The History of Balmoral Castle

Location	Balmoral Estates, Ballater AB35 5TB, UK (Google Maps)
Open for Visitors	Yes
Owned by	Queen Elizabeth II
Rooms Available	Yes
Official Website	Balmoral Castle

The Balmoral Castle is an estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This castle is in Crathie village, 9 miles from the west of Ballater and 50 miles from Aberdeen. This castle has been the residence of the British Royal Family since 1852.

History of Balmoral Castle

The castle was built gradually by many owners. King Robert II (1316-1390) had a hunting lodge in the area. Then, a house was built by Sir Drummond in the year 1390. The estate was later tenanted to the second son of the 1st Earl of Huntly. Later, Gordons built a tower house in the Balmoral estate.

In 1662, the estate passed to Charles Farquharson of Inverey. Their estates were forfeited and given to the Farquharsons of Auchendryne. In 1798, James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife, acquired Balmoral and rented the castle. In 1830, a younger brother of the 4th Earl of Aberdeen received the lease. John Smith of Aberdeen designed the baronial-style of the estate.

In February 1848, Prince Albert and Lord Aberdeen came to an arrangement, and Prince Albert acquired the whole castle with its furniture and staff. The royal couple came in September 1848; Victoria found the castle small. John and William Smith were assigned to design new offices, cottages, and other buildings. Many more additions were made to the castle in the meantime. In June 1852, Prince Albert officially took possession of the estate after purchasing it for £32,000.

Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at Balmoral Castle on 7th September 2022.

Balmoral Castle Architecture

The castle is more of a county house, obviously not like any typical county house. The 50,000-acre estate now features 150 buildings in total. The tower and turrets are the main features of the residence’s Scottish baronial style; the turrets style was majorly influenced by the 16th-century French Châteaux. Other attractions of the Scottish baronial type are the dormer windows, crow-stepped gables, and battlemented porte-cochere. The structure of the tower is taken from medieval times. The defence tower houses have the same architecture which the Balmoral seven-storey tower has.

Movie Features

• Queen of Destiny(1938), this movie is the sequel of Victoria the Great (1937). This film depicts the relationship between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as the castle was their home.

• The Queen Mother: A Royal Century(1999), this is a documentary with a life spanning a century revealing a portrait of one of the most prominent members of the royal family. The Queen Mother was a revered figure in British life.

• Prince William: A Royal Portrait(1999), people keen about the royal family lifestyle loved this documentary on Prince William. It was insightful as well as astonishing.

• Romeo and Juliet Revisited(2002), this movie begins where the famous Shakespeare play ends. This movie falls under the comedy romance genre.

Frequently Asked Questions

1- Where is Balmoral Castle?

-The Balmoral Castle is in a large estate in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This is the holiday home of the Royal Family. The castle is a 10-minute walk through the forest from the Balmoral Estate.

2- How much is Balmoral Castle worth?

-According to reports, this royal residence is worth around £115 million. Prince Albert bought this castle for just £32000 back in 1852.

3- When was Balmoral Castle built?

–On 28th September 1853, the foundation stone of the castle was built. Prince Albert took high interest in the baronial style, and the construction was complete by 1856.

4- How many rooms are there in Balmoral Castle?

–In this royal palace, there are 52 bedrooms, reception rooms, and a monarch where the Queen meets her guests for official visits. One can rent the cottages that are built on the estate: different cottages can accommodate several guests.

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