Balmoral Castle - where is it, can you visit and how to get there

In a break from tradition, Balmoral will play host to the appointing of the country’s next prime minister today (Tuesday, September 6). The Queen will remain in Scotland to appoint the new PM for the first time in her reign, having previously conducted the duties at Buckingham Palace.

Liz Truss will be ushered in to replace Boris Johnson by the 96-year-old monarch, who has faced ongoing mobility difficulties and missed various key events this year. The notable attendees will be faced with a 1,000-mile round trip to Balmoral Castle, after the Conservative Party’s decision was announced yesterday.

It is believed this decision was taken to provide certainty to the new prime minister’s diary, preventing any last-minute rearrangements. The Queen's audience with a new prime minister is a key role in her position as head of state, with her 70-year reign welcoming in 15 new faces for the position after the latest incoming this week.

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The audiences at Balmoral will occur in the estate's drawing room. Here is everything you need to know about Balmoral ahead of it hosting the historic duty.

The Balmoral estate is located in Aberdeenshire, around 50 miles west of Aberdeen. On the banks of the River Dee, the vast grounds are situated within the Cairngorms National Park, about midway between the villages of Braemar and Ballater.

Queen Elizabeth II typically spends her summer break in the Scottish grounds. The royal family has owned the residence since the mid-19th century, having been bought as a gift by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria. It became Victoria's sanctuary during the years after her husband’s death.

During the summer, prime ministers have been invited to stay with the Queen at Balmoral. This year, the Queen left Windsor Castle for Balmoral to spend the entirety of August and some of September at one of her favourite places.

Balmoral Castle is generally open to the public from April to July each year. This year, the royals’ Scottish holiday home opened its doors from Friday April 1 to Tuesday August 2.

General admission prices for 2022 were £15 for adults, £6 for five-to-16-year-olds and free for under-5s. Visitors can admire the grounds and gardens, as well as the exhibitions, gift shops and coffee shop during the opening hours of 10am to 5pm.

Part of a visit also features the Ballroom (the largest room in the castle and the only one available to visitors) with an audio tour which lasts around an hour. All other areas are deemed as being Her Majesty’s private residence.

For £300, the Balmoral Expedition was also being offered earlier this year. The experience included a two-hour Land Rover tour of the estate, as well as the Balmoral audio tour which guides you through much of the site.

Should the castle follow tradition, people will next be able to visit Balmoral next April. Located off the A93, parking is available in the car parks at Crathie, which is a short walk from the admissions desk.

About 50 miles east of Balmoral, the nearest airport and railway station are in Aberdeen. Bus services from Aberdeen to Braemar are operated by Stagecoach Bluebird, with the Balmoral stop found at Crathie.

As it is a rural location, the advice from Visit Scotland is to use your own transportation to get there due to limited public transport.

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