The Windsors’ “working royal” group is a dull and dusty group with declining numbers across the board – fewer working royals doing fewer public events with less impact. One of the funniest parts of this issue is that there’s an abundance of royal property these days. Instead of giving away these properties or leasing them at exorbitant rates, King Charles and Queen Camilla just shuffle through them constantly, trying to make it seem like they’re all being used regularly. For example, the Windsors have so many private and public homes and estates in Scotland. During Charles’ reign, he rarely stays at the main Balmoral house, because he prefers Birkhall, his longtime home on the larger Balmoral estate. He also stops by Castle of Mey, which his grandmother left him. Meanwhile, the “working royals” are expected to put a few days of appearances at Balmoral every summer. The Mail’s Becky English discussed all of this in the royal newsletter, answering a question about Charles’ “shortened” trip to Balmoral.
It is true that the Royal Family’s stay at Queen Victoria’s beloved Highland residence is significantly shorter than in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, particularly towards the end of her life when she would go to Scotland in late July and not return until early October. It was most definitely her ‘happy place’, and she deserved it.
But the King and Queen also adore the region. Indeed Birkhall, which is their personal home close to Balmoral that once belonged to the late Queen Mother, is actually seen by the couple and the Royal Household as their true ‘marital home’.
So while the King’s standard will go up at the castle for a shorter time than previously, he isn’t far away. He always spends a few days at the Castle of Mey in Caithness, which also belonged to his adored grandmother, in early August before gravitating to Birkhall, and then finally Balmoral, where he will host family, friends and official visitors such as the Prime Minister of the day.
Queen Camilla likes to take her children, grandchildren and often her sister, Annabel, and friends, on holiday at the end of July, somewhere preferably hot and sandy with lots of wild swimming, before flying up north to join her husband with their dogs later in August.
Other members of the Royal Family are frequent visitors to the castle over the summer, enjoying the regular rhythm of long walks, picnics, fishing and BBQs.
Princess Anne also likes to squeeze in a spot of sailing with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, particularly off the Scottish coast. The couple own a Rustler 44 – named Ballochbuie – and have made it their mission to visit every lighthouse in the British Isles.
The Prince and Princess of Wales spend most of the summer holidays with their three children at Anmer Hall, their Norfolk home, where they enjoy a very wholesome and outdoorsy lifestyle, sailing and playing cricket on the beach. They also usually squeeze in a break somewhere sunny, often in the Caribbean, before joining the King at Balmoral at the end of August.
Nice little gossip asides in here, right? Camilla skips off with her family every summer? Remember how she was seen on a borrowed yacht last summer and people were like… wait, she’s allowed to do that? My guess is that Camilla actually spends most of her summer vacation far away from her husband. She does the same every weekend too – she goes to Ray Mill while Charles goes to Highgrove. As for Prince William and Kate… I’ve assumed for years now that we don’t know the half of what those two are getting up to every summer. There are yacht vacations, trips to Mustique, and probably a lot more. And yes, Charles prefers to just wander around all of his many homes.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
