balmoral castle tours 2022

Balmoral Castle

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Balmoral Castle - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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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.

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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 .

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Book your tickets

This year the grounds, gardens and exhibitions at Balmoral will open to the Public from Saturday 4th May until Sunday 11th August.

All advance tickets include admission the grounds, gardens and exhibitions and charges as follows:-

General Admission Tickets Charge     Adult Ticket £17.50 Child Ticket (aged 5 to 16 years) £9.00 Family Ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children aged 5 to 16 years) £38.00 Children under 5 years of age Free     Afternoon Tea Tickets       General Admission with Afternoon Tea £60.00 Castle Interior Tour with Afternoon Tea SOLD OUT (Classic, Vegetarian and Gluten Free options available)       Castle Interior Tour Tickets       Castle Interior Tour SOLD OUT Castle Interior Tour with Afternoon Tea SOLD OUT (Adult only experience)       Expedition       Group ticket for up to 6 people £350.00

ALL ADVANCE ONLINE BOOKINGS INCLUDE THE AUDIO HANDSET TOUR AS A COMPLIMENTARY UPGRADE - THIS IS NORMALLY CHARGED AT £5 PER HANDSET IF PURCHASING YOUR TICKETS ON THE DAY.

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Balmoral Castle

Balmoral Castle is the Scottish holiday home to the Royal Family. The grounds are now open to the public on specific dates over the winter months- please check the website for opening days and times. Admission is currently free of charge.

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Balmoral Castle: See Inside the Royal Family Home for the First Time This Summer

By Michelle Duncan

Get ready for an up-close-and-personal look into the lives of King Charles and Queen Camilla. Balmoral Castle , the Scottish holiday residence of the British royals, will open its doors to the public for private tours of the interiors this summer—a first since the castle’s completion in 1855.

In a new promotion dubbed The Balmoral Experience , guests will be taken on a guided tour through rooms in the castle used by the royals from July 1 to August 4. Visitors will learn about the history and use of the spaces along the way. A tour of the Aberdeenshire castle is priced at about $126 dollars (£100) for an adult ticket, plus an extra $63 (£50) for those who add on the option of afternoon tea.

“Travel through time from the purchase of the Balmoral Estate by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, through to the present day, where you can see a selection of rooms within the castle that are used by Their Majesties The King and Queen and other members of the Royal Family,” states the castle’s official Instagram page.

Since 1931, Balmoral’s gardens and grounds open up to the public every spring. The ballroom has been the only interior space previously accessible to outsiders until now.

Queen Elizabeth (center), King Charles (right), and Princess Anne in Balmoral Castle gardens circa 1952.

Fans of the British royals expressed their excitement in the comments section of the Instagram post. Unfortunately, if you haven’t already purchased a ticket, you’ll have to wait until next year for an expedited or guided tour; according to the official website, those tickets are already sold out just only one day after the announcement. General admission tickets are still available, but those are also quickly being snapped up.

Located in the Scottish Highlands , Balmoral Castle is one of two properties personally owned by King Charles (the other being Sandringham Castle). The King inherited the property after Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September 2022. Balmoral Castle was one of the late Queen’s favorite places, and where she took her final breaths. “I think Granny is the most happy there,” Princess Eugenie once told ITV of the estate.

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King Charles is also quite fond of the retreat. “I cannot tell you how much I miss Balmoral and the hills and the air—I feel very empty and incomplete without it all,” he said in 1968, before leaving for his second year at Cambridge. Last year , the King began his contribution to the gardens, which include a stretch of cherry blossoms and thousands of daffodils, expanding the work that royals have been adding to the gardens since Prince Albert.

Those unable to score Balmoral tour tickets can get their fill of the royal experience at Buckingham Palace, which will open its east wing to the public this summer for the first time.

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The Royal Family Is Opening Balmoral Castle to the Public For the First Time in History

The special interior tours of the royal family’s Scottish retreat sold out in less than a day

Daily Correspondent

When  Queen Victoria visited Scotland for the first time in the fall of 1842, she fell in love with the  Highlands , the rugged region in the country’s northwest corner. Six years later, her husband, Prince Albert , leased an estate with an old castle in the Highlands for his wife. In 1852, they purchased the land in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and got to work building a bigger castle.

The new Balmoral Castle was completed in 1855. Since then, it’s been handed down through generations of the royal family. But members of the public haven’t been allowed inside most of its interior—until now.

For the first time,  Charles III is opening up the private retreat to visitors. This summer, the castle will offer special guided tours “through several of the beautiful rooms within Balmoral Castle,” per the  castle’s website .

Tickets for the new tours sold out within a day of being released, reports  BBC News . However, those lucky enough to have snagged a spot—starting at £100, or roughly $125—are in for a rare treat.

“You will learn about the origins of the castle and how it has been loved by generations of the royal family,” according to the castle’s website. “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.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Balmoral Castle (@balmoral_castle)

For everyone else, the castle’s grounds, gardens and exhibitions will be open from May 4 through August 11. You can even have afternoon tea in the castle’s restaurant or rent one of the five cottages located on the estate’s grounds.

For the royal family, Balmoral Castle has long served as a retreat from the hustle and bustle—and the limelight—of London.  Elizabeth II , in particular, loved spending time on the property with her beloved pups. There, she had “the privacy to stroll with her corgis around the gardens, catch up on correspondence … go fly fishing on the river Dee or take in a round of golf on her private course,” as Jill O'Brien wrote for  CNN in 2013.

The estate has also been the site of many significant moments for the royal family. It’s where Prince William and Prince Harry learned of the  death of their mother , Diana, Princess of Wales. Elizabeth II  died at the castle in September 2022.

The property spans  50,000 acres and has 150 buildings, including the  167-room castle .

Meanwhile, back in London,  Buckingham Palace’s East Wing will also open to the public this summer after undergoing a five-year renovation. For the first time, guests will be able to explore the room that leads out to the palace’s main balcony, reports  Vanity Fair ’s Kase Wickman. The balcony is where members of the family gather during certain special events and where  newly married royals have waved to their adoring fans below.

Guided tours of the East Wing will take place in July and August, per BBC News . Visitors will be able to strolling along the Principal Corridor, the main hallway that runs through the wing, and gaze at various artworks, including pieces painted by 18th-century artist  Thomas Gainsborough .

“Visitors will discover the history of the Wing, first occupied by Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their children and still used by the royal family today for official meetings and events,” according to a  statement from the Royal Collection Trust, the charity that manages the royal residences.

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Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. She covers history, science, travel, food and beverage, sustainability, economics and other topics.

Fancy visiting Balmoral? King Charles is to open the doors to the castle to the public for first time

By Isaac Zamet

Balmoral Castle, the royal family’s Scottish home

Royal watchers, architectural boffins and fans of the royal palaces will rejoice at the news that the King has decided to allow public tours of Balmoral this summer for the first time in the castle’s near-200-year history.

The move comes as a fulfilment of a clear indication made by the King upon his accession that he would like to open more of the royal palaces to the public. After the King’s accession in September 2022, St James’s Palace was opened to the public for the first time in an extremely successful trial which led to its repetition the following year.

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Similarly, Buckingham Palace was also rendered much more accessible last winter, via a ‘greatly expanded’ programme of festive tours. A royal source has confirmed that the news about Balmoral emerges from the King’s general wish to make the royal residences visible to the public.

The opening of Balmoral will begin with a trial period, giving estate staff the chance to gauge how the building copes with increased visitorship. Speaking to The Telegraph a royal source noted that Balmoral is very much not set up as a visitor attraction; not in the same way Buckingham Palace is. Until this point, it has acted as something of a haven for the royal family. Tours for the public have been restricted to the ballroom, grounds and gardens. The trial will help those responsible to work out in what ways it might be possible to open Balmoral to the public and how to make it sustainable.

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Charles with Princes William and Harry, exploring Glen Muick on the Balmoral estate during the 1990s

The late Queen Elizabeth II and the late Prince Philip wait to receive the then President of Malta, Dr Edward Fenech-Adami and his wife, Mary while on holiday at Balmoral Castle on August 16, 2005 in Balmoral, Scotland

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An announcement on the Balmoral estate website said, ‘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. You will learn about the origins of the Castle and how it has been loved by generations of the Royal family.

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By Alexander O'Loughlin

‘ 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.

‘You will see why Balmoral is such a special place - the much loved and celebrated Highland home of the Royal family.’

King Charles III and Queen Camilla depart Crathie Parish Church following a church service to mark the first anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2023 in Crathie, Aberdeenshire. Queen Elizabeth II passed away her Balmoral Castle, her private Scottish residence on September 8th 2022, bringing to an end her 70-year reign, the longest of a British monarch

By Stephanie Bridger-Linning

The window for the tours will slot neatly into the royal summer schedule, coming just ahead of the King and Queen’s arrival at Balmoral for their annual break. They will take place between 1 July and 4 August. Forty tickets a day will be available for the ‘castle interior tour’, costing £100 or £150 for a ticket which includes afternoon tea.

Balmoral has long been considered a place of rest and retreat for the royal family. It was regarded as a haven for the late Queen who enjoyed the serenity and the wildness of the hills in Aberdeenshire’s windy landscapes. The King also relishes the chance to walk and ride with his family.

The estate has a long history of being cherished by its royal proprietors. It was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852. Victoria described it as her ‘dear paradise in the Highlands’, while Prince William described his father’s love of summers at Balmoral saying, ‘My father is never happier than when walking among the hills.’

Find Your Tour

Balmoral castle.

Balmoral Castle is normally open daily from the beginning of April, through May, June and July, and the grounds will be open on specific days during March, but these dates have not yet been confirmed at the time of writing.

Group visits can sometimes be arranged outside of that period if the Royal family are not in residence. Starting in 2023, access to the castle grounds will be allowed on certain dates from September to December.

Balmoral Estate has a very appealing location amongst the magnificent scenery of Royal Deeside and is located about midway between the villages of Braemar and Ballater. It is easy to understand why it became a favourite holiday retreat of the Royal family. Purchased by Prince Albert in 1852 for Queen Victoria, the Estate has been the Scottish holiday home of the Royal Family ever since.

The Castle itself has an interesting story, as it is not the original building that Prince Albert bought. It was decided that the old building was not adequate for the Royal Family’s needs so another one was built in the grounds nearby. The process took 4 years and the new Castle was completed in 1856. The old building was demolished, but the location of its front door is marked by a commemorative stone on the grounds of the estate.

Balmoral is a well-known tourist attraction in Scotland, however, we find it disappointing as very little of the Castle is accessible to the public apart from the Ballroom, which has been converted into a constant exhibition displaying pictures of the other rooms in the Castle.

The grounds are extensive and beautifully maintained, and the stables have a collection of Royal carriages and cars. There is an excellent tearoom and shop, but we wish that more of the castle interior was open to the public.

If you arrive after 4 pm, the admission fee is reduced.

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King Charles opens Balmoral Castle to public for first time - but tickets aren't cheap

The Aberdeenshire castle, set in the Scottish highlands, is widely believed to have been Queen Elizabeth II's favourite residence and is where the royals have spent many of their summers.

Wednesday 3 April 2024 11:23, UK

Visitors will be able to tour parts of Balmoral Castle used by the Royal Family for the first time this summer.

Balmoral Castle, set in the Scottish highlands, is widely believed to have been Queen Elizabeth II's favourite residence and is where she spent most of her summers.

Guided "castle interior tours", which will take visitors to parts of the building used by the Royal Family, will now be available between 1 July and 4 August, with each group restricted to 10 people.

Tickets are priced at £100, or £150 with afternoon tea included, are limited to 40 tickets per day and are already selling fast.

The tours will end before the King and Queen arrive at Balmoral for their summer break in Aberdeenshire.

The Balmoral Castle website says the tours are the first of their kind since the building was completed in 1855.

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

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The website said the new tour 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 the King's watercolour collection depicting scenery at Balmoral, Highgrove and Sandringham as well as a collection of outfits worn by King Charles and Queen Camilla, the late Queen and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

Queen Elizabeth II spent much of Prince Philip's last years with him at Balmoral and died there herself on 8 September 2022 .

The tours of Balmoral Castle come as the East Wing of Buckingham Palace will be open to visitors for the first time this summer, when special guided tours of the principal floor will be available in July and August.

The East Wing includes the front facade of the historic building and features the famous central balcony, where the monarch and members of the Royal Family have gathered for public appearances during special occasions or historic moments since 1851.

The wing is still used by the Royal Family today for official meetings and events.

Small groups of visitors will also be able to visit rooms on the principal floor, including the principal corridor which runs the length of the wing, furnished with highlights from the Royal Collection.

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King Charles to open Balmoral to the public for the first time

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The King will allow public tours of Balmoral this summer for the first time in the Scottish castle’s history.

Small groups will be shown around the interior by experienced guides, taking in several rooms used by the King and Queen .

A royal source said the move was in line with the King’s wish to make royal residences more accessible to the public .

But it also reflects the suggestions made following his mother’s death, that the house had been earmarked as a place for the public to remember her.

A royal source noted that Balmoral, unlike others such as Buckingham Palace, is not set up as a large-scale visitor attraction.

The month-long summer tour programme is considered a trial period, during which estate staff will be able to gauge how the historic building copes with increased footfall.

Until now, the interior of the vast castle has largely remained out of bounds to members of the public, with tours limited to just the ballroom, the grounds and the gardens.

The public will now have access to the green carpeted drawing room, in which the ailing Queen met Liz Truss on September 6, 2022, the red corridor, where the King greeted Rishi Sunak, the family dining room, the pages’ lobby and the library.

The eagle-eyed will be able to spot various portraits of note, including a painting of Eos, Prince Albert’s favourite greyhound, by Sir Edwin Landseer.

The Balmoral estate announced on Tuesday on its 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.

“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.”

Forty tickets a day will be sold for the “castle interior tour” for £100, or £150 if afternoon tea is included.

The tours will take place from July 1 until Aug 4, before the King and Queen arrive for their annual break. The season begins later this year due to the refurbishment of the restaurant but if successful, the opening hours will likely be extended in the future.

The tours have already proved popular, with tickets selling fast.

Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘happy place’

Balmoral, which is where Elizabeth II died on Sept 8, 2022 , was long considered the late Queen’s “happy place” .

Nestled in Aberdeenshire’s wet and windy grouse moors, it is where the monarch chooses to retreat for the long summer break, walking, riding, shooting and picnicking with the family.

The final photograph of the late Queen greeting Liz Truss in the cosy drawing room just days before she died, is how many now remember her.

The King made clear, when he took the reins of the vast royal property portfolio in September 2022, that he wanted to invite more members of the public in, opening the doors of official residences whenever possible.

The following month, St James’s Palace was opened to the public for the first time and the trial proved so successful that it was repeated last year.

Similarly, Buckingham Palace was also made more accessible last winter with a “greatly expanded programme” of festive-themed tours.

Balmoral was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852.

Victoria later described it as her “dear paradise in the Highlands” and wrote in her diary: “All seemed to breathe freedom and peace and to make one forget the world and its sad turmoils.”

The castle has since remained a firm favourite with her royal successors.

Elizabeth II once said of her summer breaks: “You just hibernate. It is rather nice to hibernate when one leads such a movable life. To be able to sleep in the same bed for six weeks, it is a nice change.”

Prince William has also described the family’s love of Scottish summers, saying: “I’ve been coming to Scotland since I was a small boy. As I grew up, I saw how my grandmother relished every minute she spent here.

“And my father is never happier than when walking among the hills.”

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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

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Balmoral Castle tours of royal residence sold out in 24 hours

• Royal family
• Thursday 4 April 2024 at 12:05pm

Tours of Balmoral Castle which will give visitors the chance to see parts of the royal family’s private home for the first time have sold out.

Guided tours will take place of the castle’s interior from July 1 to August 4, but tickets sold out within a day of going on sale.

The tours will take place before the King and Queen arrive for their summer break at the Aberdeenshire castle, with 40 tickets a day made available.

Visitors have previously only been able to visit the ballroom and the grounds of the castle, which was completed in 1855 and bought by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

The sell-out tour of the castle’s interior was priced at £100, or £150 for the tour plus afternoon tea.

Tours are restricted to 10 people, and visitors are promised “a historical journey through several of the beautiful rooms within Balmoral Castle”, and the chance to “travel through time” from the Victorian era to the present day.

Balmoral is described as “the much-loved and celebrated Highland home of the royal family”, in publicity material for the tours.

In September 2022, the Queen was photographed in the drawing room at Balmoral as she waited to receive then Conservative leader Liz Truss, to invite her to become prime minister and form a new government.

Two days later on September 8, the Queen died.

In London, Buckingham Palace’s famous centre room where the royal family gather before appearances on the balcony is to open to the public for the first time.

Visitors will be able to take guided tours of the royal residence’s east wing, the front facade which faces The Mall where crowds assemble on major occasions to see the monarchy.

Tickets for a limited number of East Wing Highlights Tours, which will run daily from July 15 to August 31, go on sale from April 9.

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

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.

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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.

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The ultimate royal travel guide to Britain, from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle

T he British landscape is awash with royal properties, from stately palaces to historic castles. These include three of the monarch’s official royal residences; Buckingham Palace , Windsor Castle , and Edinburgh’s Palace of Holyroodhouse. 

But while these historic buildings may have the level of grandeur you might imagine when you picture the Royal family at home, in truth, royals are only ‘resident’ in these buildings on occasion. For some, they are even considered business premises – though they rather put the rest of our offices to shame. 

When it comes to days off from official business, members of the Royal family are more likely to be found in their private homes, such as the King and Queen’s Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, or the Prince and Princess of Wales’s family home of Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Home Park. 

While the private homes are exactly that – private – there are plenty of places around Britain where you can walk in the footsteps of the Royal family and get a small glimpse into their lives. Here are some of the best. 

Buckingham Palace, London

Let’s start with the most famous of all royal residences: Buckingham Palace. Elizabeth II largely regarded it as her office, spending weekdays there attending to official business before retreating to Windsor at the weekends.

Now, of course, the palace – whose origins can be traced back to the reign of King James I in the early 17 th century, but which has been the London home of British monarchs since 1837 when Queen Victoria moved in – is the King’s official London residence.

Buckingham Palace is the setting for royal and national celebrations and commemorations; who can forget catching a glimpse of Royal family members from the famous balcony? It’s also where the monarch hosts dignitaries and official banquets – on September 18 2022, the King held a reception for world leaders at the palace on the eve of his mother’s funeral.

As it is a working palace, Buckingham Palace is only open to the public at set times. For 10 weeks each summer, its grand state rooms are opened up. During this time, visitors can see the crimson-and-gold Throne Room, the Royal Mews, and the enormous Ballroom, where all those extravagant state banquets are held. In addition, there are exclusive guided tours at select dates throughout the year.

Those without a ticket or travelling at the wrong time of year can still watch the spectacle of the Changing of the Guard, which takes place outside the palace several days a week at 10.45am (weather dependent but check the schedule ). 

The ceremony has its roots in the reign of King Henry VI and sees the New Guard of soldiers – wearing the customary bearskin hats – march to Buckingham Palace from St James’s Palace and Wellington Barracks accompanied by music. They parade in front of the palace and relieve the ‘Old Guard’ (the soldiers on duty). 

If you are lucky and the King is in residence (the Royal Standard flag will be flying) then there will be an even higher number of sentries than normal taking part in the ceremony.

How to do it

Buckingham Palace (0303 123 7300) is open for 10 weeks each summer (July 14–September 24 2023). The Goring (read our review here ) has double rooms from £710 including breakfast.

Windsor Castle, Windsor

At the start of the Covid pandemic, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip retreated to this castle on the banks of the River Thames to shield with 22 staff members in what became known as ‘HMS Bubble’. After Prince Philip’s death in April 2021, the late Queen remained at Windsor; indeed, she never spent another night at Buckingham Palace.

The castle was originally built for William the Conqueror to defend London from western approaches, but it became a royal palace under King Henry I. Subsequent monarchs extended the palace with its most ambitious makeover undertaken by King Charles II who wanted to emulate the opulence of his cousin Louis XIV’s Palace of Versailles.

As well as seeing the rich interiors of the castle, visitors can pay their respects to the late Queen by visiting her final resting place within the King George VI Memorial Chapel inside St George’s Chapel.

In 2022, the Prince and Princess of Wales moved to nearby Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Home Park with their three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – who attend school locally. It may well be that they will eventually move into the castle itself.

Windsor Castle (0303 123 7300) is open daily (summer). Castle Hotel Windsor (read our review here ) has double rooms from £132 including breakfast.

Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh

The King’s official residence in Scotland, the Palace of Holyroodhouse is a rather grand building that sits at the opposite end of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile to the castle. The palace has links with many famous figures from Scottish history – including Bonnie Prince Charlie, who set up court here in 1745 – but the person most visitors want to hear about is Mary, Queen of Scots. Her bedroom can be reached via a winding staircase in the north-west tower of the palace, and is a delight to discover with its low doorway (despite Mary being around 6ft-tall), decorative oak ceiling and painted frieze.

The reigning monarch stays at the palace every year during Holyrood Week (or Royal Week) from late June to early July. During this time they take part in the symbolic Ceremony of the Keys in which the monarch is handed the keys to the city of Edinburgh by the Lord Provost amid much pomp and ceremony.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse (0303 123 7306) is open daily July-Sept; it’s closed Tue-Wed in all other months. Cheval Old Town Chambers (read our review here ) has double rooms from £190 including breakfast.

Highgrove House, Gloucestershire

When they are not on official duties, the King and Queen love nothing better than to return to their countryside home of Highgrove in the Cotswolds. As the house is a private home, you can’t peek behind its neoclassical façade, but tours of the exquisite gardens – which Charles has dedicated himself to creating since buying the property in 1980 – are lovely. 

An experienced guide will take you through the gardens, which are a real passion project of His Majesty. You will then be led to the Ante Room, where bespoke Highgrove products – including food and drink made from produce grown here – can be bought and artworks by the King himself admired. This is all followed by cream tea in the Orchard Room, making it an idyllic way to spend an afternoon.

Highgrove is open on select dates for tours between April and September. Calcot & Spa (read the review here ) has double rooms from £364 including breakfast.

Llwynywermod, Llandovery

The Royal family also has a Welsh home. When he was Prince of Wales, Charles bought the 192-acre estate of Llwynywermod in Carmarthenshire, Wales, in 2006. Comprising a farmhouse building, where he and Camilla would regularly holiday, and three cottages, Charles soon set about renovating the house and its adjoining properties in a greener way, using locally sourced materials. 

On Charles’ ascension to the throne, the property was passed on to William, the new Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, who also have a strong affection for the Welsh countryside, having spent some of the early years of their marriage living in Anglesey.

What’s special about here is that two of the cottages are available for holiday lets – North Range, for instance, is a beautiful whitewashed converted barn that sleeps six guests across three bedrooms and comes with a flagstone floor, open fire, Welsh furniture and lots of character. The smaller West Range sleeps four guests.

North Range and West Range can be booked through the Duchy of Cornwall (01579 346 473) and cost from £1,225 per week.

Balmoral, Aberdeenshire

Elizabeth II spent her final weeks in Balmoral and this palace in the Highlands was reputedly her favourite home. 

She is not the only royal to have felt an affinity for the place. Queen Victoria, who fell in love with the Highlands during her very first visit in 1842, was the first monarch to call it home. She and Albert loved to escape public life here, embarking on expeditions incognito through the Highlands. 

The late Queen spent every summer at Balmoral (August–October) and she would regularly be joined by other members of the Royal family. When the monarch is not in residence, the site is open to visitors. 

Although you can only see a small section of the castle’s interiors – including the ballroom where Ghillies Balls have historically been held – it’s the majestic setting amid acres of greenery with views across to the Cairngorms that makes a visit here worthwhile. 

The Royal family are considered locals in the nearby village of Ballater and are regularly seen attending services at nearby Crathie Kirk. Indeed in April 2023, Charles and Camilla surprised residents by making an unexpected visit to a new fishmongers and restaurant in the village during a pre-Coronation holiday at Balmoral.

Balmoral (01339 742 534) is open for pre-booked self-guided tours every summer (1 April to 16 Aug 2023). The Fife Arms (read the review here ) has double rooms from £250 including breakfast.

Read more about where the Royal family like to holiday here .

Sandringham, Norfolk

The Royal family traditionally spends Christmas at the sprawling estate of Sandringham. The private country retreat has been a popular haunt since 1862, when the Jacobean house was built for King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra while Edward’s mother was still on the throne.

It was also a favourite of King Charles III’s grandfather, King George VI, and great-grandfather, King George V, who both died here. The house and gardens are a joy to explore. Norfolk is also where Anmer Hall, another of William and Catherine’s homes, is located.

Sandringham (01485 544 112) is open Sat-Thu (summer). The Brisley Bell (read the review here ) has double rooms from £133 including breakfast.

Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh

Until 1997 the Royal family would take annual holidays around Scotland’s Western Isles aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia . After the yacht was decommissioned, it was docked in the seaside Edinburgh suburb of Leith in Edinburgh and has since become one of Scotland’s most popular attractions.

A tour of the yacht allows you to peer into the bedroom that Queen Elizabeth II slept in while on board and reveals a glimpse of what life in the Royal family is like when the eyes of the world are not upon them. The late Queen clearly missed her days on board; after the yacht was no longer available to her, she chartered the Hebridean Princess , which offers small-ship cruises, on two separate occasions for special celebrations.

The Royal Yacht Britannia (0131 555 5566) is open daily (summer). Fingal (read the review here ) is a luxurious floating hotel nearby. It has double rooms from £300 including breakfast. The Hebridean Princess (01756 704 704) offers cruises from March to November with prices from £4,420pp for seven nights).

Read more about the travels of Elizabeth II here .

Kensington Palace, London

This west London mansion was the beloved home of Princess Diana and both the Diana Memorial Fountain and the Diana Memorial Playground can be found in its gardens. Apartment 1a is still the London pad of the Prince of Wales and his family. 

For many years, Kensington was known for the magnificent balls that were held across its ornate interconnected rooms and began in the late 17 th century during the era of King William and Mary. The already grandiose interiors were later added to by the Georgians when Kensington became the hub of high society. Elaborate decoration, such as the painted walls around the King’s Staircase which features many characters from George I’s court, were also added. 

As well as standard tours of the palace, regular exhibitions draw on its rich history, telling the stories of past and present royals in new and dynamic ways. Victoria: A Royal Childhood tells the story of one of the palace’s most famous residents. Queen Victoria was born here and the exhibition includes personal items such as her doll house. Other rolling exhibitions let visitors see precious items from the palace’s archive; often including iconic outfits worn by various members of the Royal family.

Kensington Palace (0333 320 6000) is open Wed–Sun (summer).  Baglioni (read the review here ), opposite Kensington Gardens, has double rooms from £494 including breakfast.

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