The 19th-century Balmoral Castle, which serves as a private residence of the British Royal Family, will be opened to the public for the first time ever. The tours of the castle, located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, are scheduled for July and August.
Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, purchased the Balmoral estate and a small castle in 1852. Shortly after, the castle was deemed too small for the requirements of the Royal Family, prompting Prince Albert to commission a new castle designed by famous Scottish architect William Smith.
Smith designed the new castle, which was completed in 1856, in the style of Scottish baronial architecture with Prince Albert having a large input with ideas and suggestions. While the castle’s look was considered outdated for the time, it is renowned for contributing to the revival of the Highland culture.
Balmoral Castle Gardens were opened to the public for the first time in 1931 and are now accessible from April to July. Still, the only room inside the castle that visitors could see was the ballroom. Now, they will be able to view much more and enjoy afternoon tea at a price between £100 and £150 per ticket.
“Learn about Balmoral’s history and heritage, led by our experienced guides through several of the exquisite rooms within Balmoral Castle,” the tour description states. “Travel through time from the purchase of the Balmoral Estate by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, through to the present day, where you can see a selection of rooms within the Castle that are used by Their Majesties The King and Queen and other members of the Royal Family.