The Scottish castle of Balmoral, the favorite place where Queen Elizabeth II spent her summers and where she died at the age of 96, will open to the public for the first time from July 1 to August 4 for 100 pounds (116 euros) per person. King Charles III has decided to open the doors to the public before he arrives at the castle with Queen Camilla to spend their summer holidays, in a first attempt to bring his heritage closer to the British people.
Very few will be lucky enough to get tickets to visit the rooms of the residence located in Aberdeenshire, in the northeast of Scotland, since the maximum capacity will be 40 people per day. Tickets will cost 100 pounds (116 euros) or 150 pounds (174 euros) if the traditional tea with English scones, sandwiches and pastries is included.
According to the British newspaper Daily Mail, this is the monarch’s first step in his attempt to open more residences of the royal family to the public and it is estimated that this will be a pilot test to see how the historic building copes with the influx of visitors.
The palace located in the Scottish Highlands was acquired by Prince Albert in 1852 for his wife, Queen Victoria, and also became the favorite residence of Queen Elizabeth II, where she spent most of her summers.
For the first time since the building was completed in 1855, guided tours – restricted to groups of 10 people – will show a selection of rooms currently used by the royal family. The king will also display some of the works from his private watercolor collection in the ballroom, as well as a collection of costumes worn by himself, Queen Camilla, the late Queen Elizabeth II and even the Queen Mother.
Until now, public access to the castle has been limited only to the gardens and ballroom, where Elizabeth II’s coffin was placed after her death at Balmoral in September 2022. According to the Balmoral Castle website, the tour It will be “a historical journey through several of the beautiful rooms of Balmoral Castle”, where “you will learn about the origins of the castle and how it has been loved by generations of the royal family”.
