loch Muick just to be burnt on campfires," they said on Twitter. 

"Old campfires are an eyesore! This one was made in the woods next to the toilets at Loch Muick, during this weekend's high fire risk." 

Prince William and Kate's adorable summer plans for their three children have been revealed by a royal expert who has suggested what might be on the agenda for the Cambridge family this summer break.

• Prince William and Kate Middleton are the parents of three young children.
• The royal couple's plans for the summer demonstrate how they will keep their three youngsters busy during the next few weeks.
• In other royal news, Kate Middleton spotted at local trampoline park playing with her kids 'just like any other mum'

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's summer holiday plans have been revealed by a royal correspondent who explained that the three youngsters will be enjoying a summer of outdoor pursuits and other adventurous endeavors. 

"The three children are incredibly sporty and, of course, their parents are too,” Ingrid Seward told The Sun. "The focus will very much be on outdoor pursuits, with swimming, fishing, walking, riding, and sailing."

The expert revealed that their holiday will most likely be spent at Balmoral Castle, where the Royal Family can gather and take part in these activities in a relatively private place. "Balmoral is an absolute paradise for children," revealed Ingrid. "They can do all the country things, swimming and fishing in the lochs and George might even go rabbit and grouse shooting with William."

The expert revealed that in this Scottish retreat, the children can even visit the Queen's pony sanctuary. "They also go riding, because they have lots of fell ponies up there and some little Shetland ponies," said Ingrid."Charlotte's mad about ponies, so she is a girl after her own grandmother’s heart." The Queen's pony sanctuary is to preserve the rare breeds of ponies that live in the Scottish highlands. The Queen was awarded with a huge honor in recognition of this passion, as she is helping to keep these breeds from extinction.

The expert added that the children particularly love the simple pleasures while on holiday, much like their great-grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh. "All the kids love it up there because they have picnics every day and sometimes at night they have family barbecues, which were always a favorite of Prince Philip. And kids don't care about the midges and the rain," said Ingrid.

The young royals will also get the chance to spend time with other members of the Royal Family at Balmoral.

“This is probably the one time in the year that they have a chance to spend a bit of time with their cousins, and they all get on very well,” says Ingrid. “Peter Phillips’ girls are great fun." Like the Cambridge kids, Savannah and Isla are also the Queen's great-grandchildren and understand the scrutiny that comes along with royal life.

"The Queen is hands-on when they're doing something that she's interested in," says Ingrid who revealed Her Majesty likes to get involved with her great-grandchildren's activities while on holiday.

"If they're riding or learning to ride, she would enjoy helping them with that and will certainly be watching them. She loves to see them learning and achieving things," she said.

The royal expert also spoke about Prince William and Kate Middleton’s surprising chore for Prince George during this countryside break. "There’s also a farm, and Kate recently revealed George helps out in the holidays by moving animal feed. And he loves tractors, as William once revealed, so he can go out on a tractor as well. It’s all there," said Ingrid.

The expert revealed that George, Charlotte, and Louis' may also be treated to a holiday abroad as the Duke and Duchess may be taking them to an island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Mustique.

"They usually go up to Balmoral to spend time with the Queen and the rest of the family for a while and, this year, I think they will also go abroad for a short time, probably to Mustique, because William and Kate will want a change of scenery," revealed Ingrid.

"William and Kate haven’t been abroad much with the kids in recent years, apart from a trip to Jordan in the autumn, so I think they’ll be itching to get back to Mustique this year," she said.

Ingrid explained that the children may even be going with their other grandparents, Michael and Carole Middleton, and will enjoy the privacy of this island. “They have all the infrastructure they need there, they have a no-fly zone and all kinds of things in place so they can actually have some privacy," Ingrid explained. "The Middletons are pretty helpful with all this and Carole organizes the Mustique trips."