Balmoral Castle
Balmoral Castle has been the Scottish home of the Royal Family since it was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852, having been first leased in 1848.
It is here where the Queen spends her summer holiday, and it is widely thought to be the monarch’s favourite residence. “I think Granny is the happiest there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands,” described her granddaughter Princess Eugenie in the documentary Our Queen At Ninety. Free from public duties, she can relax and spend time with her family members, who also often make the trip.
Sandringham Estate
Sandringham Estate has been a favourite country retreat for the Queen over her reign, and has been the private home of four generations of British monarchs since 1862. It was in Sandringham where the Queen marked Accession Day on the 7th of February 2022, quietly marking the 70th anniversary of her father’s death and her becoming Queen.
See also: The Queen and the Press in Platinum Jubilee Year
