Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire One Place Study

Date: [unknown]
Location: Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
Surnames/tags: One_Place_Studies Aberdeenshire Scotland

Back to One Place Studies Project

Contents 1 Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire One Place Study 1.1 Name 1.2 Geography 1.3 Overview 1.4 By The Numbers 1.5 Possession Summary 1.6 Historical Timeline 1.7 Notable People 1.8 Exterior 1.9 Interior 1.10 Grounds 1.11 Estate Cottages 1.12 Memorials and Cairns 1.13 Movies 1.14 Public Visitation 1.15 Nearby Sites 2 Sources

Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire One Place Study

• Official Website
• Wikidata: Item Q42049, en:Wikipedia
• WikiTree Profiles that link here

Name

Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Geography

Continent: Europe

Sovereign State: United Kingdom

Country: Scotland

County: Aberdeenshire

GPS Coordinates: 57.040833, -3.23

Elevation: 286.0 m or 938.3 feet above sea level

Balmoral Castle, the Scottish Highland residence of the royal family stands amid the Grampians in western Aberdeenshire. Aberdeen city is the historic county town (seat) and administrative centre of Aberdeenshire, although it is not part of the council area.

There are seven Munros (hills over 3,000 ft or 914.4 m) within the estate, the highest being Lochnagar at 3,789 ft (1,155 m).

Overview

^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]}

As private property of the royals, Balmoral is a large estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland and became a Windsor royal residence starting with Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, and has been occupied by royal Kings and Queens eversince. Queen Elizabeth II was the keeper of the castle for 70 years, and now that honour goes to King Charles III upon the death of his mother.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the premier engineer of 19th-century Britain. Brunel, always an innovator, built a single span wrought-iron bridge, the first bridge in Scotland of this type, for the royal family in Queen Victoria's time. This bridge is located on the B976 just off the A93 (near the Crathie Kirk).

By The Numbers

The estate consists of 50,000-acres (20,000 hectares)

7 storeys high

52 bedrooms.

There are 150 cottage residences on the estate including neighboring Birkhall.

The estate employs 45 full-time staff members and 150 seasonal staffers and costs £3 million per year to run.

Balmoral Castle is estimated to be worth about $140 million.

Possession Summary

^[10]

14th Century

1390 Sir William Drummond (XXXX-XXXX)

Built a house on the site.

16th Century

1500's Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly (XXXX-1524)

Rented the original house

17th Century

1662 Charles Farquharson of Inverey (XXXX-1720)

Took possession of the house and estate. Estate in default.

1683 Charles Farquharsons of Auchendryne

Took possession of the house and estate

18th Century

1798 James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife (1729-1809)

Acquired the lease and estate

19th Century

1830 Sir Robert Gordon (1791-1847)

Acquired the lease

1847 George Hamilton Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen (1784-1860)

Lease reverted to him upon death of Sir Robert Gordon

1848 Prince Albert and Queen Victoria (1819-1901) (Reign: 1837-1901)

Leased then purchased the estate. Built all new castle.

20th Century

1901 King Edward VII (1841-1910) (Reign: 1901-1910) and Queen Alexandria (1844-1925)

Successor of Balmoral

1910 King George V (1865-1936) (Reign: 1910-1936) and Queen Mary of Teck (1867-1953)

Successor of Balmoral

1936 King Edward VIII (1894-1972) (Reign: 1936-1936

Successor of Balmoral, but advocated to marry Walis Simpson (1896-1986)

1936 King George VI (1895-1952) (Reign: 1936-1952) and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (1900-2002)

Successor of Balmoral

1952 Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) (Reign: 1952-2022) and Prince Phillip (1921-2021)

Successor of Balmoral

21st Century

2022 King Charles III (b.1948) (Reign: 2022-TBD) and Queen Camilla (b. 1947)

Successor of Balmoral

Historical Timeline

^{[11][12][13][14]}

14th Century

1390 - Sir William Drummond built a house near the site of the current castle.

15th Century

1451 – Balmoral was first recorded as 'Bouchmorale' in official property records.

16th Century

1500’s - Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly (XXXX-1524), (second son of the 1st Earl of Huntly) rented the original house and estate. A tower house was built on the estate for him.

17th Century

1662 - The estate passed to Charles Farquharson of Inverey (XXXX-1720)

1683 - The Farquharson estates were in forfeit and passed to the Farquharsons of Auchendryne.

18th Century

1798 - James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife (1729-1809), leased Balmoral estate and castle.

19th Century

1830 - Sir Robert Gordon, (1791-1847), the younger brother of the George Hamilton Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen (1784-1860) acquired the lease.

1831-1847 - Sir Robert Gordon made major alterations to the original castle including baronial-style extensions.

1847 - Sir Robert Gordon died at Balmoral Castle and his lease reverted to George Hamilton Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen.

1848 - Prince Albert and Queen Victoria rented Balmoral Estate.

1849 –Architects John and William Smith were commissioned to design new ancillary buildings, and many more improvements including more new structures and upgrades to the woodlands, gardens and estate buildings were also being made by landscape gardener James Beattie.

1852 - Prince Albert used his wife's inheritance to buy Balmoral Estate for the price of £32,000. He also bought the neighbouring estate of Birkhall as well as the lease on Abergeldie Castle.

1852 - William Smith (son of John Smith) was commissioned to build an all new structure.

1853 - Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone for their new house.

1856 – The ‘new’ Castle was completed and the old one torn down.

1856-1857 - The Balmoral Bridge across the Dee River was built to provide access to the estate.

1856 -1860 - New plantings were established near the house and exotic conifers were planted on the grounds.

1861 – Prince Albert died at Windsor castle.

1865 – Queen Victoria had several cottages built on the estate.

1887 –Victoria and Albert’s daughter Beatrice gave birth to daughter Victoria Eugenie (Queen Victoria’s granddaughter).

1896 - Victoria welcomed visitor Emperor Nicholas II of Russia and Empress Alexandra to the castle.

20th Century

1900 - Victoria made her last visit to the castle.

1901 – Queen Victoria died at Osborne, East Cowes, United Kingdom.

1901 - Edward VII (1841-1910) inherited the castle upon the death of his mother Queen Victoria.

1910 - George V (1835-1936) inherited the castle upon the death of his father Edward VII and had substantial improvements made including formal gardens to the south of the castle through 1930.

1923-1925 – Queen Mary (1867-1953) designed a 3-acre formal garden area in front of the main castle block.

1931 - King George V and Queen Mary visited the castle.

1936 - Edward VIII (1865-1952) inherited the castle upon the death of his father George V. When Edward abdicated later the same year, however, he retained ownership, but a financial settlement was devised whereas Balmoral and Sandringham were purchased by Edward's brother and successor to the Crown, George VI (1895-1952).

1946 - Prince Philip proposed to Princess Elizabeth at Balmoral.

1952 – King George VI died and his daughter Queen Elizabeth II became owner of the castle.

1959 – United States President Dwight Eisenhower visits with the Queen and Prince Philip.

1972 – The Queen and Prince Philip enjoy the estate and to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary.

1979 – The Queen and Prince along with their three sons visit the castle for their 32nd wedding anniversary.

1981 – Prince Charles and his new bride Diana Spencer spend their honeymoon in the castle and estate.

1997 - Queen Elizabeth is at the castle when notified of Princess Diana’s death in Paris.

21st Century

2003 - King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia paid a visit to Balmoral and was given a tour of the estate by Her Majesty herself in a Land Rover.

2005 - One of the cottages at Balmoral called ‘Birkhall’ is where Prince Charles and new wife Camilla Parker Bowles spent their honeymoon.

2012 – The Queen hosts a garden party at the castle.

2017 – The Queen meets with Canadian governor general designate Julie Payette.

2019 – Prince William and his wife Kate visited the castle and stayed in one of the estate cottage called ‘Tam-na-Ghar’.

2020 – Prince Charles and wife Camilla isolate themselves at the castle due to Covid-19.

2020 – During the Covid-19 lockdown, the Queen and Prince Philip celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary at the castle.

2021 - Prince Philip dies at Balmoral.

2022 - The Queen receives the new prime minister, Liz Truss, in the drawing room at Balmoral. The new PM resigned two months later.

2022 – Queen Elizabeth II falls ill on her annual trip to Balmoral and died here on September 8 of this year. Her son (now) King Charles III became owner. But the estate is managed by trustees under Deeds of Nomination and Appointment.

2022 – Today Balmoral Castle is featured on the reverse of £100 notes issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Notable People

^{[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]}

John Brown (1826 -1883) Servant to Queen Victoria

Born: Crathienaird in Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Died: Windsor Castle, England

Resting Place: Crathie Kirkyard

Bio Summary: First a stable boy on Sir Robert Gordon's estate at Balmoral in 1842, then servant for Queen Victoria.

In 1858, Brown became the personal ghillie (shooting guide and gun-loader) of Prince Albert. In 1872 he knocked down a would-be assassin in what was the fifth attempt on Victoria's life.

In 1879 he was appointed 'Personal Attendant and Page' to the queen, and given his own servant and a fine house, Baile-na-Coile, at Balmoral. He was awarded the Faithful Servant Medal and the Devoted Service Medal, the latter decoration specially created for him.

Parents: John Brown (1790-1875) and Margaret Leys (1799-1876)

Siblings: James Brown (1825-1922), Francis Brown (1828-1831), Anne Brown (1829-1867), Charles Brown (1831-1849), Donald Brown (1831-1918), Margaret Brown (1833-1849), William Brown (1835-1906), Francis Brown (1836-1849), Hugh Brown (1838-1896), Archibald Anderson "Archie" Brown (1841-XXXX).

Spouse: There are accounts that John and Victoria were indeed married. These includes references in her diary, Brown’s diary, doctor’s notes, and letters to the manager of her Scottish estate among other things.

Children: None

For further information see WikiTree profile Brown-102729

James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife (1729-1809) Scottish aristocrat and Member of Parliament.

Born: Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Died: Fife House, Whitehall, London, England

Resting Place: Mausoleum at Duff House, Banffshire, Scotland

Bio Summary: Member of Parliament for Banffshire (1754-1784), and Member of Parliament for Elginshire (1784–1790).

Acquired the lease to Balmoral Estates in 1798.

Parents: William Duff, 1st Earl Fife (1697-1763) and Jean Grant

Siblings: Anne Duff (1725-1805), Janet Duff (1727-1758), Alexander Duff (1731-1811), Jean Duff, Lady Meldrum (1732-1783), George Duff (1736-XXXX), Ludovic Duff (1737-XXXX), Patrick Duff (1738-XXXX), Helen Duff (1739-XXXX), Sophia Henrietta Duff (1740-1826), Margaret Duff (1745-1786)

Spouse: Lady Dorothea Sinclair (1739-1818) Married 1759

Children: Jean Duff (1751-1840), William Duff (1754-1795), james (1755-1839)

For further information see WikiTree profile Duff-3170

Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly (1467-1524)

Born: Unknown city, Scotland

Died: Perth, Perth and Kinross, Scotland

Resting Place: Church of the Dominican Friars in Perth

Bio Summary: Privy Counsellor (PC) [Scotland], member of the Council of Regency (1517)

Parents: George (Seton) Gordon Second Earl of Huntly (1440-1501) and Elizabeth Hay (1450-1509)

Siblings: Elizabeth Gordon [half] (1462-1525), Janet Gordon Lady Southwood [half] (1462-1528), Isabella Goprdon (1464-1485) [half], Adam Gordon Jure Uxoris Earl of Sutherland [half] (1465-1538), Eleanor (Gordon) [half] (1467-XXXX), William Gordon [half] (1468-1513), Margaret Gordon [half] (1470-XXXX), Catherine Gordon (1472-1537), Agnes Gordon [half] (1472-1525), James Gordon (1490-1580), Janet (Gordon) [half] (1501-1559)

Spouse Number 1: Joanna Stewart (1461-1510) Married 1474

Children: William Gordon (XXXX-1577), Alexander Gordon of Strathavon (1478-XXXX), Jean Gordon (1479-1548), Christian Gordon (1482-1525), John Gordon, Master of Huntly (1485-1517)

Spouse Number 2: Elizabeth Gray (1465-1526) Married 1511

Children: None

For additional information see WikiTree profile Gordon-741

George Hamilton Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen KG, KT, PC, FRS, FRSE, FSA Scot (1784-1869)

Born: Edinburgh, Scotland

Died: St James's, Middlesex, England,

Resting Place: St John the Evangelist, Great Stanmore, London, England

Bio Summary: Statesman, Diplomat and landowner, politician and specialist in foreign affairs. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1852-1855).

Parents: George Gordon, Lord Haddo (1764-1791) and Charlotte Baird (XXXX-1795)

Siblings: William Gordon (1784–1858), Sir Alexander Gordon (1786–1815), Alice Gordon (1787–1847), Charles Gordon (1790–1835), Sir Robert Gordon (1791–1847), Sir John Gordon (1792–1869)

SpouseNumber 1: Lady Catherine Hamilton (XXXX-1812) Married 1805

Children: Lady Jane Hamilton-Gordon (1807-1824), Lady Charlotte Catherine Hamilton-Gordon (1808-1818), Lady Alice Hamilton-Gordon (1809 -1829), Unnamed Gordon, Lord Haddo (1810-1810) ​ Spouse Number 2: Harriet Douglas (XXXX-1833) Married 1815 ​ Children: George John James Hamilton-Gordon, 5th Earl of Aberdeen (1816-1864), General Sir Alexander Hamilton-Gordon (1817-1890), Lady Frances Hamilton-Gordon (1818-1834), Reverend Hon. Douglas Hamilton-Gordon (1824-1901), Arthur Charles Hamilton-Gordon (1829-1912)

For additional information see WikiTree profile Gordon-7555

Sir Robert Gordon GCB GCH PC , (1791-1847)

Born: Aberdeen, Scotland

Died: Balmoral Castle, Crathie Aberdeen Scotland

Resting Place: Unknown

Bio Summary: Educated at St John's College, Cambridge, Secretary of embassy in Vienna (1815–26) and ambassador at Constantinople (1829-31)

Parents: George Gordon, Lord Haddo (1764-1791) and Charlotte Baird (XXXX-1795)

Siblings: William Gordon (1784–1858), Sir Alexander Gordon (1786–1815), Alice Gordon (1787–1847), Charles Gordon (1790–1835), Sir John Gordon (1792–1869)

Spouse: Unknown

Children: Unknown

For additional information see WikiTree profile Gordon-5571

Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819-1861), Consort of the British monarch

Born: Schloss Rosenau, Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, German Confederation

Died: Windsor Castle, England

Resting Place: (1861) St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England; (1862) Frogmore Mausoleum, Frogmore Estate within the Home Park at Windsor in Berkshire, England.

Bio Summary: Consort of Queen Victoria by marriage.

In 1852, John Camden Neild, an eccentric miser, left Alberts wife, Queen Victoria an unexpected legacy, which Albert used to obtain Balmoral.

Parents: Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1806-1826) and Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1800-1831)

Siblings: Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1818-1893)

Spouse: Queen Victoria (1819-1901) Married 1840

Children: Victoria, Princess Royal (1840-1901), Edward VII of United Kingdom (1841-1910), Princess Alice (1843-1878), Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1844-1900), Princess Helena (1846-1923), Princess Louise (1848-1939), Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1850-1942), Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany (1853-1884), Princess Beatrice (1857-1944)

For additional information see WikiTree profile Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-4

Alexandrina Victoria (Hanover), Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India (1819-1901)

Born: Kensington Palace, London, England

Died: Osborne House, Isle of Wight, England

Resting Place: Frogmore Mausoleum, Frogmore Estate within the Home Park at Windsor in Berkshire, England.

Bio Summary: Reign: 1837-1901

Came to the throne upon the death of King William IV in 1837.

1876 she was created Empress of India.

She and her husband were responsible for the Balmoral Castle of today.

Parents: Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn (1767-1820) and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (1786-1861)

Siblings: Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Emich Leiningen [half] (1804-1856), and Anna Feodora Auguste Charlotte Wilhelmine (Leiningen) Hohenlohe-Langenburg [half] (1807-1872)

Spouse: Franz Albrecht August Karl Emmanuel (Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha) Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (aka) Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819-1861) Married 1840

Children: Victoria, Princess Royal (1840-1901), Edward VII of United Kingdom (1841-1910), Princess Alice (1843-1878), Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1844-1900), Princess Helena (1846-1923), Princess Louise (1848-1939), Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1850-1942), Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany (1853-1884), Princess Beatrice (1857-1944)

For additional information see WikiTree profile Hanover-230

Albert Edward of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, King Edward VII (1841-1910) (aka Bertie)

Born: Buckingham Palace, London, England

Died: Buckingham Palace, London, England

Resting Place: St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England

Bio Summary: Reign: 1901-1910

Inherited the castle upon the death of his mother Queen Victoria.

Parents: Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819-1861), Consort of the British monarch and Queen Victoria (1819-1901) Married 1840

Siblings: Victoria, Princess Royal (1840-1901), Princess Alice (1843-1878), Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1844-1900), Princess Helena (1846-1923), Princess Louise (1848-1939), Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1850-1942), Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany (1853-1884), Princess Beatrice (1857-1944)

Spouse: Alexandra of Denmark (1844-1925) Married 1863

Children: Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (1864-1892), George V (1865-1936), Louise, Princess Royal (1867-1931), Princess Victoria (1868-1935), Princess Maud (1869-1938), Prince Alexander John of Wales (1871-1871)

For additional information see WikiTree profile Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-5

Beatrice Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (until 1917), Windsor (from 1917), (1857-1944)

Born: Buckingham Palace, London, England

Died: Brantridge Park, Sussex, England

Resting Place: (1944) St George's Chapel, Windsor, England; (1945) Reburied at St. Mildred's Church, Whipping, Isle of Wight, England

Bio Summary: Governor of the Isle of Wight from 1896-1944; also President of the Frank James Memorial Hospital at East Cowes, from 1903-1944.

Parents: Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India (1819-1901) and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819-1861)

Siblings: Victoria, Princess Royal (1840-1901), Edward VII of United Kingdom (1841-1910), Princess Alice (1843-1878), Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1844-1900), Princess Helena (1846-1923), Princess Louise (1848-1939), Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1850-1942), Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany (1853-1884)

Spouse: Prince Henry of Battenberg (1858-1896) Married 1885 ​ Children: Alexander Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Carisbrooke (1886-1960), Victoria Eugenie Queen of Spain (1887-1969) Born at Balmoral Castle, Lord Leopold Mountbatten (1889-1922), Prince Maurice of Battenberg (1891-1914) Born at Balmoral Castle.

Victoria Eugenie Julia Ena of Battenberg (1887-1969), (later Queen consort of Spain through marriage)

Born: Balmoral Castle

Died: Lausanne, Switzerland

Resting Place: (1969) Sacré Coeur Catholic Church, Bois-de-Vaux, Lausanne, Switzerland; Reburied (1985) El Escorial, Spain

Bio Summary: Grandaughter of Queen Victoria

Parents: Prince Henry of Battenberg (1858-1896) and Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom (1857-1944)

Siblings: Alexander Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Carisbrooke (1886-1960), Lord Leopold Mountbatten (1889-1922), Prince Maurice of Battenberg (1891-1914)

Spouse: Alfonso XIII (1886-1941), King of Spain, Married 1906 ​ Children: Alphonso, Prince of Asturias (1907-1938), Jamie, Duke of Segovia (1908-1975), Beatriz of Spain (1909-2002), Fernando (1910-1910), Maria Cristina of Spain (1911-1996), Juan, Count of Barcelona (1913-1993), Gonzalo (1914-1934)

Prince Maurice of Battenberg (1891-1914)

Born: Balmoral Castle

Died: Zonnebeke, Belgium (Killed in Action)

Resting Place: Ypres Town War Cemetery, Belgium

Bio Summary: Grandson of Queen Victoria

Parents: Prince Henry of Battenberg (1858-1896) and Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom (1857-1944)

Siblings: Alexander Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Carisbrooke (1886-1960), Victoria Eugenie Julia Ena of Battenberg (1887-1969), Lord Leopold Mountbatten (1889-1922)

Spouse: Unknown ​ Children: Unknown

George Frederick Ernest Albert Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (until 1917), Windsor (from 1917); King George V (1865-1936) King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions

Born: Marlborough House, London, England

Died: Sandringham Estate, Sandringham, Norfolk, England.

Resting Place: St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle

Bio Summary: Reign: 1910-1936

Inherited the castle upon the death of his father Edward VII and had substantial improvements made including formal gardens.

Parents: Albert Edward of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, King Edward VII (1841-1910) and Alexandra of Denmark (1844-1925)

Siblings: Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (1864-1892), Louise, Princess Royal (1867-1931), Princess Victoria (1868-1935), Princess Maud (1869-1938), Prince Alexander John of Wales (1871-1871)

Spouse: Mary of Teck ( 1867-1953) Married 1893

Children: Edward VIII (1894-1972), George VI (1895-1952), Mary, Princess Royal (1897-1965), Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (1900-1974), Prince George, Duke of Kent (1902-1942), Prince John (1905-1919)

For additional information see WikiTree profile Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-6

Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, King Edward VIII (1894-1972)

Born: White Lodge, Richmond, Surrey, England

Died: 4 route du Champ d'Entraînement (aka Villa Windsor, Bois de Boulogne, Paris, France

Resting Place: Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore, Windsor, Berkshire, England

Bio Summary: Reign: 1936-1936

Abdicated the throne to marry a twice divorced American Wallis Simpson, and was succeeded by his brother George VI.

Parents: King George V (1865-1936) King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Mary of Teck (1867-1953)

Siblings: George VI (1895-1952), Mary, Princess Royal (1897-1965), Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (1900-1974), Prince George, Duke of Kent (1902-1942), Prince John (1905-1919)

Spouse: Wallis Simpson (1896-1986) Married 1937–1972

Children: None

For additional information see WikiTree profile Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-5

Albert Frederick Arthur George Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (until 1917), Windsor (from 1917), King George VI of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions (1895-1952)

Born: York Cottage, Sandringham, Norfolk, England

Died: Sandringham, Norfolk, England

Resting Place: Royal Vault, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England

Bio Summary: Reign: 1936-1952

Succeeded his brother King Edward VIII who abdicated.

Parents: King George V (1865-1936) King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Mary of Teck (1867-1953)

Siblings: King Edward VIII (1894-1972), Mary, Princess Royal (1897-1965), Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (1900-1974), Prince George, Duke of Kent (1902-1942), Prince John (1905-1919)

Spouse: Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002) Married 1923

Children: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor (QE II) (1926-2022), Margaret Rose (Windsor) Snowdon (1930-2002)

For additional information see WikiTree profile Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-4

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor (1926-2022), Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth

Born: Mayfair, London, England

Died: Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Resting Place: King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, Scotland

Bio Summary: Reign: 1952-2022 (70 years)

Assuming the throne at only age 25 she was the Great-Great-Granddaughter of Queen Victoria.

In WWII, she served as a mechanic and military truck driver.

Parents: George VI (1936-1952) and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002) Queen Consort

Siblings: Princess Margaret (1930-2002)

Spouse: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921-2021) Married 1947-2021

Children: Charles III (1948-XXXX), Anne, Princess Royal (1950-XXXX), Prince Andrew, Duke of York (1960-XXXX), Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar (1964-XXXX)

For additional information see WikiTree Profile Windsor-1

Philip (Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg) Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh (1921-2021) King Consort

Born: Mon Repos Estate, Corfu, Greece

Died: Windsor Castle, Windsor, Scotland

Resting Place: Royal Vault, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, Scotland

Bio Summary: Husband of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The Prince visited Balmoral on many occasions with his wife, Queen Elizabeth II.

Parents: Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark (1882-1944) and Berthold, Margrave of Baden (1906-1963)

Siblings: Princesses Cecilie of Greece and Denmark (1911-1937), Sophie of Greece and Denmark (1914-2001), Margarita of Greece and Denmark (1905-1981), Theodora of Greece and Denmark (1906-1969)

Spouse: Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) Married 1947-2021

Children: Charles III (1948-XXXX), Anne, Princess Royal (1950-XXXX), Prince Andrew, Duke of York (1960-XXXX), Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar (1964-XXXX)

For additional information see WikiTree Profile Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg -1

Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor, HM King Charles III P. Mountbatten-Windsor KG (1948-XXXX)

Born: Buckingham Palace, London, United Kingdom

Died: N/A

Resting Place: N/A

Bio Summary: Reign: 2022-TBD

Became King Charles III upon the death of his beloved mother Queen Elizabeth II.

After serving in the military, he became involved as an environmentalist supporting organic farming and action to prevent climate change he is also a prominent critic of the adoption of genetically modified food.

He is well known in philanthropy and charity circles and oversees the Prince's Charities in the UK, Canada, and Australia.

Parents: Prince Philip (1921-2021), Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022)

Siblings: Anne, Princess Royal (1950-XXXX), Prince Andrew, Duke of York (1960-XXXX), Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar (1964-XXXX)

Spouse Number 1: Diana Spencer (1961-1997) Married 1981–1996)

Children: William, Prince of Wales (1982-XXXX), Harry, Duke of Sussex (1984-XXXx)

Spouse Number 2: Camilla Rosemary Shand (1947-XXXX) Married 2005

Children: None

For further information see WikiTree profile Windsor-21

Diana Frances Spencer (1961-1997), Princess of Wales

Born: Sandringham, Norfolk, England.

Died: Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France

Resting Place: Althorp, Northamptonshire, England

Bio Summary: What started out as a fairy-tale wedding turned into a rocky marriage to Charles, Prince of Wales.

She and Charles honeymooned at Balmoral in 1981.

Parents: Edward John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer (1924-1992) and Frances Roche (1936-2004)

Siblings: Unknown

Spouse: Charles Windsor, Prince of Wales (1948-XXXX)

Children: William Windsor (1982-XXXX), Harry Windsor (1984-XXXX)

For further information see WikiTree profile Spencer-40

Camilla Rosemary Shand, (later Camilla Parker Bowles), (later Camilla R. (Shand) Mountbatten-Windsor GCVO CSM) Queen Consort of the United Kingdom (1947-XXXX)

Born: King's College Hospital, London, England

Died: N/A

Resting Place: N/A

Bio Summary: Educated at Queen's Gate School in Queen's Gate, South Kensington, and University of London Institute in Paris.

Second wife of King Charles III.

Parents: Bruce Shand (1917-2006) and Rosalind Cubitt (1921-1994)

Siblings: Sonia Annabel Shand (1949-XXXX), Mark Roland Shand (1951-2014)

Spouse Number 1: Andrew Parker Bowles (1939-XXXX) Married 1973–1995)

Children: Tom Parker Bowles (1974-XXXX), Laura Rose Parker Bowles (1978-XXXX),

Spouse Number 2: King Charles III (1948-XXXX) Married 2005

Children: None

For further information see WikiTree profile Shand-3

William Smith II (1817-1891) Architect

Born: Aberdeen, Scotland

Died: King Street, Aberdeen, Scotland

Resting Place: Unknown

Bio Summary: Key architect on the (new) Balmoral Castle for Queen Victoria and her husband.

Aberdeen City Architect 1852

Parents: John Smith (1781-1852) and Margaret Grant (XXXX-XXXX)

Siblings: John Smith (1847-1887) 6 Others Names Unknown

Spouse: Mary Blaikie (XXXX-XXXX) Married 1826

Children: 15 Others, Names Unknown

Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859) Civil engineer, Structural engineer, Marine engineer

Born: Portsmouth, Hampshire, England

Died: Westminster, London, England

Resting Place: Kensal Green Cemetery, London, England

Bio Summary: Talanted engineer who designed many bridges, railways, tunnels, and ships in his carreer.

He built the 'Balmoral Bridge' in 1856-57 for Prince Albert to provide a shorter route access to Balmoral Estate.

Parents: Marc Isambard Brunel (1769-1849) and Sophia Kingdom (1775-1855)

Siblings: Sophia Macnamara Brunel (1802-1878), Emma Brunel (1803-1883)

Spouse: Mary Elizabeth Horsley (1813-1881) Married 1836

Children: Isambard Brunel Junior (1837-1902), Henry Marc Brunel (1841-1903), Florence Mary Brunel (1848-1876)

Exterior

^[26]

The castle's style is considered to be Scottish Baronial and Gothic revival and is organized into two sections, each of which revolves around a courtyard space. An 80-foot-tall (24-metre) turreted clock tower remains an eye-catching feature to this day. Architects John and William Smith used Granite from the quarry at nearby Glen Gelder, which produced an attractive off-white stone.

Interior

^{[27][28][29][30][31][32]}

Being a private residence of the British Royal Family, a lot of the residential space has not been defined publicly for security reasons.

Information is only available on the following rooms of Balmoral.

Drawing Room:

Queen Elizabeth II often posed for a shoot with Prince Philip or hosted an audience with a prime minister in this traditional room offering a crackling fireplace amid historic ornamental items. Much of the room’s decor remains unchanged from decades ago, including the teal-upholstered couch.

Study / Office:

The Queen spent her mornings here dealing with State Papers sent from London. Tartan carpet and white floral fabrics speckled with blossoms can be seen with the floor-to-ceiling curtains and box-pleated upholstered chairs. Leather-bound books and stately grandfather clocks are present in the room as well.

Grand Ballroom:

The only room open to public tours is the grand ballroom, where the future Queen Elizabeth would attend the annual Ghillies’ Ball. Early illustrations indicated that during Queen Victoria’s reign, mounted stag heads lined the walls, and large chandeliers. Today, the decorations feature tartan wallcoverings, ornately carved wooden cabinets, and gilded painted portraits.

Grounds

It is a working estate, including grouse moors, forestry and farmland, as well as managed herds of deer, Highland cattle, and ponies. There are some very special residents - red squirrels which Charles III loves.

There is a 3-acre formal garden area in front of the main castle block. The garden was designed by Queen Mary from 1923-1925.

Estate Cottages

Through the centuries there have been 150 guest cottages built on the estate. The following are just some of them:

Colt Cottages, Connachat Cottage, Karim Cottage, Knocks Cottage and Rhebreck Lodge are available throughout the year for visitors (at a hefty price).

Garbh Allt Shiel, Sterinbeg and Tigh Na Garaidh are only available for certain dates during the year.

Memorials and Cairns

^[33][34]

Statue of John Brown

This life-size statue was erected by the Queen Victoria in memory of John Brown, her personal attendant for many years after Albert's death in 1861. The statue, by Sir Edgar Boehm, shows Brown in Highland dress wearing both the Devoted Service Medal and the Faithful Servant Medal he received in his lifetime. The inscription on the granite plinth reads: "Friend more than Servant, Loyal, Truthful, Brave, Self less than Duty, even to the Grave".

Statue of Queen Victoria’s collie dog 'Noble' is in one of the lush gardens.

Cairns

There are a total of fourteen cairns on Balmoral Estates which includes one at Birkhall Estate as well. One notable one is the pyramid shaped one commissioned by Queen Victoria for Prince Albert.

Movies

Filming is not permitted inside the castle and past movies have always used substitute locations for 'Mrs Brown' and the 'Queen' were as follows:

The Queen - Blairquhan Castle

Mrs Brown - Duns Castle

The Crown - Ardverikie House

Public Visitation

While the area of the Balmoral Estate that the queen resides in is kept private, there are parts of the estate that are open to the public throughout certain times of the year. The grounds, gardens, and gift shops are generally open to the public between April and July.

The estate offers cottages that are open to the public and available to rent for a price. It is worth noting that the cottages may not be available depending on whether, nor when the royals will be in residence.

Nearby Sites

^[35]

Crathie Kirk c.1893

Location: 2 Fergach Cottages, Crathie, Ballater, Scotland

The current Kirk replaces two older ones from the 9th century and 1805.

The Royal family has attended the (1805) Kirk starting with Queen Victoria in 1848.

Queen Victoria laid the corner stone for the current Kirk in 1893.

Anne, Princess Royal married Timothy Laurence at Crathie Kirk in December 1992.

Sources

1. ↑ Veranda article by Jaime MilanPublished: Sep 8, 2022;https://www.veranda.com
2. ↑ Town and Country Magazine article by Caroline Hallemann, Published: Sep 11, 2022; https://www.townandcountrymag.com
3. ↑ Architectural Digest article By Madeleine Luckel and Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Sept 8, 2022
4. ↑ The Castles of Scotland; https://www.thecastlesofscotland.co.uk
5. ↑ BBC; https://www.bbc.com
6. ↑ Britannia; https://www.britannica.com
7. ↑ English Monarchs; https://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk
8. ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
9. ↑ Britain Express; https://www.britainexpress.com
10. ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
11. ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
12. ↑ Balmoral Castle; https://www.balmoralcastle.com/
13. ↑ Gazetteer For Scotland; https://www.scottish-places.info
14. ↑ Vogue; https://www.vogue.com
15. ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
16. ↑ Undiscovered Scotland
17. ↑ British Heritage; https://britishheritage.com
18. ↑ Aberdeen History Society; https://aberdeenhistorysociety.weebly.com
19. ↑ Family Search; https://www.familysearch.org
20. ↑ Britannia; https://www.britannica.com
21. ↑ Royal UK; https://www.royal.uk
22. ↑ Westminster Abbey; https://www.westminster-abbey.org
23. ↑ Geneanet; https://gw.geneanet.org
24. ↑ Dictionary of Scottish Architects; http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk
25. ↑ Gazetteer For Scotland; https://www.scottish-places.info
26. ↑ Town and Country Living; article by Caroline Hallemann, Published: Nov 13, 2022; https://www.townandcountrymag.com
27. ↑ Royal Collection Trust; https://www.rct.uk
28. ↑ Elle Decor; https://www.elledecor.com
29. ↑ Scene Therapy; https://scenetherapy.com
30. ↑ Mental Floss; https://www.mentalfloss.com
31. ↑ British Heritage; https://britishheritage.com
32. ↑ Town and Country Living; article by Caroline Hallemann, Published: Nov 13, 2022; https://www.townandcountrymag.com
33. ↑ Canmore; https://canmore.org.uk
34. ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
35. ↑ Wikipedia; https://www.wikitree.com