Inside Birkhall: King Charles and Queen Camilla’s ‘second honeymoon’ home at Balmoral

Inside Birkhall: King Charles and Queen Camilla’s ‘second honeymoon’ home at Balmoral
King Charles has chosen to develop his own traditions at Balmoral, as he and Queen Camilla will not be staying at the main house but in Birkhall on the Scottish estate.
By Nathan Kay, Weekend Editor (Royal)
09:32, Sat, Aug 17, 2024 | UPDATED: 09:41, Sat, Aug 17, 2024
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Charles and Camilla Visit Theatre Royal Drury Lane

King Charles and Queen Camilla love getting away from it all at Birkhall (Image: Getty)
King Charles and Queen Camilla have already made their way up to Balmoral in the Scottish Highlands where the Royal Family will join them for their summer holiday until the end of August.

While the late Queen Elizabeth was said to adore Balmoral castle on the vast estate, King Charles has chosen to develop his own traditions, as he and Queen Camilla will not be staying at the main house.

Instead they will be retreating to Birkhall, their own residence on the estate, only venturing to the main house for entertaining or to see other royals who will be staying there.

The home has a special place in both the King and Queen’s hearts. It’s where the couple enjoyed their honeymoon in 2005 and is said to be a place they always call their “second honeymoon” retreat.

Birkhall isn’t just a favourite for Charles and Camilla – it was also a honeymoon haven for the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Kent and Princess Alexandra and Angus Ogilvy.

Birkhall’s history is closely entwined with that of the most senior royals, many of whom have spent happy holidays there over the decades.

The house was first built by the Farquharson clan in 1715 and was not acquired by the royals until 1852, when Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert bought it as a gift for his son, the future King Edward VII.

However, he only visited the property once and it passed back into the family’s hands, until the 1930s when George V lent it to the then-Duke and Duchess of York, who would later become King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

The royal couple completely redecorated the house and gardens, with Charles sharing his grandfather’s passion for getting his hands dirty in the garden.

The late Queen enjoyed summer holidays there as a Princess with her sister Princess Margaret, later staying there with Prince Philip and a young Charles and Princess Anne before she ascended the throne.