Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain passed away at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, at the age of 96.
"The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral Palace this afternoon. The King and Queen will remain at Balmoral tonight and return to London tomorrow," Buckingham Palace announced at 6:30 p.m. on September 8.
The news came hours after Buckingham Palace said doctors were concerned about the Queen's health and she needed medical attention. Following the announcement, the Queen's children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne (72), Prince Andrew (62) and Prince Edward (58), immediately went to Balmoral Castle to be with her. Her grandson, Prince William, was also present.
Balmoral Castle is a favorite place of the Queen of England.
Balmoral Castle covers an area of up to 2,000 hectares.
Prince Albert bought the land and built Balmoral Castle.
Nestled in the lush green Scottish Highlands, Balmoral Castle is a magnificent castle that is a favorite of the Queen of England. Balmoral Castle dates back to a house built in 1390, but it was not originally owned by the British royal family. In 1842, Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, visited the Highlands of Scotland for the first time. The royal couple were immediately captivated by its majestic and idyllic beauty.
Because he loved the scenery here so much, Prince Albert decided to buy this beautiful little house to give to his beloved wife. With the increasing demand for use, the couple decided to build a castle here so that family members could come to play and relax. The castle was completed in 1856 and its old foundation was completely demolished. The total area of Balmoral Castle is up to 20,000 hectares, equivalent to about 200 million m2.
First pictures of the royal family at Balmoral.
Since then, Balmoral has become the royal family's private retreat. Here, members often treat friends and relatives to delicious food. In addition, they also organize picnics, dances or hunting. According to Business Insider, the castle has 52 bedrooms and is estimated to be worth up to 115 million pounds.
Balmoral Castle is currently listed as a historic building by Scotland, and its annual operating and maintenance costs are around £3 million. In addition to the main castle, there are up to 150 other buildings on the grounds, including Birkhall, Prince Charles's estate, and several other houses. Inside the castle are warm-colored rooms decorated with many ancient paintings. The Queen has her own room to receive distinguished guests.
"This is my favorite place to live, where I can be myself and be completely free," Queen Elizabeth II shared about Balmoral Castle.
Queen Elizabeth II works among the servants at Balmoral.
According to Vogue, Balmoral is where the Queen enjoys a “normal existence” and even helps her staff clean. The Queen enjoys strolling around the castle on the back of her old horses, while Prince Philip enjoys spending time cooking barbecues. The Queen usually begins her summer vacation at Balmoral in mid-July.
The first royal to be born at Balmoral was Queen Victoria's granddaughter, Victoria Eugenie Julia Ena of Battenberg. Victoria Eugenie's parents were Prince Henry of Battenberg and Princess Beatrice, Queen Victoria's fifth daughter. Balmoral Castle is open to visitors from April to July each year. Tours and entertainment activities are quite relaxed when the British Royal Family is not present here.
