It's safe to say the Queen has had close ties to Scotland since the very earliest days of her childhood and in the Balmoral Castle, you'll find her Scottish home.
The beautiful estate in Aberdeenshire has been in the hands of the royal family since the heady days of Queen Victoria and her marriage to Prince Albert.
And in fact, it's with Prince Albert that the first-ever connection between Balmoral and the family began in 1852.
Originally, it was purchased as a gift for his Queen after they fell in love with the Highlands during their previous visits north of the border
Not actually part of the Crown Estate, the castle is directly owned by the Queen and considered to be her private residence.
Her Majesty and her family have regularly spent summers at the estate, which lies close to the Village of Crathie in Royal Deeside, since she was a young girl.
History of the Balmoral Estate
There has been a house on the site since the middle ages, though the family who originally owned the estate, The Farquharsons were sympathetic to the Jacobite cause and were involved in both uprisings, however, after Culloden the area and its castle were forfeit and the land was given away to another branch of the family.
After passing through the ownership of several lairds it was eventually snapped up by Prince Albert around the 1850s.
Balmoral Castle
The current castle was not the original one that stood on the site when Prince Albert first acquired it, the predecessor to the current castle was considered to be too small for the Queen's tastes.
So work on a new castle, which was made using granite and built in the Scottish Baronial style, was completed in 1855, with Prince Albert and Aberdeen architect William Smith working on the designs.
The interior, styled like a Scottish hunting lodge, was filled with trophies, tartan carpets and weapons.
The Queen and Prince Albert often spent long summers there enjoying long walks, painting and sketching and of course hunting the estate's abundant population of wild birds and deer.
The pair quickly developed an affinity for Scotland, and when Prince Albert sadly passed away in December 1861, Queen Victoria erected a spectacular Pyramid-shaped cairn in his memory on the estate.
Queen Elizabeth II
Now covering an area of approximately 50,000 acres, Queen Elizabeth's love affair with Balmoral dates back to the 1950s, with her husband the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip taking an active role in caring for the estate.
The Queen still visits Balmoral annually and enjoys spending her summers on the estate.
It was recently reported that The Queen will spend more time in Scotland as she plans to ‘quit Buckingham Palace for good’.
Plans are said to be underway to kit out Craigowan Lodge on the estate, with a string of security measures to prevent vehicles and intruders from getting near the property.
Officials have also installed a £20,000 'wheelchair friendly' lift inside the property as the 95-year-old monarch struggles with her mobility.
Can you visit Balmoral?
Open to the Public on a daily basis from April until early August each year, the estate's opening times usually run from 10.00 a.m. until 5.00 p.m.
Tickets to this beautiful Highland estate that lies close to both Ballater and Braemar must be booked in advance - you can book them here.
What can you see when you visit?
You can see the gardens, exhibitions and of course, the famous Ballroom at Balmoral, which is the only room in the castle open to the public.
Also on site is the Mews Gift Shop, where you can buy souvenirs, a coffee shop, a cafe and even a restaurant.
Those feeling a bit more adventurous can enjoy a Balmoral Expedition , which includes a two hour Landrover tour of the Estate.
Don't forget to check out the stunning Crathie Kirk where The Queen Elizabeth still regularly attends Sunday Service during her summer break at Balmoral.
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