Balmoral Castle to open to public for first time

Balmoral Castle, the Scottish retreat of the royal family since the 1850s, is opening to the public for the first time in its history.

Starting Monday, visitors will be able to take a guided tour of several of the Aberdeen Castle entrance hall, Red Corridor, main and family dining rooms, Pages’ Hall, library and drawing room.

“The public who managed to get a ticket will leave (after seeing) the royal family’s holiday home. That’s exactly what it is, it feels very at home,” said James Hamilton Goddard , director of the Balmoral estate tourism company.

Charles is the latest in a long line of kings and queens to add their own mark to Balmoral since Queen Victoria and Prince Albert built the castle in the 1850s.

“It’s a beautiful place, I think the king wants people to see it,” Mr Hamilton Goddard said.

Inside the castle

The King replaced the carpets in the drawing room with Hunting Stewart tartan, which was the original style of flooring that Queen Victoria had installed in the castle.

It also hung paintings by Victorian artist Sir Edwin Henry Landseer, who was also beloved of Queen Victoria.

Sir Landseer is best known for creating the lions at the base of Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square and was invited to Balmoral each summer to teach painting to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

The castle library, once Queen Victoria’s breakfast and lunch room, is now used by the King as a study and has hosted dignitaries from around the world.

The books lining the shelves include tomes on Scottish history – particularly the Highland clans – Albert’s speeches, as well as novels and books on poetry and art.

Mr. Hamilton Goddard said the library is “probably one of the finest rooms in the whole residence.”

Visitors can see the chauffeur’s whistle once used to call the driver and the dinner gong used to call guests to Balmoral. The gong is made from materials salvaged from the Temeraire, the British warship that fought in the Battle of Trafalgar.

Tickets for the guided tours, priced at £100 or £150 with afternoon tea, sold out within 24 hours of going on sale, with 40 people allowed to visit the royal residence each day from 1 July to 4 August.

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The opening takes place before the King and Queen arrive at Balmoral for their summer vacation, but there is a royal touch for those eating cakes and sandwiches.

At the request of King Charles, tea will be served to visitors on a replica of the White Stewart tartan china used by the royal family at Balmoral.

Previously, visitors could only tour the Balmoral Ballroom and Castle Grounds, and the new tour will include a visit to the Ballroom where Victoria held dances and where the Royal Family still holds Ghillies Balls to entertain the staff.