Since taking over the monarchy following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, His Majesty King Charles III has made numerous changes. One of which is that he allows members of the public to tour inside Balmoral Castle. The grounds have long been open to the public, but did you know that there is only a fee at certain times of year? At present, visitors can come and go for free, but only up until 22 March. When the summer season begins on 28 March (running until 9 August), tickets will cost £18.50 for adults and £9.50 for children.
The team released an update on Instagram about it on Tuesday. It read: "As we begin March, a reminder that the grounds at Balmoral Castle, along with the Gift Shop and restaurant, are open Wednesday to Sunday until 22nd March, from 10:00 to 16:00. During this period, general admission to the grounds is free of charge - a lovely opportunity for a peaceful spring walk, a browse in the Gift Shop, or a visit to the restaurant to warm up and relax."
The "gorgeous grounds" are a highlight of visitor reviews on TripAdvisor, with one member of the public writing: "Beautiful setting and peaceful atmosphere" and another adding: "The gardens and landscaping are spectacular."
Disaster at Balmoral
Earlier this week, it was revealed that the estate had suffered a dramatic incident, with a bridge collapsing after weeks of snowfall.
The Balmoral Instagram team shared an update on Monday, and it read: "Unfortunately, due to a high volume of snowmelt, the road at the Spittal of Glen Muick car park has collapsed and undermined the bridge. The bridge is now closed to both vehicles and pedestrians. We will begin repair work as soon as possible."
A special royal home
The castle was first acquired by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1852, and boasts 50,000 acres of idyllic land. The property is privately owned by King Charles III, and not part of the Crown Estate. Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth II, spent her final days at the castle, and she was the first monarch to die at Balmoral when she passed away in September 2022.
© Bettmann Archive"It's the most beautiful place on earth"
It was well known that she adored the Scottish location, and her granddaughter Princess Eugenie even said so on an ITV documentary. "It's the most beautiful place on earth," Eugenie said during the Our Queen at Ninety documentary. "I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands. Walks, picnics, dogs – a lot of dogs, there's always dogs – and people coming in and out all the time," she continued.
