Balmoral Castle stands on the south bank of the River Dee, 9 miles west of Ballater in Aberdeenshire, on the A93 between Ballater and Braemar. It is a private estate owned by the Royal Family — not a Crown Estate property — and was purchased by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria in 1852. The castle is open to the public for a limited period each spring and early summer when the Royal Family is not in residence. It remains one of the most visited attractions in the whole of Scotland.

👑 Victoria & Albert — A Royal Love Affair with Scotland

Queen Victoria first visited Scotland in 1842 and was immediately captivated by the landscape. When she and Prince Albert leased the original Balmoral Castle in 1848, Albert described the setting as "a beautiful spot — all seems to breathe freedom and peace." He purchased the estate outright in 1852 and immediately commissioned the architect William Smith to design an entirely new castle in the Scottish Baronial style. The new castle — largely as visitors see it today — was completed in 1856. Victoria used Balmoral every autumn for the rest of her life and was there when she learned that Albert had died in 1861.

🏴 The Tartan & Highland Traditions

Victoria and Albert's enthusiasm for all things Scottish was genuine and transformative — they helped establish the cultural phenomenon known as "Balmoralism" that defined how the Victorians imagined the Scottish Highlands. Albert designed the Balmoral tartan (grey and red on black) that is still used exclusively by the Royal Family, and the interior of the castle is decorated almost entirely in Royal Stewart and Dress Stewart tartans, Victorian Gothic furniture, and Scottish landscapes. The Highland Games at Braemar, which the Royal Family attend each September, have been patronised by every monarch since Victoria.

🤗 A Place of Royal Refuge

Balmoral has played a central role in many of the most significant moments of modern Royal history. It was at Balmoral in September 1997 that the Royal Family retreated following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales — a period memorably depicted in the film The Queen. Queen Elizabeth II spent her final weeks at Balmoral in September 2022 and died there on 8 September 2022, making it the place where the longest-reigning British monarch passed away.

🏰 The Ballroom & Royal Exhibitions

Only one room inside the castle is open to the public — the grand ballroom, which is used to stage changing exhibitions of Royal memorabilia, paintings, carriages, and Highland equipment. The exhibitions are carefully curated and change each season, but always include items of genuine historical significance — Queen Victoria's personal photographs, Victorian Highland dress, and gifts presented to the Royal Family over generations.

🌿 Gardens & Estate Walks

The grounds are the highlight for many visitors — 50,000 acres of Aberdeenshire moorland, forest and riverside walks, all freely accessible during opening season. The formal walled garden near the castle is magnificent in summer. Estate walks take visitors through pine forest and along the River Dee to Queen Victoria's favourite viewpoints across the glen. The cairns erected by the Royal Family to mark personal milestones are scattered across the estate — over 50 have been built since Victoria's time.