Visitors will soon be welcomed to more British Royal Residences including Balmoral Castle and the East Wing (and balcony) of Buckingham Palace.
It was revealed this week that both royal residences will offer ticketed tours this summer. It is the first time that Balmoral Castle has ever opened its doors since the building was first completed in 1855, according to the website.
Balmoral Castle is a particularly important place to the royal family. Their cherished summer home is located in the Scottish Highlands, and was the location of the Queen’s passing, as it was her favourite place.
“I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands,” Princess Eugenie explained in 2016 documentary, Our Queen At Ninety.
It was also where Prince William and Prince Harry spent time in the wake of their mother, Princess Diana’s, tragic death in Paris, 1997.
While tickets to go inside the castle have already sold out, tickets to walk the iconic grounds are still available. There are also exhibitions on display including King Charles’ watercolours, which depict scenes of Balmoral, Highgrove and Sandringham.
The changes were made by King Charles III, who has made his intention to modernize the monarchy very clear. Could this be a step toward his final goal?
It’s also hoped that opening Balmoral will increase public footfall in the area, which royal journalist Robert Hardman wrote in his novel Charles III. New King. New Court. The Inside Story 2024. “It needs public footfall not just to help pay the bills but to bring benefits to the wider community and to remain in step with other stately homes,” he shared.
The King will also open “new nooks” of Buckingham Palace, in which restricted tours have already been open to the public during the summer months.
Now guests will have the opportunity to tour the East Wing of Buckingham Palace. This is where the King filmed his 2023 Christmas broadcast, and also includes access to the front façade and the iconic balcony where members of the royal family have gathered for years to celebrate historic events and the Trooping The Colour.
This new addition to the Buckingham Palace tour is the result of five years of restoric work to the wing and Principal Floor, according to the Royal Collection Trust.
The Trust says the family still uses the East Wing to this day, mostly for official meetings and events. However, King Charles and Queen Camilla have not been living at this palace of late, due to ongoing renovations that are reportedly due for completion in 2027, according to People.
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