Where is Balmoral and why is Queen Elizabeth II not in Windsor or Buckingham Palace?
For nearly two centuries, Queen Elizabeth II spent most of her summers at a country retreat for the royal family, and ended up taking her last breath there.
Throughout her 70-year reign, the queen has enjoyed various royal residences. From the Sandringham House in Norfolk, to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the queen kept her traditions of spending certain times of year, like the festive season and holyrood week, in her particular home of choice.
The same goes with her annual summer getaway in Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, where the queen enjoyed a relaxing private summer break.
Where is Balmoral?
Balmoral has been in the British Royal Family since 1852, and is based in Scotland amongst acres of lush countryside. The grand estate sits within the Cairngorms National Park on the banks of the River Dee.
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Why is Queen Elizabeth II in Balmoral?
When the covid-19 outbreak started in 2020, the queen decided to permanently move from Buckingham Palace to the quieter Windsor Castle in Berkshire. The queen and Prince Philip “rediscovered the happiness of their early years together” when they relocated to Windsor during covid, according to several sources.
But with her health declining, the queen had been staying in Balmoral since August, where memories of happy family holidays are held. It is also believed this is where the queen was happiest.
The 96-year-old British queen ended up taking her last breath at the beloved property on September 8, 2022.