Balmoral Castle, Scotland

Balmoral Castle is well known as the summer royal residence for Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. It has been a royal residence since 1848, when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert leased it from the trustees of Sir Robert Gordon, who had died in 1847. In 1852, they paid approximately £30,000 for full ownership of the estate. 

Prince Albert, with William Smith, made immediate plans to extend the existing castle. The new castle was partly designed by Prince Albert and was built close to the original castle.

Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone on 28 September 1853, which can be found at the foot of the wall, adjacent to the west face of the entrance porch. Before the stone was laid, a bottle containing a parchment signed and dated by Queen Victoria and each of the current coins of the realm, was inserted into a cavity below the stone. Balmoral Castle was completed in 1856.

Balmoral is privately owned by the Queen and is not part of the royal estate which is owned by the English Government. Following the abdication of Edward VIII, his brother, King George VI, had to buy Balmoral in order to keep them as residences of the monarch.

Balmoral Castle, Royal Deeside, Scotland by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of Balmoral Castle in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which was taken at the end of the 19th century. Photograph courtesy of LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-07532). Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products featuring this beautiful vintage print.