The Royal Family have already begun their summer holidays, and the Scottish Highlands have traditionally played a key role in them. Mid to late August is usually when the monarch and other members of the Royal Family pack up and head to Balmoral Castle for some rest and relaxation.
Being on the Scottish estate allows the Firm to kick back and indulge in some of their favourite countryside pastimes that they would never normally get to enjoy while on duty. The late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip would preside over the family for several weeks during late summer/early autumn, and now King Charles and Queen Camilla have carried on the tradition.
Hunting and Estate Life
Balmoral has been a royal private residence since Queen Victoria’s reign, when it was purchased by Prince Albert in 1852. Initially, when the royal couple visited Edinburgh as newlyweds, the Highlands reminded Prince Albert of his home back in Germany, and they decided it would be a perfect place to bring their young family.
Many of the Firm's favourite pastimes are outside, with the wild Scottish Highlands the perfect place for roaming and exploring the countryside. Balmoral is a working estate, and as such, deer stalking, forestry, farming and grouse shooting all take place on the land, which is home to spectacular wildlife such as the rare red squirrel.
Riding and Driving
Despite their main base being in London, the royals are country folk at heart and enjoy riding and shooting, as depicted in the Balmoral scenes of the Netflix show The Crown. When the late Queen would invite guests to the castle, they were often shocked to see her driving across the rough terrain in her Range Rover, as she harked back to her time as a Princess driving vehicles for the Army.
BBQs and Outdoor Dining
Food is also incorporated into the Firm's outdoor activities, with fishing and picnics being favourites when the weather is favourable. The Queen and Prince Philip's barbecues during their time saw the late Duke dubbed grillmaster-in-chief, as he reportedly would not allow anyone else near when he was in charge of preparing the meats.
Speaking in 2021 for a tribute programme for his father, Charles revealed: "He adored barbecuing and he turned that into an interesting art form. And if I ever tried to do it, he... I could never get the fire to light or something ghastly so (he'd say): 'Go away!'" As Philip was on grilling duty, the Queen was in charge of preparing the salads and doing the washing up, something which surprised then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher when she visited Balmoral.
Long Walks and Fly Fishing
Princess Eugenie said of her time on the royal Scottish estate: "Walks, picnics, dogs — a lot of dogs, there’s always dogs — and people coming in and out all the time. It’s a lovely base for Granny and Grandpa, for us to come and see them up there, where you just have room to breathe and run."
The late Queen was said to have followed her mother’s footsteps in a particular hobby she enjoyed during her time at Balmoral. In 2022, Dame Darcey Bussell visited Balmoral for her travel documentary series, Darcey Bussell's Royal Road Trip and revealed: "There’s one activity the Queen has always enjoyed here. I’m driving along the banks of the River Dee, which runs through the Balmoral Estate. And the river is home to one of the Queen’s favourite pastimes - fishing! The River Dee is one of the best fly-fishing spots in Scotland, and the prize catch for the Queen’s table is salmon."
