Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Balmoral Castle opened to tours for the first time

Tickets are limited for the guided tours which run from July 1 to August 4.

Rob Freeman
Wednesday 03 April 2024 02:31 EDT
Balmoral Castle (PA)
Balmoral Castle (PA) (PA Archive)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Visitors will be able to see parts of Balmoral Castle used by the royal family for the first time this summer.

Guided tours will be available from July 1 to August 4, before the King and Queen arrive for their summer break in Aberdeenshire, with each group restricted to 10 people.

Tickets for the “castle interior tour”, priced £100 or £150 with afternoon tea included, are limited to 40 tickets per day and are already selling fast.

The Balmoral Castle website said the tours were the first since the castle was completed in 1855.

The website said: “They will take you on a historical journey through several of the beautiful rooms within Balmoral Castle.

“You will learn about the origins of the castle and how it has been loved by generations of the royal family.

“Travel through time from the purchase of the Balmoral by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, through to present day, where you can see how rooms within the castle are used today by their Majesty’s The King and Queen and other members of the royal family.”

The tour also includes access to the ballroom with a collection of Charles’ watercolour collection depicting scenery at Balmoral, Highgrove and Sandringham as well as a collection of outfits worn by Charles and Camilla, the late Queen and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

Previous tours, which will continue, have concentrated on the grounds and gardens with access to the castle limited to the ballroom.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in