king charles tours

How King Charles Is Breaking With Royal Tradition in a Major Way

K ing Charles III has piqued the interest of royal fans by offering tours of private rooms at Balmoral Castle for the first time since its completion.

The lucrative tours , taking place between July 1 and Aug. 4, set buyers back £100 ($126.34) or £150 ($189.51) for a package including afternoon tea. Highlighting the demand, tickets sold out in a single day . Sets of 40 tickets per day were first advertised on Wednesday, and by Thursday they had all gone. 

Balmoral Castle , located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is an intimate site for members of the royal family; it’s the monarch’s summer home, it’s where Prince William and Prince Harry learned of their mother’s fatal car crash in 1997, and it’s the beloved residence where Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022, after 70 years on the throne.  

Before now, tours had only offered a glimpse of the ballroom, as well as the castle grounds and gardens. But with King Charles’ permission, history buffs can expect an interior tour that spans the Victorian era to the present day. Groups of 10 people per tour will “learn about the origins of the Castle and how it has been loved by generations of the Royal family,” according to Balmoral’s ticketing page. 

The tour will still include a visit to the ballroom, where the King’s watercolor collection is on display, which depicts scenery at Balmoral, Highgrove, and Sandringham. Visitors can also explore outfits worn by the King and Queen Camilla, Queen Elizabeth II, and the Queen Mother.

Balmoral is the private property of the monarch, and it is not attached to the Crown estate. The tours are scheduled to end just before the King and Queen arrive for their 2024 summer break at the residence.

The Highlands home has been a royal haven since 1852, when it was officially purchased by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, for £32,000, which equates to £3.7 million today ($4.7 million), according to the Bank of England calculator . The royal couple decided to expand the castle, believing it to be too small for their family. The works were completed sometime between 1855 and 1856, and the old building was then demolished.

As it currently stands, the estate covers 50,000 acres and consists of 150 buildings, including the King’s house at Birkhall, Craigowan Lodge. The granite castle itself reportedly has 167 rooms, with 52 bedrooms, according to the Guardian , which estimated in 2023 that the estate could be worth £80 million ($101 million).

The tour comes as Buckingham Palace also prepares to welcome visitors to its East Wing for the first time . Special guided tours will take place throughout July and August, following five years of improvement renovations.  

Like Balmoral, the East Wing carried significance for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, as it was first occupied by their family after its creation between 1847 and 1849. It is now used for official meetings and events, and includes the palace’s facade and balcony, where monarchs have appeared alongside their family for historic appearances since 1851.

More Must-Reads From TIME

• Dua Lipa Manifested All of This
• Exclusive: Google Workers Revolt Over $1.2 Billion Contract With Israel
• Stop Looking for Your Forever Home
• The Sympathizer Counters 50 Years of Hollywood Vietnam War Narratives
• The Bliss of Seeing the Eclipse From Cleveland
• Hormonal Birth Control Doesn’t Deserve Its Bad Reputation
• The Best TV Shows to Watch on Peacock
• Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time

Write to Armani Syed at [email protected]

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• March Madness
• AP Top 25 Poll
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

King Charles III makes world debut as tour starts in Germany

Britain’s King Charles arrived at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport in Germany on Wednesday, his first international visit as the U.K.'s new monarch.

Britain’s new king has arrived in Berlin, hoping to cement his country’s improving relations with Europe and show he can help the U.K. win hearts and minds abroad just as his mother did for seven decades. (March 29)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, right, and his wife Elke Buedenbender, left, welcome Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

• Copy Link copied

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, right, and Britain’s King Charles III attend a welcome ceremony, in Berlin, Germany, March 29, 2023. (Wolfgang Rattay/Pool via AP)

Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, arrive at the airport in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrives Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, right, his wife Elke Buedenbender, left, and Britain’s King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort attend a welcome ceremony, in Berlin, Germany, March 29, 2023. (Wolfgang Rattay/Pool via AP)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, center left, with his wife Elke Buedenbender, welcome Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, right, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Troops get ready to take part in a welcome ceremony for Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrives Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

People wave German and British flags while German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Buedenbender welcome Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Tuesday, March 29, 2022. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Britain’s King Charles III greets a member of the public as he visits Berlin, Germany, March 29, 2023. (Wolfgang Rattay/Pool via AP)

Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, arrive at the airport in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrives Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, left, and Britain’s King Charles III review troops during a welcome ceremony, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Britain’s King Charles III, left, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, right, drive in a car after they arrived at the airport in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrives Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)

A police sharp shooter stands atop a building overlooking the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, waiting for the arrival of Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

A police sharp shooter stands atop a building overlooking the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, waiting for the arrival of Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

King Charles III and his wife Camilla sign the guest book at Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Before his coronation in May 2023, the British King and his royal wife will visit Germany for three days .(Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa via AP)

King Charles III (2nd from right) and his wife Camilla (2nd from left) sign the guest book in the presence of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Buedenbender at Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Before his coronation in May 2023, the British King and his royal wife will visit Germany for three days .(Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa via AP)

Britain’s King Charles III stands in front of the plane after arriving at BER Airport in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, shakes hand with Britain’s King Charles III, centre, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, during the State Banquet in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, Pool))

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, right, his wife Elke Buedenbender, left, Britain’s King Charles III, 2nd right, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, stand in front of the Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, left, his wife Elke Buedenbender, right, Britain’s King Charles III, 2nd left, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, stand together prior to the State Banquet in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, Pool))

Britain’s King Charles III, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, stand together prior to the State Banquet in the Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, Pool))

BERLIN (AP) — King Charles III arrived in Berlin on Wednesday for his first foreign trip as Britain’s monarch, hoping to improve the U.K.'s relations with the European Union and show he can win hearts and minds abroad, just as his mother did for seven decades.

Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, landed at Berlin’s government airport in the early afternoon. The king, dressed in a black coat, and his wife, in a light blue coat and a feather-trimmed teal hat worn at a jaunty angle, paused at the top of their plane’s stairs to receive a 21-gun salute as two military jets performed a flyover.

The royal couple said in a joint statement, released on their official Twitter account, that it was a “great joy” to be able to develop the “longstanding friendship between our two nations.”

An hour later, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Buedenbender, welcomed them with military honors at the German capital’s historic Brandenburg Gate.

Soldiers hoisted the British and German flags as the national anthems were played. Steinmeier and Charles then strolled past the cheering, flag-waving crowd, shaking hands and chatting briefly with people.

Some took close-up pictures on their phones as Charles and Camilla approached, while others gave them flower bouquets. One woman handed Charles a gift bag. Journalists and security personnel trailed the royal couple and their German hosts as they made their way back to their motorcade.

Charles, 74, who ascended the throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September , is set to be crowned on May 6 . As Britain’s head of state, the king meets weekly with the prime minister and retains his mother’s role as leader of the Commonwealth.

He had initially planned to visit France before heading to Germany, but the first leg of his trip was canceled due to massive protests over the French government’s efforts to raise the country’s retirement age by two years.

Billed as a multi-day tour of the EU’s two biggest countries, the trip was designed to underscore British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s efforts to rebuild relations with the bloc after six years of arguments over Brexit and highlight the countries’ shared history as they work together to combat Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Now everything rests on Germany, where the king faces the first big test of whether he can be an effective conduit for the “soft power” the House of Windsor has traditionally wielded, helping Britain pursue its geopolitical goals through the glitz and glamour of a 1,000-year-old monarchy.

Highlighting the diplomatic importance of the trip, Charles was accompanied by Britain’s Foreign Secretary, James Cleverley.

Charles, a former naval officer who is the first British monarch to earn a university degree, is expected to insert heft where his glamorous mother once wielded star power.

During an afternoon reception and again at a white tie evening banquet at Palace Bellevue, the German president’s official residence, Steinmeier remarked on the significance of Charles’s first visit taking him to Berlin, calling it “a wonderful personal gesture and at the same time an important sign for German-British relations.”

Steinmeier noted that Britain began the tortuous process of leaving the EU on March 29, 2017.

“For me personally, this was a sad day,” he said. “Today, exactly six years later, we open a new chapter.”

Steinmeier paid tribute to Charles’ mother Elizabeth, stressing how much she had done to foster German-British ties.

“Your family stands for continuity, for stability, particularly in times of change,” he said, noting that Charles, too, had visited Germany more than 40 times as a prince.

It was a subject picked up by Charles, who said the countries’ friendship was of great importance to his mother, who enjoyed immense popularity in Germany.

“The relationship between Germany and the United Kingdom matters greatly to me too,” he said. “I am more convinced than ever of its enduring value to us all.”

“It means so much to us that my wife and I could come to Germany for this very first overseas tour of my reign,” said Charles. “I can only assure you that throughout the time that is granted to me as King, I will do all I can to strengthen the connections between us.”

Switching from English to near-flawless German, Charles insisted: “Our ties will become even stronger, I’m convinced of that, if we work together for a sustainable future in prosperity and security.”

The banquet was attended by guests including former Chancellor Angela Merkel and scientist Ozlem Tureci, who co-founded the German company BioNTech that developed the first widely approved coronavirus vaccine.

On Thursday, the king is scheduled to give a speech to the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament. He will also meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz, talk to Ukrainian refugees, and meet with British and Germany military personnel who are working together on joint projects. In the afternoon he will visit an organic farm outside of Berlin.

The royal couple plan to go to Hamburg on Friday, where they will visit the Kindertransport memorial for Jewish children who fled from Germany to Britain during the Third Reich, and attend a green energy event before returning to the U.K.

The king was urged to make the trip by Sunak, who during his first six months in office negotiated a settlement to the long-running dispute over post-Brexit trading rules for Northern Ireland and reached a deal with France to combat the people smugglers ferrying migrants across the English Channel in small boats. Sunak hopes goodwill created by a royal visit can help pave the way for progress on other issues, including Britain’s return to an EU program that funds scientific research across Europe.

Britain’s senior royals are among the most recognizable people on the planet. While their formal powers are strictly limited by law and tradition, they draw attention from the media and the public partly because of the historic ceremonies and regalia that accompany them — and also because the public is fascinated by their personal lives.

Elizabeth’s influence stemmed in part from the fact that she made more than 100 state visits during her 70 years on the throne, meeting presidents and prime ministers around the world in a reign that lasted from the Cold War to the information age.

Politicians were eager to meet the monarch for tea, if for no other reason than she’d been around so long.

Kirka reported from London.

King Charles III makes his international debut with a trip to Germany

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

Britain’s King Charles III arrived in Berlin on Wednesday for his first foreign trip as monarch, hoping to improve the U.K.’s relations with the European Union and to show that he can win hearts and minds abroad, just as his mother did for seven decades .

Charles and Camilla, the queen consort , landed at Berlin’s government airport in the early afternoon. The king, dressed in a black coat, and his wife, in a light blue coat and a feather-trimmed teal hat worn at a jaunty angle, paused at the top of their plane’s stairs to receive a 21-gun salute as two military jets performed a flyover.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier welcomed the royal couple with military honors at the German capital’s historic Brandenburg Gate.

Charles, 74, who ascended the throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September, is set to be crowned May 6. As Britain’s head of state, the king meets weekly with the prime minister and retains his mother’s role as leader of the Commonwealth.

He had initially planned to visit France first, but that leg of his trip was canceled because of massive protests there over planned pension changes.

Billed as a multi-day tour of the EU’s two biggest countries, the trip was designed to underscore British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s efforts to rebuild relations with the bloc after six years of arguments over Brexit and highlight the countries’ shared history as they work together to combat Russian aggression in Ukraine.

World & Nation

Can King Charles put Queen Elizabeth’s legacy behind him and craft his own?

Elizabeth’s and Charles’ lives and temperaments diverged from an early age. What will his legacy be?

Sept. 9, 2022

Billed as a multi-day tour of the European Union’s two biggest countries, the trip was designed to underscore British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s efforts to rebuild relations with the bloc after six years of arguments over Brexit and highlight the countries’ shared history as they work together to combat Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Now everything rests on the visit to Germany, where the king faces the first big test of whether he can be an effective conduit of the “soft power” the House of Windsor has traditionally wielded abroad, helping Britain pursue its geopolitical goals through the glitz and glamour of a 1,000-year-old monarchy .

Charles, a former naval officer and the first British monarch to earn a university degree, is expected to use more intellectual heft where his glamorous mother once wielded star power.

His visit to Germany will showcase these roles while also giving him an opportunity to highlight the causes he holds dear, such as sustainability and the environment.

After Queen Elizabeth II, it’s a long line of kings. Will that matter?

Barring tragedy or revolution, Britain is set to have a man instead of a woman on the throne for the next 75 years at least.

Sept. 15, 2022

But there will also be a full dose of the pomp and circumstance that screams royal visit, starting with the ceremonial welcome at the Brandenburg Gate, the neoclassical landmark in the center of Berlin that has provided the backdrop to so much of German history . White tie and tiaras are expected to be on display during a state dinner at Schloss Bellevue, the German president’s official residence, on Wednesday evening.

Fans of the British royals started lining up early in the morning for security checks at the Brandenburg Gate, hoping to get a close-up view of Charles and Camilla. By noon, hundreds of well-wishers awaited their arrival as police and sniffer dogs worked in the area. About 1,500 spectators were admitted to the cordoned-off area, German news agency DPA reported.

Christoph Muehlbach, 59, traveled by train from Hamburg to Berlin see the king and his wife. He described himself as a supporter of the royal family for the last 20 years and said he had traveled to London in the past for weddings, anniversaries and the queen’s state funeral .

“I take great pleasure in the British royal family,” Muehlbach told the DPA.

Racist incident at Buckingham Palace casts shadow over Prince William’s U.S. visit

Prince William is seeking to prevent the backlash over his godmother’s treatment of a Black woman from undermining his trip to the United States.

Dec. 1, 2022

Gabriele Fluechter, 57, of Berlin, said she came “out of love for England,” where she had attended university. She said she had seen Elizabeth on one of the queen’s visits to Berlin, and also had spotted Charles and Camilla before.

“They walked along there very casually,” she said, adding that the long wait Wednesday was no problem.

The king is scheduled to give a speech to the Bundestag, Germany’s Parliament, on Thursday. He will also meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz, talk to Ukrainian refugees and meet with British and Germany military personnel who are working together on joint projects. In the afternoon he will visit an organic farm outside of Berlin.

The royal couple go to Hamburg on Friday, where they will visit the Kindertransport memorial for Jewish children who fled from Germany to Britain during the Third Reich, and attend a green energy event before returning to the U.K.

Start your day right

Sign up for Essential California for the L.A. Times biggest news, features and recommendations in your inbox six days a week.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

The king was urged to make the trip by Sunak, who during his first six months in office negotiated a settlement to the long-running dispute over post-Brexit trading rules for Northern Ireland and reached a deal with France to combat the people smugglers ferrying migrants across the English Channel. Sunak hopes goodwill created by a royal visit can help pave the way for progress on other issues, including Britain’s return to an EU program that funds scientific research across Europe.

The British royals are among the most recognizable people on the planet . While their formal powers are strictly limited by law and tradition, they draw attention from the media and the public partly because of the historic ceremonies and regalia that accompany them — and also because the public is fascinated by their personal lives.

Elizabeth’s influence stemmed in part from the fact that she made more than 100 state visits during her 70 years on the throne , meeting presidents and prime ministers around the world in a reign that lasted from the Cold War to the information age.

Politicians were eager to meet the monarch for tea, if for no other reason than that she’d been around so long.

More to Read

Britain’s David Cameron in D.C. for Ukraine talks, first presses Trump in Florida

April 9, 2024

Poland, France and Germany vow to make Europe stronger as fears grow over Russia and Trump

Feb. 12, 2024

King Charles III’s illness lays bare the pressures at Buckingham Palace

Feb. 6, 2024

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

More From the Los Angeles Times

Horrified worshipers watch in person and online as a bishop is stabbed at a Sydney church

April 15, 2024

New Pregnant Workers Fairness Act rules include accommodations for abortion

Litman: Trump’s antics didn’t stop his New York hush money trial. Here’s why he’ll keep them up

Ship that caused bridge collapse had electrical issues while still docked, AP source says

By clicking Sign In, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Sign In Up with your social account

We won't post to any of your accounts

Your password must include:

• Min 8 characters
• Min 1 lowercase character
• Min 1 uppercase character
• Min 1 number

King Charles Is Breaking Royal Tradition by Offering First-Ever Tours of Balmoral Castle

King Charles III is breaking royal tradition by offering tours of Balmoral Castle for the first time in history.

The highly profitable tours, which will take place from July 1 to August 4, were priced up to $189.51 each and include afternoon tea, according to Time . Demonstrating remarkable demand, all tickets were snatched up within a day.

Nestled alongside the Dee River within Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park, the Balmoral estate has functioned as the British royal family’s Scottish residence since 1852 after Prince Albert acquired it for his wife, Queen Victoria .  In 2022, the late Queen Elizabeth II died at the castle after reigning on the throne for 70 years.

The tour will take visitors “on a historical journey through several of the beautiful rooms within Balmoral Castle,” according to the tour’s ticketing page .

Related: Inside Kate Middleton’s Relationship With Her Family Through the Years

The website added that buyers will “travel through time from the purchase of the Balmoral by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, through to present day, where you can see how rooms within the Castle are used today by their Majesties The King and Queen and other members of the Royal Family.”

The tour is the latest headline-making news in the royal family’s tumultuous year.

Last month, celebrated journalist and royal expert Tina Brown theorized that Prince William’s ascension to the British throne might be coming sooner than anticipated. In an opinion piece for The New York Times , Brown claimed that Charles’ illness places William, 41, “in frightening proximity to ascending the throne.”

Brown provided an account of the current condition of the royal family following the cancer diagnoses of both Charles, 75, and Princess Kate Middleton .

Related: King Charles III Through the Years: The Monarch's Life in Photos

“The prospect of it, I am told, is causing them intense anxiety,” Brown continued, referring to William and Kate, 42, who would become king and queen. Brown went on to explain that the couple had “hoped for a span of years to parent their children out of the public eye,” but ascending the throne would change those plans. The couple share Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.

You have successfully subscribed.

Subscribe to newsletters

By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly

Deal of the Day

Check our latest news in Google News

Check our latest news in Apple News

In February, Charles announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer after undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate one month prior.

“During The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer,” read a statement from Buckingham Palace. “His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties.”

Kate, meanwhile, announced on March 2022 that she had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer following a planned abdominal surgery in January.

In this article

King Charles III

More stories.

King Charles III opens parts of Buckingham Palace, Balmoral Castle for 1st time

The room off Buckingham Palace's balcony will now be accessible to the public.

King Charles III is giving the public a never-before-seen glimpse into two of the most iconic royal residences, Buckingham Palace and Balmoral Castle .

Starting this summer, members of the public will be able to tour the East Wing of Buckingham Palace for the first time, according to an announcement Wednesday from the Royal Collection Trust.

The tour will include a stop in the room that members of Britain's royal family gather in before stepping out on the palace's famous balcony, where they wave to the public after major events like coronations , jubilees and the annual Trooping the Colour .

The East Wing tour will also include visits to rooms used by the royals for official meetings and events, according to the Royal Collection Trust.

Related Stories

What to know about George, Charlotte and Louis

• Apr 12, 12:29 PM

Princes William, George take in soccer game

• Apr 12, 8:27 AM

'Run, run, run': Chaos at a Sydney mall as 6 people stabbed to death, and the suspect fatally shot

• Apr 13, 3:17 AM

The tour, which will run daily in July and August, comes after five years of renovations to the East Wing to "upgrade the historic building's infrastructure, improve access and preserve it for future generations," according to the Royal Collection Trust.

MORE: Queen Camilla receives well wishes for Kate Middleton after cancer diagnosis

Also opening this summer for the first time is Balmoral Castle, the royal family's estate in Scotland.

Balmoral Castle was particularly beloved by the late Queen Elizabeth II , who spent the final months of her life there in 2022.

Starting on July 1, guided tours of the interior of the castle will begin for the first time ever, according to the castle's website .

The tours will run through Aug. 4, and are only open to 10 people at a time. Tickets for the Castle Interior Tour start at just over $120 per person, according to the website. Tickets for the Castle Interior Tour with Afternoon Tea, which is offered to adults only, will cost around $190 per person.

"You will learn about the origins of the Castle and how it has been loved by generations of the Royal family," the description for the tour reads. "Travel through time from the purchase of the Balmoral by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, through to present day, where you can see how rooms within the Castle are used today by their Majesty's The King and Queen and other members of the Royal Family."

MORE: What's next for Kate Middleton, Prince William and their kids after cancer diagnosis

Starting in early May, the castle's gardens, exhibitions and grounds will also be open to the public on a daily basis through mid-August, as they are each summer, according to the castle's website .

Tickets for tours of the grounds, gardens and exhibitions at Balmoral can be purchased online, with prices ranging depending on group size, age and tour experience.

Related Topics

• King Charles

Prince Harry, Meghan announce new Netflix projects

• Apr 11, 3:29 PM

Today in History: April 9, Robert E. Lee surrenders to Ulysses S. Grant, ending the Civil War

• Apr 1, 6:28 AM

ABC News Live

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

Royal tour of Britain: coronation events and attractions

Celebrate the crowning of King Charles III with these royal experiences

• Newsletter sign up Newsletter

1. ‘Follow in the footsteps’ of Charles at Westminster Abbey

2. king’s procession: from the palace to the abbey, 3. bath abbey, 4. royal edinburgh and the palace of holyroodhouse, 5. hillsborough castle, 6. windsor castle, 7. tower of london and the crown jewels, 8. english heritage coronation weekend: isle of wight, warwickshire and south yorkshire, 9. highgrove gardens tour and cream tea, 10. balmoral castle, 11. sandringham and the king’s watercolours exhibition, 12. coronation prom at st davids cathedral, 13. ‘crown to couture’ exhibition at kensington palace, 14. royal tours and afternoon tea at theatre royal drury lane, 15. toursbylocals’s royal tours of windsor and edinburgh.

• 16. Fortnum & Mason coronation afternoon tea

17. Coronation-themed food and drink at The Goring Hotel

18. the dorchester façade decorations inspired by 1953 coronation, 19. the savoy celebrates the coronation, 20. hotel café royal’s royal packages, 21. ‘a very royal occasion’ at mandarin oriental hyde park, 22. an insider’s guide to royal london with the milestone hotel, 23. the lanesborough coronation celebration package, 24. ‘stay like a king’ at strand palace, 25. who’s going to join the party.

Pageantry, pomp and long-standing traditions will be the royal order of the day when the coronation of King Charles III takes place at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday.

King’s coronation: best party memorabilia, food, drink and homeware

In this royal tour of Britain we pick out the places to visit that have a significant association with the monarchy, and also look at the royal experiences and events taking place.

Attractions

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Westminster Abbey in central London has been Britain’s coronation church since 1066 and King Charles III will be the 40th reigning monarch to be crowned there. In preparation for the coronation, the Abbey will be closed from 25 April and reopening on 8 May.

Visitors wanting to “follow in the footsteps” of Charles will get the chance this summer, but they’ll “have to take off their shoes”, said Amy Woodyatt on CNN . Tickets are sold out, but those who have booked on the Abbey’s Church and Crown tour will be invited to “walk on the church’s historic Cosmati pavement” – the spot where Charles’s “newly restored coronation chair” will be placed on 6 May.

Other events taking place at Westminster Abbey include a coronation exhibition (8 April-30 September); Abbey Late: Crowns, coronations and creativity (17 May); and coronation theatre self-guided tours.

westminster-abbey.org/events

Before arriving at Westminster Abbey, the “king’s procession” will start from Buckingham Palace then “travel down the Mall, run through Admiralty Arch and past Trafalgar Square”, said Alex Ledsom on Forbes . Then it will “turn down Whitehall, move along Parliament Street, head into Parliament Square, through Broad Sanctuary and arrive at Westminster Abbey”. The return will take the same 1.3-mile route, so it is expected that “people will camp out on the streets to stake a place with a good enough vantage point for both the outgoing and return journeys”.

After the service, the royals will return to the palace in a larger ceremonial procession known as the “coronation procession”, before appearing on the balcony as a finale to the day’s events.

In a “break with tradition”, Charles and Camilla will “roll out” of Buckingham Palace in the horse-drawn gilded black Diamond Jubilee State Coach built for Queen Elizabeth’s 60th anniversary, said the Association Press . The horse-drawn carriage has “heat, air conditioning, power windows and a suspension system” that will provide a comfy ride. However, the carriage will not be used for the entire coronation. On departing the Abbey, the newly-crowned couple will use the 260-year-old Gold State Coach, which is said to be far less comfortable.

Did you know that the first king of all England, King Edgar, was crowned on the site of Bath Abbey in 973, said The Bath Magazine . And his coronation service “set the precedent” for the ceremonies of all future kings and queens of England and Great Britain.

A weekend in Bath: travel guide and best things to do

Bath Abbey will be hosting a royal celebration concert on Friday 5 May, then on Saturday 6 May the coronation will be broadcast live in the Abbey at 11am and a coronation peal will be rung at the end of the service. All the services in the Abbey on Sunday 7 May will have a coronation theme and on Monday 8 May visitors can take part in “patriotic printing”.

bathabbey.org

Scotland’s capital city Edinburgh is home to many important royal attractions, including the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny at Edinburgh Castle. The city is also where the king’s official residence in Scotland is located, the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

A weekend in Edinburgh: travel guide, attractions and things to do

Open throughout the year, the Palace of Holyroodhouse stands at the end of Edinburgh ’s Royal Mile and visitors can explore the palace’s close associations with some of Scotland’s most well-known historic figures such as Mary, Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie.

A Royal Edinburgh Ticket, booked through Edinburgh Bus Tours , is valid for 48 hours on all three city tours (Edinburgh Tour, Majestic Tour and CitySightseeing Edinburgh) and includes entry to Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyroodhouse and The Royal Yacht Britannia.

Another of the king’s official residences is Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland. Located just 20 minutes from Belfast , visitors can explore the castle and 100 acres of beautiful gardens.

A weekend in Belfast: travel guide, attractions and things to do

For the coronation weekend, the 6 May service will be shown live on a big screen at Hillsborough Castle and the occasion will also be marked by a rare royal gun salute at midday by the 206 (Ulster) Battery, Royal Artillery. Brass band Downshire Brass will play pieces throughout the day.

On the Sunday, the gardens will be filled with live music from Boom Strutt Brass, Belfast Community Gospel Choir, Swingtime Starlets and Lisburn Rock Choir. Then on bank holiday Monday, castle tours and coronation tree tours will be held.

Windsor Castle has served as a royal family home for almost 1,000 years. The site, “high above the Thames and on the edge of a Saxon hunting ground”, was chosen by William the Conqueror, said the Royal Collection Trust . Construction on the castle began around 1070 and was finished approximately 16 years later.

On Sunday 7 May a special coronation concert will be staged and broadcast live at Windsor Castle by the BBC and BBC Studios. Several thousand pairs of tickets have been made available via public ballot, which is now closed. The line-up will include Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Andrea Bocelli and Bryn Terfel.

Other attractions include private tours of the State Apartments at Windsor Castle and viewings of Queen Mary’s dolls’ house. Kids will enjoy “crowns and coronations at the castle”, where they can have fun making crowns and creating coronation-themed crafts.

Once a royal residence and notorious prison, the Tower of London is a World Heritage Site with 1,000 years of history at its core. The imposing fortress is home to the Crown Jewels, a collection of more than 23,000 dazzling gemstones. Visitors can meet the guardians of the tower – its legendary ravens – and learn more about this feast of Norman architecture from the Yeoman Warders, often known as Beefeaters, who have guarded the tower since Tudor times.

From May to September, the coronation bench trail will feature 14 illustrated benches which have been specially designed by school children. And from 1 May to 21 July, “Restoration at The Tower” will look at how preparations were made for Charles II’s coronation procession.

Gather your family, pack a picnic blanket and celebrate the coronation live on the big screen in the spectacular grounds of one of three English Heritage sites: Osborne on the Isle of Wight , the former home of Queen Victoria; Elizabethan favourite Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire; and Brodsworth Hall in South Yorkshire. As well as the screenings, family-friendly films will also be shown. Tickets are free, but booking is recommended.

english-heritage.org.uk

Lovers of horticulture can enjoy a tour of the gardens at Highgrove, the king’s Gloucestershire residence. Discover the history and inspiration behind its design, followed by a savoury and sweet cream tea served in the Orchard Room. The Ante Room Shop will also host a selection of artwork by the king. Select dates until September.

highgrovegardens.com

While official royal residences like Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace are owned by The Crown Estate, Balmoral Castle is one of two private residences owned by the Royal Family, with Sandringham in Norfolk the other. Located in Royal Deeside in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Princess Eugenie described the Balmoral estate as “the most beautiful place in the world”. This year, the grounds, gardens and exhibitions at Balmoral Castle are open to the public from 1 April until 16 August.

Balmoral Arms review: a hotel fit for a king

In the nearby village of Ballater, you will find the Balmoral Arms, a Highlands hideaway that’s “fit for a king”, said Jamie Timson in his review on TheWeek.co.uk . Recently renovated by the Crerar Hotel Group, the AA five-star Balmoral Arms provides an “authentic snapshot of Highland life, with a welcoming and cosy array of rooms and suites on offer to cater for every budget”.

balmoralcastle.com

Sandringham is the other residence privately owned by the monarch. Located in Norfolk, Sandringham House was the “beloved” country estate of the late Queen Elizabeth and it’s perhaps “best known” as the home where the Windsors spend their Christmases, said Town & Country Magazine . Sandringham House, gardens, royal parkland and the Church of St. Mary Magdalene are open to visitors from April to October.

A collection of watercolours painted by the King are also currently on display at Sandringham. On show until 12 October, the exhibition contains a “range of scenes painted in the Welsh hills, the highlands of Scotland and at Windsor Castle, Highgrove, Birkhall Castle and the surrounding Norfolk countryside at Sandringham”. The exhibition can be seen and is included with a house and gardens ticket.

sandringhamestate.co.uk

St Davids Cathedral in Pembrokeshire, west Wales, will be hosting a “coronation prom” on Friday 5 May. Featuring the British Sinfonietta orchestra, introduced by Royal Variety Show and Royal Albert Hall conductor Ian McMillan-Davidson, the event will be a feast of orchestral coronation music as well as royal film, TV and radio favourites from Paddington 2 , Desert Island Discs, The Archers , EastEnders , My Fair Lady , and The King and I .

stdavidscathedral.org.uk

Across the UK there will be a number of royal-themed attractions and events taking place for the coronation. At Kensington Palace – the official London residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children – a new exhibition has opened, Crown to Couture , which “draws parallels between the red carpet and the Georgian court”, said Stephanie Bridger-Linning in Tatler . Staged in the magnificent State Apartments, “Beyoncé meets Bridgerton ” in this “veritable fashion feast” that features more than 200 pieces.

Experiences

Theatre Royal Drury Lane, in the heart of London’s Covent Garden, is the only theatre in the world still operating under a genuine royal charter. It also has two royal boxes and the theatres on its site have been visited by every reigning monarch since the Restoration in 1663. A selection of exclusively curated experiences will be on offer including festive bunting decorations, a reimagined coronation Regency afternoon tea by London-based baker Lily Vanilli (from £59 per person) and immersive theatre tours (£22.50 per person) that take you on a royal journey through the ages.

thelane.co.uk

ToursByLocals offers private tours led by expert locals, including many in royal cities and destinations. The five-hour Royal Windsor Castle and historic town tour is priced at £350 per tour (for up to six people) and is fully-customisable and includes the services of a knowledgeable guide.

A nine-hour Royal Edinburgh tour is priced at £850 per tour (for up to five people). The tour is fully-customisable and includes the services of a knowledgeable guide, private transportation, admission tickets and a Scottish welcome pack.

toursbylocals.com

16. Fortnum & Mason coronation afternoon tea

Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly in London has unveiled its new coronation afternoon tea, which will be served every day at the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon until September. The menu takes inspiration from the King’s favourite ingredients and his passion for the environment.

Unique items include Welsh lamb scotch egg with wild herb aioli, and native coronation lobster enhanced with coronation spice, which has been created exclusively for the monarch. Other delights include Harbourne blue cheese mousse with London honey glaze and popcorn; basil and pistachio mousse with an elderflower glaze; a royal vanilla mousse lollipop; chocolate and strawberry cupcake; and a crown sable biscuit for the youngest diners. Vegetarian versions will be on offer alongside full menus made without gluten.

fortnumandmason.com

Located just minutes from Buckingham Palace, The Goring is the only hotel to be granted a Royal Warrant for hospitality services and since 1910 every reigning monarch has walked through its doors.

The Dining Room review: a royal feast at The Goring hotel in London

The Goring Hotel’s initiatives to honour the coronation of King Charles III include:

• coronation afternoon tea: £75pp with a glass of Bollinger champagne. Available 24 April-28 May
• Michelin-starred coronation tasting menu: available as à la carte and a six-course tasting menu. £140pp, to include canapés, petit fours and champagne. Available 1-7 May
• Coronation gin cocktails and the classic G&T: served in The Goring’s Cocktail Bar

thegoring.com

The Dorchester hotel’s façade has been transformed with beautiful decorations, reminiscent of those created by set designer Oliver Messel’s original designs for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. The decorations took six months to plan and feature a 10ft crown on top of the building. They will remain in place until 19 May.

Inside the hotel on Park Lane in London there will be a themed coronation afternoon tea at The Promenade (5-8 May), featuring stunning cakes created by executive pastry chef Michael Kwan. The coronation afternoon tea costs £125 per person and includes a glass of champagne and a gift. At Vesper Bar, head bartender Lucia Montanelli will be creating her newest cocktail, the “Sovereign Martini”. Inspired by the king’s favourite drink, the cocktail includes Wessex gin, Royal Garden mead, dry vermouth, lavender bitter and orange scent, poured into a rainbow-flecked martini glass.

dorchestercollection.com

Luxury London hotel The Savoy will commemorate the occasion with a floral installation, a Nyetimber Bus, and a street party. Tables laden with cakes and savoury treats will line the famous forecourt and a coupe fountain will flow with Nyetimber English Sparkling Wine. For the whole of May The Savoy’s sign will be bedecked with the official coronation crown, while the Lalique fountain will be decorated with flowers and limited-edition bottles of Nyetimber. For the coronation weekend (5-7 May), Nyetimber’s 1968 Routemaster Bus will be stationed on Savoy Court. And on the day of the coronation itself, the hotel will celebrate with The Savoy street party where long tables will stretch across the forecourt on the Strand.

thesavoylondon.com

Hotel Café Royal in London has partnered with Linda Hugo from tours agency Beyond Curated to offer two bespoke royal packages which are both available until 1 October.

The Crown Jewels Experience – The Tower by Night is available for guests staying in the Royal Suite and is priced at £12,995 per night. It includes:

• an overnight stay in the two-bedroom Royal Suite at Hotel Café Royal
• breakfast served in the Royal Suite
• travel to the Tower of London in chauffeur-driven limousine
• a tour of the Tower grounds by one of the Yeoman Warders
• a champagne reception and introduction to the Jewel House
• a private viewing of the Crown Jewels and Royal Collection

The King Charles III Experience , available to guests staying in any room or suite category, is priced from £2,625 per night and requires a two-night stay. The package includes:

• a chauffeur-driven tour (in the Queen Mother’s Daimler) of King Charles’ London, including Clarence House, St James’ Palace, Buckingham Palace and Guildhall Gallery
• a champagne afternoon tea in the historic Grill Room Est. 1865
• breakfast fit for a king, served in The Gallery

hotelcaferoyal.com

Available from 1-31 May, guests can enjoy “a very royal occasion” at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park hotel in London. Priced from £4,000 (inc VAT), the package includes:

• a stay in one of the hotel’s luxurious suites
• a regal welcome amenity fit for kings and queens
• “King’s Caviar” breakfast with Oscietra caviar and full English breakfast where guests may catch a glimpse of the Royal Horse Guards passing by or breakfast enjoyed in the privacy of their suite
• Two-Michelin-starred four-course “royal cooking” lunch or dinner for two at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
• a specially-curated Highgrove hamper filled with a selection of exquisite tea and preserves
• a 50ml bottle of Laphroaig whisky

mandarinoriental.com

Another hotel to partner with Beyond Curated is The Milestone Hotel & Residences, located just a stone’s throw away from Kensington Palace and Gardens. Accompanied by a personal host and expert royal guide, guests will start their historic journey with a luxurious driving tour throughout the city of London, visiting the most iconic landmarks associated with all three King Charles’s. On the tour, guests will experience the best of London – from Clarence House and St James’s Palace to Buckingham Palace and St. Paul’s Cathedral – all with the option to ride in the Queen Mother’s Jaguar Daimler.

Rates start from £1,900 for the experience and take place from approximately 9am to 1pm, bookable throughout the year and subject to availability. Junior suites at The Milestone Hotel start from £850 per night on a bed and breakfast basis. Residences are available for luxury self-catering stays, with rates starting from £1,050 per night based on two guests sharing.

milestonehotel.com

Overlooking Hyde Park Corner, and adjacent to the grounds of Buckingham Palace, the elegant country house heritage of The Lanesborough will provide an inviting home-away-from-home experience to celebrate the royal occasion. The hotel’s special “coronation celebration” package is a decadent affair and includes:

• private transfer service from London Heathrow or from London St Pancras International
• dedicated 24-hour butler service
• a bottle of champagne and a special in-room coronation amenity
• complimentary daily English breakfast
• five-course celebration dinner at The Lanesborough Grill

The package starts from £1,212 per room, per night based on two sharing one deluxe room. Available between 2-12 May.

oetkercollection.com

Located along the Strand in London, this hotel is in a central position for the royal celebrations with The Mall and other iconic landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey within walking distance.

Strand Palace Hotel review: old-world charm with a modern edge

Strand Palace’s two-night “stay like a king” celebratory package includes accommodation in a deluxe king room, buffet breakfast, complimentary mini-bar and a bottle of champagne. Prices start from £845 for stays on 5 or 6 May 2023.

strandpalacehotel.co.uk

Travel trends

London will be a magnet for overseas visitors over the coronation weekend. Online travel agent Opodo has crunched the royal numbers and revealed which nationalities are set to join the party. Comparing top searches and bookings for London over the weekend of 4-7 May 2023 to the same weekend in 2022, Opodo’s data found that there was a 121% increase in global searches, and searches from France have increased more than any other nationality – up by 354% year on year. French bookings for arrival in London airports was also the highest, up 204%, while Swedish booking rates jumped up 146%. Searches also boomed in Australia (266%) and Poland (326%).

More tourists than ever are visiting the royal residences and London-based tour operator Evan Evans has experienced a spike in visitors on guided tours that take in Windsor Castle, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. “With the coronation coming up in May, the section of tours with a royal spin are set to be a popular choice for the coming year,” the tour operator said.

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox

A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com

The Week's daily crossword

By The Week Staff Published 13 April 24

The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle

The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle

The Week Recommends Modern vibrancy, design legacy and ancient heritage puts Mexico's jewel alongside other art capitals of the world

By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published 26 February 24

The Week recommends Explore the natural beauty, windswept beaches and crystal-clear waters of Eleuthera

By The Week UK Published 28 January 24

The Week Recommends Plan your trip to the Scottish capital

By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published 13 January 24

The Week Recommends This hotel is the perfect spot to while away a weekend in Ireland's capital

By Kaye O'Doherty Published 9 January 24

The Week Recommends There's far more to Rio than just mountains, beaches, music and dance

By Tom Yarwood Published 7 January 24

The Week Recommends Featuring stylish island resorts, historical properties and wilderness retreats

By The Week UK Last updated 8 April 24

The Week Recommends The Urner Haute Route features some of the wildest terrain in the Alps

By The Week UK Last updated 2 January 24

In Depth A look at the travel trends and destinations set to drive the tourism industry

By The Week UK Published 1 January 24

• Contact Future's experts
• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Advertise With Us

The Week is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site . © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

King Charles to undertake a tour of the UK - where will he go?

The royal will visit all four nations.

Following the sad passing of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles is set to carry out a tour of the UK. The new monarch will visit each of the four nations on his tour, including England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

MORE: Special edition issue: Hello! pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

King Charles will begin in London, as the final preparations for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral are carried out, and then he is due to travel to Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

WATCH: King Charles III leaving on a plane for Edinburgh

During the visit, the royal will meet with the leaders of each nation in the UK. King Charles will kick off the tour with a visit to the Scottish parliament and a service at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.

READ: Will Prince William and Duchess Kate need to move house again after the Queen's death?

Northern Ireland

On Tuesday, the king will arrive in Northern Ireland, where he will be the recipient of another motion of condolence at Hillsborough Castle. He will also attend a service at St. Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast.

The King is set to carry out a royal tour

The final part of the royal's trip will oversee the king travelling to Wales approximately seven days after the death of the Queen. He is to receive another motion of condolence at the Welsh parliament and attend a service at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff.

On Monday afternoon, King Charles will lead an emotional procession behind his late mother, the Queen, as she is taken from Holyroodhouse to St.Giles' cathedral.

The royal will visit parts of Wales, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland

Her Majesty's coffin will be under vigil for 24 hours before she makes her journey back to London to lie in state.

The King is expected to lead members of the royal family on foot behind the Queen's coffin, whilst the Queen Consort and other members of the monarchy will follow in cars.

SEE: King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla shutdown Twitter and Instagram pages

After the procession, Charles will hold audiences with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Alison Johnstone, the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament. Words of sympathy will be expressed by the Scottish Parliament when Charles and Camilla attend to receive a motion of condolence, with the King replying.

Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity and royal news delivered directly to your inbox.

• King Charles

More Royalty

King Charles celebrates incredible home news after wedding anniversary with Queen Camilla

Why Prince Harry thought dad Charles and Camilla's wedding was 'unnecessary' as they celebrate 19 years together

Double heartache for King Charles on day of wedding anniversary with Queen Camilla

Gallery King Charles and Queen Camilla's most loved-up moments in 14 sweet photos

The telling sign King Charles was going to open his private home Balmoral to the public

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh step in for King Charles at historic parade

King Charles' home to undergo major change by summer – details

Inside the Duke of Westminster's unique childhood, ancestral home and his close-knit family

Meet beth and bluebell: the new dogs of buckingham palace, what is the vigil of the princes royals to carry out poignant tradition beside queen's coffin, prince harry mimics dad charles' king speech - see the incredible coincidence, queen camilla's son returns to social media - days after new royal title was announced.

King Charles III: First visit to Wales as the King announced

• Published 10 September 2022

King Charles III is set to visit Wales for the first time as the King on Friday.

Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest ever reigning monarch, died aged 96 on Thursday, passing the throne to the heir .

The King will attend a service of prayer and meet the first minister on the visit to Cardiff.

The visit comes as part of a tour of the UK nations ahead of the Queen's funeral.

The Queen's funeral will be held on Monday 19 September.

A bank holiday across the UK has been approved by the new king on the day of the funeral, with the Welsh government confirming schools will not be expected to open.

Gun salute in Wales as Charles proclaimed king

William and Kate made Prince and Princess of Wales

Palace crowds greet King Charles with cheers

In a statement Buckingham Palace confirmed the King and the Queen Consort would visit Wales at the end of a tour of the UK nations next week ahead of the funeral.

BBC Political Editor Chris Mason said Prime Minister Liz Truss would also travel to Cardiff on Friday when the King visits.

The King and Camilla, Queen Consort, will first visit Scotland on their accession tour, before heading to Northern Ireland.

After returning to London, where they will witness the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin, the couple will travel to Wales on Friday.

Cardiff council confirmed the visit will begin at Llandaff Cathedral were the Royal couple will join a service of prayer and reflection attended by senior faith leaders.

They will then visit the Senedd to receive a motion of condolence, followed by a reception at Cardiff Castle, where the King will meet First Minister Mark Drakeford and the Senedd's Presiding Officer Elin Jones.

The public are welcome to gather in the castle grounds and it is expected the King and Queen Consort will meet the public.

But Cardiff council warned that admission would be limited to around 2,000 people.

When is the state funeral?

On Saturday King Charles confirmed the Queen's state funeral would take place on Monday 19 September at Westminster Abbey at 11:00 BST.

Heads of state from across the world will be invited to join members of the Royal Family to remember the life and service of the Queen.

Senior UK politicians and former prime ministers are also expected to attend the service, which will be televised.

Afterwards, the funeral procession will proceed to Windsor Castle up Long Walk.

The date will be a national bank holiday, with some services and businesses expected to close.

Related Topics

• King Charles III

More on this story

Charles to be proclaimed king at historic ceremony

• Published 9 September 2022

Your complete guide to the Queen's funeral

• Published 19 September 2022

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

King Charles is ‘planning biggest royal tour ever’ across the planet

Share this with

King Charles is set to embark on the biggest global tour in the Royal Family ’s history to kick off his reign.

Countries that the monarch is said to be prioritising include Australia and New Zealand, alongside a number of Commonwealth realms in the Caribbean.

The tour, which is expected to last two years, is aimed at ‘extending a hand of friendship and support’ following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

Sources have revealed the King is ‘acutely aware’ that he has ascended to the throne at a time of political unrest across a number of Commonwealth countries as they consider ditching the monarchy altogether.

A unnamed royal source told the Mirror : ‘The King and his family are keen to hit the ground running in these crucial first few months and years of his reign.

‘He certainly wants to carry on the long-held mantra from his late mother of being seen to be believed, and is very keen to get out and meet as many people as possible.’

The Prince and Princess of Wales are also set to undertake a ‘major support role’.

Government officials in New South Wales have already revealed plans of a ‘much-anticipated’ royal tour in 2024, which will coincide with the 200th anniversary of democracy in Australia.

It has previously been reported that Prince William and Kate were considering visiting the country in 2023.

The royals could visit as many countries as the Queen did during her 25th jubilee celebrations, when she touched down in 52 Commonwealth countries and 21 other states.

Countries in Asia, including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, are also set to be visited by Charles and Camilla.

Following Brexit the Foreign Office is also keen to send the crown to build bridges with European countries such as France and Germany.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are also expected to travel to the United States next month for William’s Earthshot Prize environmental project.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

Sign Up for News Updates

Get your need-to-know latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more.

Privacy Policy

Get us in your feed

King Charles III Makes World Debut as Tour Starts in Germany

King Charles III has arrived in Germany for his first foreign trip as Britain's monarch

Matthias Schrader

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, right, and his wife Elke Buedenbender, left, welcome Britain's King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

BERLIN (AP) — King Charles III arrived in Berlin on Wednesday for his first foreign trip as Britain’s monarch, hoping to improve the U.K.'s relations with the European Union and show he can win hearts and minds abroad, just as his mother did for seven decades.

Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, landed at Berlin's government airport in the early afternoon. The king, dressed in a black coat, and his wife, in a light blue coat and a feather-trimmed teal hat worn at a jaunty angle, paused at the top of their plane's stairs to receive a 21-gun salute as two military jets performed a flyover.

The royal couple said in a joint statement, released on their official Twitter account, that it was a “great joy” to be able to develop the “longstanding friendship between our two nations.”

An hour later, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Buedenbender, welcomed them with military honors at the German capital's historic Brandenburg Gate.

Soldiers hoisted the British and German flags as the national anthems were played. Steinmeier and Charles then strolled past the cheering, flag-waving crowd, shaking hands and chatting briefly with people.

Some took close-up pictures on their phones as Charles and Camilla approached, while others gave them flower bouquets. One woman handed Charles a gift bag. Journalists and security personnel trailed the royal couple and their German hosts as they made their way back to their motorcade.

Photos You Should See - April 2024

Charles, 74, who ascended the throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September , is set to be crowned on May 6 . As Britain’s head of state, the king meets weekly with the prime minister and retains his mother’s role as leader of the Commonwealth.

He had initially planned to visit France before heading to Germany, but the first leg of his trip was canceled due to massive protests over the French government's efforts to raise the country's retirement age by two years.

Billed as a multi-day tour of the EU’s two biggest countries, the trip was designed to underscore British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s efforts to rebuild relations with the bloc after six years of arguments over Brexit and highlight the countries’ shared history as they work together to combat Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Now everything rests on Germany, where the king faces the first big test of whether he can be an effective conduit for the “soft power” the House of Windsor has traditionally wielded, helping Britain pursue its geopolitical goals through the glitz and glamour of a 1,000-year-old monarchy.

Highlighting the diplomatic importance of the trip, Charles was accompanied by Britain’s Foreign Secretary, James Cleverley.

Charles, a former naval officer who is the first British monarch to earn a university degree, is expected to insert heft where his glamorous mother once wielded star power.

During an afternoon reception and again at a white tie evening banquet at Palace Bellevue, the German president’s official residence, Steinmeier remarked on the significance of Charles's first visit taking him to Berlin, calling it “a wonderful personal gesture and at the same time an important sign for German-British relations.”

Steinmeier noted that Britain began the tortuous process of leaving the EU on March 29, 2017.

“For me personally, this was a sad day,” he said. “Today, exactly six years later, we open a new chapter.”

Steinmeier paid tribute to Charles' mother Elizabeth, stressing how much she had done to foster German-British ties.

“Your family stands for continuity, for stability, particularly in times of change," he said, noting that Charles, too, had visited Germany more than 40 times as a prince.

It was a subject picked up by Charles, who said the countries' friendship was of great importance to his mother, who enjoyed immense popularity in Germany.

“The relationship between Germany and the United Kingdom matters greatly to me too," he said. “I am more convinced than ever of its enduring value to us all.”

“It means so much to us that my wife and I could come to Germany for this very first overseas tour of my reign,” said Charles. "I can only assure you that throughout the time that is granted to me as King, I will do all I can to strengthen the connections between us.”

Switching from English to near-flawless German, Charles insisted: “Our ties will become even stronger, I'm convinced of that, if we work together for a sustainable future in prosperity and security.”

The banquet was attended by guests including former Chancellor Angela Merkel and scientist Ozlem Tureci, who co-founded the German company BioNTech that developed the first widely approved coronavirus vaccine.

On Thursday, the king is scheduled to give a speech to the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament. He will also meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz, talk to Ukrainian refugees, and meet with British and Germany military personnel who are working together on joint projects. In the afternoon he will visit an organic farm outside of Berlin.

The royal couple plan to go to Hamburg on Friday, where they will visit the Kindertransport memorial for Jewish children who fled from Germany to Britain during the Third Reich, and attend a green energy event before returning to the U.K.

The king was urged to make the trip by Sunak, who during his first six months in office negotiated a settlement to the long-running dispute over post-Brexit trading rules for Northern Ireland and reached a deal with France to combat the people smugglers ferrying migrants across the English Channel in small boats. Sunak hopes goodwill created by a royal visit can help pave the way for progress on other issues, including Britain’s return to an EU program that funds scientific research across Europe.

Britain's senior royals are among the most recognizable people on the planet. While their formal powers are strictly limited by law and tradition, they draw attention from the media and the public partly because of the historic ceremonies and regalia that accompany them — and also because the public is fascinated by their personal lives.

Elizabeth’s influence stemmed in part from the fact that she made more than 100 state visits during her 70 years on the throne, meeting presidents and prime ministers around the world in a reign that lasted from the Cold War to the information age.

Politicians were eager to meet the monarch for tea, if for no other reason than she’d been around so long.

Kirka reported from London.

Copyright 2023 The  Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation

Tags: Associated Press , politics

America 2024

Health News Bulletin

Stay informed on the latest news on health and COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report.

Sign in to manage your newsletters »

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

You May Also Like

The 10 worst presidents.

U.S. News Staff Feb. 23, 2024

Cartoons on President Donald Trump

Feb. 1, 2017, at 1:24 p.m.

Photos: Obama Behind the Scenes

April 8, 2022

Photos: Who Supports Joe Biden?

March 11, 2020

The FBI and NTSB Bridge Collapse Probes

Laura Mannweiler April 15, 2024

How Congress Plans to Respond to Iran

Aneeta Mathur-Ashton April 15, 2024

Trump Historic Hush Money Trial Begins

Lauren Camera April 15, 2024

War Hangs Over Economy, Markets

Tim Smart April 15, 2024

Trump Gives Johnson Vote of Confidence

Aneeta Mathur-Ashton April 12, 2024

U.S.: Threat From Iran ‘Very Credible’

Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder April 12, 2024

King Charles opens Balmoral Castle to the public for the first time amid cancer battle

King Charles III is making a royal move that's never done before: opening the doors to Balmoral Castle .

For the first time since the Aberdeenshire, Scotland, castle was completed in 1855, guests will be granted behind-the-scenes access to the landmark. Queen Elizabeth II , the United Kingdom's longest reigning monarch, died at the private estate at the age of 96 in September 2022; the residence was where the queen and her family would spend summer holidays.

Tickets for the historic event – with tours scheduled between June 1 and Aug. 4 – sold out this week within a day of being released, according to the BBC .

According to its official website , Balmore is the Scottish castle that serves as a beloved home for the royal family, which was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852.

Historic opening of royal residences to the public comes amid royals' health battles

The monarch's unprecedented decision to open up royal residences comes amid changes within the monarchy.

The East Wing of Buckingham Palace is set to open to the public for the first time this summer, like Balmoral Castle. Guided tours of the palace's principal floor are scheduled from July through August, per the BBC .

The guided tours also come as seniors members of the royal family are battling health issues . After Catherine, the Princess of Wales, was notably out of the public eye for several months, Kensington Palace  shared a video  of Princess Kate in which she revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer .

"In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful; however, tests after the operation found cancer had been present," Princess Kate said. "My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventive chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment."

The princess said she was "well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal in my mind, body and spirits."

Looking back at the last century: A timeline of the royal family's biggest moments

Prior to this revelation, in early February, Buckingham Palace announced King Charles III's cancer diagnosis .

"During The King's recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have  identified a form of cancer ,"  Buckingham Palace said  in a Feb. 5 statement.

Before his diagnosis was revealed, Charles underwent a "corrective procedure" at The London Clinic after the palace had previously announced that the monarch, 75, was seeking treatment for an enlarged prostate.

Contributing: Pamela Avila

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

King Charles Is Opening New Doors to Royal Palaces, Including Family's Summer Retreat, to Public for First Time

Visitors will be able to tour Balmoral Castle, where Queen Elizabeth died, and new nooks of Buckingham Palace, including the room that leads out to the iconic balcony

Janine Henni is a Royals Staff Writer for PEOPLE Digital, covering modern monarchies and the world's most famous families. Like Queen Elizabeth, she loves horses and a great tiara moment.

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty; Greg Balfour Evans/Alamy

Balmoral Castle and Buckingham Palace are welcoming visitors in new ways.

It was revealed this week that both royal residences will welcome visitors into previously unseen spaces through ticketed tours this summer. In fact, Balmoral Castle in Scotland is opening "for the first time since the castle was completed in 1855," its website says.

Balmoral is famed as the royal family's cherished summer sanctuary in the Scottish Highlands, but it also holds sad memories for the group. Prince William  and  Prince Harry were spending time there in August 1997 when their mother, Princess Diana , tragically died in a car crash in Paris.

Queen Elizabeth , who her granddaughter  Princess Eugenie  once said was "most happy" at Balmoral, died there in 2022. Sources told PEOPLE at the time it was fitting she spend her last hours there because it was such a special place for her and her family — and now, the public can step into the castle in Aberdeenshire for themselves.

Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty

The Castle Internal Guided Tours experience is touted as a "historical journey" through "several of the beautiful rooms," comprised of a private guide that talks visitors through its history from acquisition by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1845 to a peek at how King Charles , Queen Camilla and other royal family members continue to use the space today. 

The royal family has previously permitted tours at Balmoral around the grounds and gardens, but access inside the castle was limited to the ballroom, making the Castle Internal Guided Tours the most intimate yet.

The tours are set to run from July 1 to August 4, capped at 10 people per session. The general guided excursion currently costs about $126 a person, while tickets with afternoon tea are about $189 — and are open to adults only.

Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty

While many of the internal Balmoral Castle tours have already sold out, there’s still plenty of availability for the Balmoral General Admission, featuring a trove of artwork by King Charles plus some royal fashion. The Ballroom promises "His Majesty The King's watercolor collection depicting scenery at Balmoral, Highgrove and Sandringham" and a "collection of outfits worn by Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla, the late Queen Elizabeth and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother."

While Buckingham Palace has been a popular stop for royal watchers since 1993 when Queen Elizabeth opened its gates as a fundraiser after a devastating fire ripped through Windsor Castle in 1992, new areas of the famous London residence will be available to tour for the first time this year.

The East Wing of Buckingham Palace, where the King filmed his Christmas broadcast in December 2023, will be toured for the first time come summer. On April 3, the Royal Collection Trust announced that the iconic palace will open the wing via the Principal Floor following five years of restorative work.

Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool /Getty

The East Wing includes the front façade and iconic palace balcony, "where the monarch and members of the royal family have gathered for public appearances during special occasions or historic moments since 1851," including royal weddings, coronations and Trooping the Colour, the annual celebration of the monarch's birthday.

The Royal Collection Trust said that the royal family still uses the wing today for official meetings and events.

Royal watchers can save the date for East Wing Highlights Tours held daily in July and August starting July 15, booked in addition to standard admission to the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace.

Chris Jackson/Getty 

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

The palace will be open seven days a week in July and August for the first time since 2019 before scaling back to five days a week in September.

While Buckingham Palace is synonymous with the British royals and serves as the hub of the monarchy’s operations, King Charles and Queen Camilla don’t actually live there! The palace is in the middle of a $460 million renovation reportedly not due to be complete until 2027 .

Stuart C. Wilson/Getty

As King Charles, 75, invites the public into new nooks for the first time this summer, The Times cited royal biographer Robert Hardman’s prediction that the King would open up Balmoral during his reign.

"Balmoral is private property. However, it needs public footfall not just to help pay the bills but to bring benefits to the wider community and to remain in step with other stately homes," the outlet quoted Hardman as writing in Charles III. New King. New Court. The Inside Story 2024 , which was published under the title The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy in the U.S. in January.

Related Articles

Highgrove X Burberry | Luxury Mulberry Silk Scarves | Shop The Collection >>

Welcome to Highgrove

• About The Gardens

Garden Tours

• Events & Workshops

The Highgrove Shop

• Plan Your Visit
• Highgrove Crafts

Sign In Create an Account

• View All About The Gardens
• Garden Highlights
• View All About
• Highgrove Estate History
• Environmental Practices
• The King’s Foundation
• View All Garden Highlights
• Kitchen Garden
• The Arboretum
• The Stumpery
• Cottage Garden
• Sundial Garden

Wildflower Meadow

• View All Garden Tours
• Garden Tour
• Champagne Tea Tour
• Group Garden Tour (26)

Private Garden Tour

Private champagne tea tour.

• View All Events & Workshops
• Events at Highgrove
• Workshops at Highgrove
• Upcoming Events & Workshops
• View All Events at Highgrove

Herbs at Highgrove

Red, white and blue ball.

• Father's Day Sunday Lunch
• View All Workshops at Highgrove
• Floral Art with Resin with Emma from Nature's Inspiration
• Candle Making with Natalie from Flourish & Leaf
• Ceramic Herb Shredder Pottery with Zoe & Tanya from The Potthouse Collective
• Leather Dog Collar & Lead Crafting with Tracy from Cotswold Hipster
• Copper Foil Stained Glass with Sarah Davis
• Block Printing with Marea from Art of Jaipur
• Summer Flower Arranging with Jo at Scentiments
• Pheasant Willow Weaving with Emma Stothard
• View All Upcoming Events & Workshops
• View All The Highgrove Shop

View All Gifts

Corporate Gifts

"Thank You" Gifts

View All Food & Drink

Highgrove Hampers & Gift Sets

Highgrove Wine & Champagne

Highgrove Spirits, Liqueurs & Cider

Highgrove Teas

Highgrove Savouries & Preserves

Highgrove Biscuits

Highgrove Confectionery

View All Home & Garden

Kitchen & Dining

Mugs, Cups & Saucers

Teapots & Jugs

Plates & Bowls

Crystal & Glassware

Kitchen Accessories

Kitchen Linens

Dressing the Table

Roses, Seeds & Bulbs

Garden Accessories

Decorative Garden

Throws & Cushions

Decorative Items

Candles & Home Fragrance

• Bath & Body
• Clothing & Accessories

View All Books & Art

Books & Media

Florilegium Watercolours

View All Collections

Highgrove X Burberry

Highgrove Bouquet

Turquoise Mountain

Highgrove X Truefitt & Hill

HM King Charles III 75th Birthday

The Coronation of HM King Charles III

Bramley Bath & Body

His Majesty The King's Watercolour Collection

Prince of Wales Check

Chelsea Porcelain

Fiona Rae Jewellery

Willow Sculptures

Bee Collection

Miriam Collection

Terracotta Pots

Ettinger Collection

Platinum Jubilee

Highgrove Delphinium Ceramics

Bordallo Pinheiro Earthenware

• View All Plan Your Visit
• Visiting Us
• View All Visiting Us
• Accessibility
• Important Information
• The Orchard Restaurant
• The Highgrove Shop at The Coronation Pavilion
• The Local Area
• View All Highgrove Crafts
• Masterclasses, Programmes & Short Courses
• View All Masterclasses, Programmes & Short Courses
• Create: An Advanced Fine Furniture and Traditional Skills Course (March - May)
• An Introduction to Relief Wood Carving (April)
• Weaving with British Wool (April)
• An Introduction to Letter Carving (April)
• The Repair, Maintenance and Energy Efficiency of Old Buildings (April)
• Weaving and Dressing a Table Loom using British Wool (May)
• An Introduction to Relief Wood Carving (May)
• Create a Gathered Lampshade (May)
• An Introduction to Letter Carving (August)
• An Introduction to Relief Wood Carving (September)
• An Introduction to Letter Carving (September)
• An Introduction to Chair Caning (10th - 11th Oct)
• An Introduction to Chair Caning (12th - 13th Oct)
• View All _book Now

All Profits Are Donated to Charity

UK Next Day Delivery Available

International Shipping Available

a celebration of elegance and nature's beauty

Selected dates between april and september 2024, events and workshops, a variety of events and workshops take place at highgrove throughout the year, turquoise mountain jewellery, hand-crafted jewellery from afghanistan, welcome to highgrove gardens, "a garden which delights the eye, warms the heart and feeds the soul".

Since – 1980

Highgrove is the private residence of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, near Tetbury in Gloucestershire. Since 1980, when His Majesty The King first arrived at Highgrove, he has devoted much energy to transforming the gardens around the house, which are renowned as some of the most inspiring and innovative in the United Kingdom.

Open from March until October every year, Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla welcome you to join one of Highgrove's expert guides on a tour to discover the history, inspiration, and unique organic management behind the incredible series of gardens at Highgrove.

Tours, Events & Workshops

Saturday, 4th May 2024

Enjoy an evening of elegance and excitement at the Highgrove Red, White, & Blue Ball on Saturday, 4th May 2024. T...

Friday, 10th May 2024

Highgrove Gardens are pleased to announce a new series of tours focused on the importance and varied uses of herbs in...

Floral Art with Resin Workshop

Friday 3rd May | Saturday 1st June | Sunday 6th October 2024

Embark on a day of discovery into the fascinating world of resin! Join Emma from Nature's Inspiration for an exciting...

Candle Making Workshop

Sunday 5th May and Sunday 26th May | Sunday 13th October | Sunday 10th November 2024

Surround yourself with gorgeous scents as you learn the art of candle-making with sustainable and ethically sourced i...

Ceramic Herb Shredder Pottery Workshop

Sunday 12th May 2024

Join us at Highgrove for an exciting half-day pottery workshop! Learn to craft a one-of-a-kind ceramic herb shredder ...

Leather Dog Collar and Lead Crafting Workshop

Friday 17th and Saturday 18th May | Friday 13th and Saturday 14th September 2024

Join us at Highgrove and learn about the art of leather crafting with Cotswold Hipster's Tracy's unique twist: leathe...

Copper Foil Stained Glass Workshop

Friday 24th & Saturday 25th May | Friday 26th & Saturday 27th July | Friday 6th & Saturday 7th September | Friday 11th & Saturday 12th October | Friday 8th & Saturday 9th November 2024

Unleash your creativity in a vibrant fusion of colour and light with glass artist Sarah Davis in the "Crafting Radian...

Block Printing Workshop

Sunday 9th June | Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd September | Friday 18th & Saturday 19th October 2024

Embark on a creative journey with Marea from Art of Jaipur as she guides you through the enchanting world of block pr...

Summer Flower Arranging Workshop

Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th July 2024

Learn how to create beautiful flower arrangements using seasonal blooms and foliage with this exclusive half-day work...

Father's Day Sunday Lunch 2024

Sunday 16th June 2024

On Sunday, 16th June, join us in the stunning surroundings of The Orchard Room restaurant on the Highgrove Estate for...

Pheasant Willow Weaving

Friday 25th and Saturday 26th October 2024

Join us for an exclusive and immersive experience where you can collaborate with the renowned international willow ar...

Highgrove Garden Tour

A Garden Tour is a truly memorable way to experience Highgrove. Led by one of our experienced guides, enjoy a 1½-hour...

Champagne Tea and Garden Tour

A Champagne Tea Tour is an unforgettable way to experience Highgrove. Led by one of our experienced guides, enjoy a 1...

Are you looking for something extra special? We offer exclusive tours of Highgrove Gardens for private parties (20 gu...

Are you looking for something extra special? We offer exclusive Champagne Tea Tours for private parties (8 guests), c...

New Arrivals

From luxury homeware to traditionally crafted artisan pieces, there is something to suit everyone at the Highgrove Shop.

Highgrove X Burberry Meadow Silk Scarf

Highgrove X Burberry Wildflower Silk Scarf

Highgrove X Burberry Royal Delphinium Silk Scarf

Highgrove X Burberry Yellow Delphinium Silk Scarf

The Book of Wild Flowers

Planting Wildflowers

Highgrove Gardens comprise a varied collection of landscapes, from the genteel environs of the Sundial Garden to the unstructured beauty of the Wildflower Meadow.

Highgrove Gardens are open to the public for tours on selected dates between April and October each year.

Luxury products inspired by the Gardens at Highgrove.

The sale of Highgrove Products, Garden Tours and Events support and enable the life and work of The King’s Foundation.

Receive the Latest Highgrove News

Newsletter signup.

To receive Highgrove Gardens and Highgrove Shop information - including Garden Tour date releases and late availability, and special offers, new product and events information from Highgrove Shop - please add your name and email address to our mailing list. We take your privacy seriously. Read our full  privacy policy . You can unsubscribe from Highgrove emails at any time by clicking the link in the email you receive.

We use cookies. Many are necessary to operate the website and its functions, others are for statistical or marketing purposes. With the decision "Only accept essential cookies" we will respect your privacy and will not set cookies that aren't necessary for the operation of the site.

Statistics & Marketing

Only accept essential cookies

Individual Data Privacy Settings

save & close

Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper functioning of the website.

Marketing cookies are used by third parties or publishers to display personalized advertising. They do this by tracking visitors across websites.

Latest News

• Community News
• Police Blotters
• National News
• International News
• Local Sports
• Sport columns
• High School Sports
• Ohio Sports
• National Sports
• Guest Columnists
• Letters to the Editor
• Patty Kimerer column
• Burton Cole column
• Annual Christmas story
• Deals on Wheels
• Garage Sales
• Classifieds
• Open carrier routes
• Statement of Values
• Terms of Service
• Submit News
• Browse notices
• Place a notice

• Today's Paper

Wed. 9:39 a.m.: King Charles III makes world debut as tour starts in Germany

Britain's King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, arrive at the airport today in Berlin for a three-day official visit to Germany. (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP)

BERLIN (AP) — King Charles III arrived in Berlin today for his first foreign trip as Britain’s monarch, hoping to improve the U.K.’s relations with the European Union and to show that he can win hearts and minds abroad, just as his mother did for seven decades.

Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, landed at Berlin’s government airport in the early afternoon. The king, dressed in a black coat, and his wife, in a light blue coat and a feather-trimmed teal hat worn at a jaunty angle, paused at the top of their plane’s stairs to receive a 21-gun salute as two military jets performed a flyover.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was scheduled to welcome the royal couple with military honors at the German capital’s historic Brandenburg Gate.

Charles, 74, who ascended the throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September, is set to be crowned on May 6. As Britain’s head of state, the king meets weekly with the prime minister and retains his mother’s role as leader of the Commonwealth.

He had initially planned to first visit France, but the first leg of his trip was canceled due to massive protests over planned pension changes there.

Billed as a multi-day tour of the European Union’s two biggest countries, the trip was designed to underscore British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s efforts to rebuild relations with the bloc after six years of arguments over Brexit and highlight the countries’ shared history as they work together to combat Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Now everything rests on Germany, where the king faces the first big test of whether he can be an effective conduit for the “soft power” the House of Windsor has traditionally wielded, helping Britain pursue its geopolitical goals through the glitz and glamour of a 1,000-year-old monarchy.

Charles, a former naval officer who is the first British monarch to earn a university degree, is expected to insert heft where his glamorous mother once wielded star power. His visit to Germany will give him an opportunity to highlight the causes he holds dear, like sustainability and the environment.

But there will also be a full dose of the pomp and circumstance that screams royal visit, starting with the ceremonial welcome at the Brandenburg Gate and a white tie dinner at Schloss Bellevue, the German president’s official residence, this evening.

Royal fans started lining up early in the morning for security checks at the Brandenburg Gate, hoping to get a close view of Charles and Camilla. By noon, hundreds of fans awaited their arrival as police and sniffer dogs worked in the area. About 1,500 spectators were admitted to the cordoned-off area, German news agency dpa reported.

Christoph Muehlbach, 59, had traveled by train from Hamburg to see the British royals. He described himself as a supporter of the royal family for the last 20 years and said he had traveled to London in the past for weddings, anniversaries and the queen’s state funeral.

“I take great pleasure in the British royal family,” Muehlbach told dpa.

Gabriele Fluechter, 57, of Berlin, said she came “out of love for England,” where she had attended university. She said she had seen Elizabeth on one of the queen’s visits to Berlin, and also had spotted Charles and Camilla before.

“They walked along there very casually,” she said, adding that the long wait was no problem,

On Thursday, the king is scheduled to give a speech to the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament. He will also meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz, talk to Ukrainian refugees, and meet with British and Germany military personnel who are working together on joint projects. In the afternoon he will visit an organic farm outside of Berlin.

The royal couple plan to go to Hamburg on Friday, where they will visit the Kindertransport memorial for Jewish children who fled from Germany to Britain during the Third Reich, and attend a green energy event before returning to the U.K.

The king was urged to make the trip by Sunak, who during his first six months in office negotiated a settlement to the long-running dispute over post-Brexit trading rules for Northern Ireland and reached a deal with France to combat the people smugglers ferrying migrants across the English Channel in small boats. Sunak hopes goodwill created by a royal visit can help pave the way for progress on other issues, including Britain’s return to an EU program that funds scientific research across Europe.

Britain’s senior royals are among the most recognizable people on the planet. While their formal powers are strictly limited by law and tradition, they draw attention from the media and the public partly because of the historic ceremonies and regalia that accompany them — and also because the public is fascinated by their personal lives.

Elizabeth’s influence stemmed in part from the fact that she made more than 100 state visits during her 70 years on the throne, meeting presidents and prime ministers around the world in a reign that lasted from the Cold War to the information age.

Politicians were eager to meet the monarch for tea, if for no other reason than she’d been around so long.

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

• Daily Newsletter
• Breaking News

Brantley Gilbert booked for Canfield Fair

Fire marshals investigating lovers lane fire a week after homicide.

WARREN — State Fire Marshals are conducting an arson investigation at the site of a recent homicide on Lovers ...

Gun supervisor for ‘Rust’ movie to be sentenced for fatal shooting by Alec Baldwin on set

FBI opens criminal investigation into Baltimore bridge collapse, AP source says

The IRS is quicker to answer the phone on this Tax Day

Biden to host Iraqi leader as Mideast tensions soar, raising more questions about US troop presence

Starting at $4.85/week., subscribe today.

Balmoral Castle Will Open to the Public for the First Time

King Charles has granted permission for private tours to take place throughout the royal residence.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Per Balmoral Castle's website , "For the first time since the castle was completed in 1855, we have been granted permission to take you on a private tour with our experienced guides. They will take you on a historical journey through several of the beautiful rooms within Balmoral Castle."

In 1852, Prince Albert purchased Balmoral as a gift for his wife, Queen Victoria. The original building was deemed too small, and the royals built a new castle (the one that exists today), and tore down the original.

On the tour, Balmoral Castle's official website notes, "You will learn about the origins of the Castle and how it has been loved by generations of the Royal family. Travel through time from the purchase of the Balmoral by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, through to present day, where you can see how rooms within the Castle are used today by their Majesty’s The King and Queen and other members of the Royal Family. You will see why Balmoral is such a special place - the much loved and celebrated Highland home of the Royal Family."

On the tour, visitors will also get access to the grounds, gardens, and exhibitions, and see King Charles's watercolors that show scenes at Balmoral, Highgrove , and Sandringham .

Balmoral was reportedly Queen Elizabeth's favorite residence, and it was where she passed away on September 8, 2022. "I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands," Princess Eugenie said of her grandmother in the documentary Our Queen At Ninety .

In Spare , Prince Harry's memoir, he wrote about Balmoral . "Balmoral. Closing my eyes, I can see the main entrance, the paneled front windows, the wide portico and three gray-black speckled granite steps leading up to the massive front door of whisky-colored oak, often propped open by a heavy curling stone and often manned by one red-coated footman...." He also recalls the many rooms inside, "each with a specific purpose, like sitting or reading, TV or tea, and one special room for the pages, many of whom I loved like dotty uncles."

Tickets are £100, or £150 if you want to also get afternoon tea, and must be purchased in advance. This year, the tours will be available from July 1 until August 4, 2024, and are restricted to 10 people per tour. Tickets can be purchased on balmoralcastle.com .

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1jdielu:before{margin:0.625rem 0.625rem 0;width:3.5rem;-webkit-filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);height:1.5rem;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-transform:scale(-1, 1);-moz-transform:scale(-1, 1);-ms-transform:scale(-1, 1);transform:scale(-1, 1);background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-1jdielu:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/townandcountrymag/static/images/diamond-header-design-element.80fb60e.svg);}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1jdielu:before{margin:0 0.625rem 0.25rem;}} Royal Family News @media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-128xfoy:before{margin:0.625rem 0.625rem 0;width:3.5rem;-webkit-filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);height:1.5rem;content:'';display:inline-block;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-128xfoy:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/townandcountrymag/static/images/diamond-header-design-element.80fb60e.svg);}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-128xfoy:before{margin:0 0.625rem 0.25rem;}}

Eugenie Mastered Transitional Season Style

Prince Andrew Is Particular About Stuffed Animals

Queen Sofía Is Hospitalized

Prince William Brings George to a Soccer Match

Meghan & Harry's Netflix Projects in Development

Meghan & Harry's New Projects at Netflix

Was Andrew Really Queen Elizabeth's Favorite Son?

Prince Harry Meets Mindy Kaling

Prince Andrew Reportedly Loved 'Scoop'

Princess Diana Outfit Season Is Finally Here

Prince Hussein & Rajwa Al Saif's Relationship

King Charles III Makes World Debut As Tour Starts In Germany

BERLIN (AP) — King Charles III arrived in Berlin on Wednesday for his first foreign trip as Britain’s monarch, hoping to improve the U.K.’s relations with the European Union and to show that he can win hearts and minds abroad, just as his mother did for seven decades.

Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, landed at Berlin’s government airport in the early afternoon and paused at the top of their plane’s stairs to receive a 21-gun salute as two military jets performed a flyover.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was scheduled to welcome the royal couple with military honors at the German capital’s historic Brandenburg Gate.

Charles, 74, who ascended the throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September, is set to be crowned on May 6.

He had initially planned to first visit France, but the first leg of his trip was canceled due to massive protests over planned pension changes there.

Billed as a multi-day tour of the European Union’s two biggest countries, the trip was designed to underscore British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s efforts to rebuild relations with the bloc after six years of arguments over Brexit and highlight the countries’ shared history as they work together to combat Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Now everything rests on Germany.

At Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate, royal fans started lining up early in the morning for security check,s hoping to get a close view of Charles and Camilla as workers rolled out red carpets.

By noon, hundreds of fans awaited their arrival as police and sniffer dogs carried out security checks in the area. About 1,500 spectators were admitted to the cordoned-off area, German news agency dpa reported.

Christoph Muehlbach, 59, had traveled by train from Hamburg to see the British royals. He described himself as a supporter of the royal family for the last 20 years and said he had traveled to London in the past for weddings, anniversaries and the queen’s state funeral.

“I take great pleasure in the British royal family,” Muehlbach told dpa.

Gabriele Fluechter, 57, of Berlin, said she came “out of love for England,” where she had attended university. She said she had seen Elizabeth on one of the queen’s visits to Berlin, and also had spotted Charles and Camilla before.

“They walked along there very casually,” she said, adding that the long wait was no problem.

On Thursday, the king is scheduled to give a speech to the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament. He will also meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz, talk to Ukrainian refugees, and meet with British and Germany military personnel who are working together on joint projects. In the afternoon he will visit an organic farm outside of Berlin.

The royal couple go to Hamburg on Friday, where they will visit the Kindertransport memorial for Jewish children who fled from Germany to Britain during the Third Reich, and attend a green energy event before returning to the U.K.

The king was urged to make the trip by Sunak, who during his first six months in office negotiated a settlement to the long-running dispute over post-Brexit trading rules for Northern Ireland and reached a deal with France to combat the people smugglers ferrying migrants across the English Channel in small boats. Sunak hopes goodwill created by a royal visit can help pave the way for progress on other issues, including Britain’s return to an EU program that funds scientific research across Europe.

This is the first big test of whether Charles can be an effective conduit for the “soft power” the House of Windsor has traditionally wielded, helping Britain pursue its geopolitical goals through the glitz and glamor of a 1,000-year-old monarchy.

The Windsors are among the most recognizable people on the planet. While their formal powers are strictly limited by law and tradition, they draw attention from the media and the public partly because of the historic ceremonies and regalia that accompany them — and also because the public is fascinated by their personal lives.

The late Queen Elizabeth II was the embodiment of this — the monarch everyone wanted to meet for tea, if for no other reason than that she’d been around so long.

Elizabeth’s influence stemmed in part from the fact that she made more than 100 state visits during her 70 years on the throne, meeting presidents and prime ministers around the world in a reign that lasted from the Cold War to the information age.

Charles, a former naval officer who is the first British monarch to earn a university degree, is expected to insert heft where his glamorous mother once wielded star power.

As Britain’s head of state, the king meets weekly with the prime minister and retains his mother’s role as leader of the Commonwealth.

His visit to Germany will showcase these roles while also giving him an opportunity to highlight the causes he holds dear, like sustainability and the environment.

But there will also be a full dose of the pomp and circumstance that screams royal visit, starting with the ceremonial welcome at the Brandenburg Gate and a white tie dinner at Schloss Bellevue, the German president’s official residence, on Wednesday evening.

Kirka reported from London.

Support HuffPost

Our 2024 coverage needs you, your loyalty means the world to us.

At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.

Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.

Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.

Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

Dear HuffPost Reader

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.

Popular in the Community

From our partner, more in world news.

King Charles opens Balmoral Castle to tours for the first time

Visitors will be able to see parts of Scotland's Balmoral Castle used by the British royal family for the first time this summer.

Guided tours of the royal family's beloved private Scottish retreat will be available from July 1 to August 4, before the King and Queen arrive for their summer break in Aberdeenshire, with each group restricted to 10 people.

Tickets for the "castle interior tour," priced £100 ($126) or £150 ($188) with afternoon tea included, are limited to 40 tickets per day and are already selling fast.

The Balmoral Castle website said the tours were the first since the castle was completed in 1855.

The website said: "They will take you on a historical journey through several of the beautiful rooms within Balmoral Castle.

"You will learn about the origins of the castle and how it has been loved by generations of the royal family.

"Travel through time from the purchase of the Balmoral by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, through to present day, where you can see how rooms within the castle are used today by their Majesty's The King and Queen and other members of the royal family."

The tour also includes access to the ballroom with a collection of Charles' watercolour collection depicting scenery at Balmoral, Highgrove and Sandringham as well as a collection of outfits worn by Charles and Camilla, the late Queen and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

Previous tours, which will continue, have concentrated on the grounds and gardens with access to the castle limited to the ballroom.

Find anything you save across the site in your account

12 Royal Palaces You Can Visit in the United Kingdom

By Elizabeth Stamp

While the United Kingdom is filled with palatial residences and elegant country estates, very few are true royal palaces. Some royal residences, such as Balmoral Castle in Scotland and Sandringham House in Norfolk, are privately owned by the monarch and off-limits to the public, but many of the estates the king calls home are actually open for tours. From the official residences of King Charles III across the UK, to the opulent castles of kings and queens past, visitors can experience a bit of royal life while touring state apartments, throne rooms, acres of gardens, and caches of sparkling crown jewels. Here, discover 12 royal palaces that you can visit, from London to Edinburgh.

Kensington Palace, London

Kensington Palace has been home to generations of royals. The palace began as a small villa called Nottingham House but was transformed into a grand residence by William III and Mary II. The birthplace of Queen Victoria, Kensington Palace has been home to Princess Diana—who has a garden there dedicated in her honor—Princess Margaret, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. While they now spend much of their time in Adelaide Cottage at Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace remains the official London residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Visitors can tour the palace gardens and the jewel room, as well as the king’s staircase and state apartments.

Buckingham Palace, London

Buckingham Palace has long been the official London residence and administrative office of the monarch. Because it has been under construction, King Charles III has yet to move in, but the palace has still been open for tours. The iconic palace has been the site of royal events, state dinners, garden parties, and the monarch’s weekly audience with the Prime Minister. In the 1820s, King George IV commissioned architect John Nash to turn Buckingham House, which was purchased by George III for Queen Charlotte, into a palace. Today, the sprawling estate boasts 775 rooms, including 19 state rooms and 52 bedrooms for the royal family and their guests. The palace opens for tours of the state rooms each summer and on selected dates in the winter and spring, but visitors can see the Royal Mews and the Queen’s gallery year-round, as well as the changing of the guard outside the palace on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

Highgrove Gardens, Gloucestershire, UK

Located in Gloucestershire, Highgrove is the private country home of King Charles. The Duchy of Cornwall—then controlled by the future King—purchased the estate in 1980, shortly before he began courting Diana Spencer. The Georgian neoclassical home and its grounds were restored and improved by King Charles, who took particular interest in the gardens. He consulted with garden designer Rosemary Verey and naturalist Miriam Rothschild on the interlinked gardens, which are open to the public. Highgrove hosts garden tours, autumn walks, and champagne tea tours.

Windsor Castle, Windsor, UK

The oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, Windsor Castle dates back to the 11th century, when William the Conqueror began building it above the Thames. Forty monarchs have lived in the castle, many adding their grand touches—including George IV, who commissioned the famous Waterloo Chamber, an extended St. George Hall, and a new grand staircase, among other improvements. Following a devastating fire in 1992, Windsor Castle was carefully restored over the next five years at a cost of roughly $44 million. The Castle is open to visitors Thursday through Monday, and tours include the state apartments, semi-state rooms, Queen Mary’s doll house, and St. George’s Chapel, where Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest.

By Sarah Lyon

By Katherine McLaughlin

By Erika Owen

Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland

Located on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, the Palace of Holyroodhouse is the King’s official residence in Scotland. The Palace has been the home of many royals, including Mary Queen of Scots, James IV (who converted the royal chambers of Holyrood Abbey into a palace), and Charles II (who commissioned architect Sir William Bruce to rebuild the palace following a fire in 1650). Visitors get a glimpse at the remains of the Abbey, tour the state apartments, and visit Mary, Queen of Scots’ chambers in the north-west tower. The palace is open for tours year-round.

Hillsborough Castle, Hillsborough, Northern Ireland

Built by the Hill family in the late 18th century, Hillsborough Castle is an Irish Big House and the official residence of the secretary of state for Northern Ireland—and the royal family, when in the area. The castle was sold to the British government during the 1920s, with the intention that it would be the home of the governor of Northern Ireland, and it received its first royal visitor in 1933, when Queen Victoria’s granddaughter, Princess Alice, stayed at Hillsborough. Over the years, Hillsborough Castle played an important role in the peace talks between England and Ireland, including talks that later led to the Good Friday Agreement. Visitors can explore 100 acres of gardens and glens, and tour the elegant staterooms. Opening times for the castle and garden vary by season.

Kew Palace, London

Located in southwest London’s Kew Gardens, Kew Palace was the royal retreat of several Georgian monarchs, including George III, who was held there in 1788 during a period of mental illness, and Queen Charlotte. Tour Queen Charlotte’s cottage, climb the 253 steps of the 18th-century Great Pagoda, and see the well-preserved royal kitchens. Kew Palace is open during the spring and summer months.

Tower of London, London

Over the years, the Tower of London has been home to a royal palace, a prison, an arsenal, the Royal Mint, and even a zoo. The central stone tower was commissioned by William the Conqueror in the 1070s, while future monarchs expanded the fortress adding defensive walls and royal-worthy interiors. The tower is still guarded by the Yeoman Warders (or Beefeaters), and they carry out the Ceremony of the Keys each day. Explore the White Tower, meet the famous ravens, and visit the crown jewels at the UNESCO World Heritage site, which is open to visitors year-round (although days and times vary by season).

Banqueting House, London

Banqueting Hall was once part of the Royal Palace of Whitehall, which was home to the Tudor and Stuart monarchies. The Banqueting House that exists today is actually the third iteration and was designed by architect, costume, and scenery designer Inigo Jones. The architect took inspiration from his travels in France and Italy for the classical building. The highlight of the Banqueting House are the nine ceiling paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, which were commissioned by Charles I and installed in 1636. The Banqueting House opens for guided tours on selected dates each year.

Hampton Court Palace, Surrey, UK

Step back in time to the world of the Tudor monarchs at Hampton Court Palace . The home was a favorite of Henry VIII, who brought six of his wives there and added the great hall and the Chapel Royal. William III and Mary II commissioned Christopher Wren to build a new Baroque palace, but the architect opted to add the fountain court and retain some of the Tudor palace. Hampton Court has also been the filming location for many period movies and TV shows, including The Favourite, Bridgerton, and The Great. The palace, and many of it’s 60 acres of gardens, are open year-round.

Apethorpe Palace, Northamptonshire, UK

While Apethorpe Palace was only owned by the Crown for a brief period in the 1540s, the grand English country house was frequented by Tudor and Stuart monarchs. James I even paid for it to be expanded, and it was reportedly where he met his favorite (companion), George Villiers. (During the building’s restoration from 2004 to 2008, a passage between their rooms was discovered.) Elizabeth I, Charles I, George IV, and other monarchs also visited over the years. Apethorpe was sold to Jean Christophe Iseux, Baron von Pfetten in 2015. As part of the sale, the new owner agreed to open the residence to the public for 50 days per year for the next 80 years.

Osborne, Isle of Wight, UK

In 1845, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert purchased Osborne , a seaside estate on the Isle of Wight. The Prince and builder Thomas Cubitt collaborated on a new residence, which was inspired by Italian palazzos, and Albert also supervised the design of the gardens and estate grounds. Queen Victoria died at Osborne in 1901, and the home opened to the public in 1904. Today, sightseers can walk along the late queen’s private beach, visit the Swiss cottage on the grounds, and tour the state and family rooms within the Italianate mansion.

By Annabelle Dufraigne

By Sam Cochran

By Audrey Lee

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Tea and a tour of Balmoral Castle? That will set you back £150

For the first time visitors will be able to see areas of the Scottish castle used by Charles and Camilla – if they have deep pockets

Parts of Balmoral Castle used by the royal family will open to the public for the first time – for those who have deep pockets.

For £100 for an adult ticket – and an extra £50 for those wishing to partake of afternoon tea – guided summer tours of the castle in Aberdeenshire are being offered, limited to 40 people a day and in groups restricted to 10 people.

It is the first time since the castle’s completion in 1855 that visitors will be shown two dining rooms, the drawing room, the page’s lobby and the red corridor, where King Charles greeted Rishi Sunak.

The tour also includes access to the ballroom with a collection of Charles’s watercolour collection depicting scenery at Balmoral, Highgrove and Sandringham as well as a selection of outfits worn by Charles, Camilla, the late queen and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Previous tours, which will continue, have been of the grounds and gardens with access to the castle itself limited to the ballroom.

The tours, from 1 July until 4 August, before the king and queen arrive for their annual break, are being run for a trial period so estate staff can judge how the fragile building copes with increased footfall.

The £150 a head price tag for tour and high tea makes it the most expensive royal residence for visitors wanting the exclusive experience.

Buckingham Palace, which has long been open to the public during the summer months, charges £95 for an exclusive guided tour away from the crowds, though general summer admission with the masses costs between £32 and £35. Afternoon tea is not included, but at the nearby Ritz, the “afternoon tea experience” costs from £64.

St James’s Palace, which started guided tours in 2022 limited to 30 people, costs £80 for an adult. At the cheaper end of royal residence visits, Windsor Castle offers general adult admission at £30 in advance, while Sandringham House in Norfolk costs £24 and the Castle of Mey, the queen’s mother’s former Scottish home, is £14.50.

The Balmoral Castle website said experienced guides on the interior tour “will take you on a historical journey through several of the beautiful rooms within Balmoral Castle”.

It adds: “Travel through time from the purchase of the Balmoral by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, through to present day, where you can see how rooms within the castle are used today.”

• King Charles III

More on this story

Camilla lauds suffragette stones of ‘hope’ – and gets very own Barbie doll

Princess of Wales photo furore underlines sensitivity around image doctoring

‘Multiple frames were likely used’: the royal photo’s telltale signs of editing

Princess of Wales says she edited family photo recalled by picture agencies

Palace dismay as attempt to dispel Princess of Wales rumours misfires

First post-op photo of princess of wales withdrawn due to ‘manipulation’, first princess of wales photo after surgery released for mother’s day.

Palace on tenterhooks while Catherine’s ‘bad uncle’ remains in Big Brother house

Army removes claim Princess of Wales will attend event in June

Prince Harry hints he’s open to family reconciliation after king’s cancer diagnosis

Most viewed.