Californian Reacts | Balmoral Castle Tour: The Kings Scottish Castle
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- čas přidán 23. 10. 2023
- Exploring Balmoral Castle: A Royal Retreat
Description:
Balmoral Castle, a historic royal residence nestled amidst the picturesque Scottish Highlands. In this video, we'll uncover the rich history, architectural marvels, and stunning landscapes that define this iconic estate. From the grandeur of the castle's interiors to the breathtaking views of the surrounding Cairngorms National Park, get ready for an immersive experience fit for royalty.
Background and History:
Balmoral Castle, located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is a renowned private residence of the British royal family. Its history dates back to 1390 when it was originally constructed as a hunting lodge. In 1852, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert fell in love with the estate during a visit and decided to purchase it.
The original castle was deemed too small for the growing royal family, prompting the decision to construct a larger, more suitable residence. The new Balmoral Castle was designed by Prince Albert himself, with assistance from architect William Smith. It was completed in 1856, showcasing a mixture of Scottish Baronial and Renaissance architectural styles.
Since then, Balmoral has become an integral part of royal tradition, serving as a summer retreat for generations of the royal family. It's known for its picturesque setting amidst rugged hills and forests, making it a beloved escape for both relaxation and outdoor pursuits.
Fun Facts:
Queen Victoria's Influence: Queen Victoria and Prince Albert played a significant role in shaping Balmoral's character. Their love for Scotland and the local culture is evident in the architecture, interiors, and even the gardens.
Annual Public Opening: While Balmoral is a private residence, portions of the estate, including the gardens and ballroom, are typically open to the public from April to July. This allows visitors to experience the beauty and history of the castle up close.
Queen's Cairn: Near Balmoral Castle stands a cairn, a pile of stones, known as "Queen's Cairn." It's a tribute to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's enduring love for the Scottish Highlands. The cairn offers breathtaking views of the castle and surrounding landscape, providing a poignant connection to their legacy.
This video will offer viewers a comprehensive understanding of Balmoral Castle, from its intriguing history to its unique features, all set against the stunning backdrop of the Scottish Highlands. Enjoy your virtual tour of this regal retreat!
I visited Balmoral in October 2022 (around six weeks after our Queen died) and walked around the grounds with our dogs. The atmosphere was somber and respectful, with visitors still leaving flowers outside the gate.
It's worth noting that Windsor, Buckingham Palace, St James's, Kensington, Hollyrood House, and Hillsborough Castle belong to the Crown (the state). However, Balmoral, Sandringham, Castle of May, Highgrove, Gatcomb Park, etc are each private residences owned by members of the Royal Family as private property.
It's Holyroodhouse after Holyrood Abbey next door, also Castle of Mey, Gatcombe Park. There's also Bagshot Park and Anmer Hall. Balmoral and Sandringham belong to the monarch, while Highgrove and Anmer belong to the Prince and Princess of Wales as well as a farmhouse in Wales, though I believe that Anmer is their own as opposed to belonging to the Duchy of Cornwall which goes with the status of heir (Charles was Duke of Cornwall before being made PoW and William Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge for about a day before being made PoW). There may also be a Duchy property on the Scilly Isles. The Castle of Mey was bought and restored by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and I believe that it now belongs to either the King or a trust. Gatcombe Park belongs to the Princess Royal and Bagshot to the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
@@jacquieclapperton9758 Highgrove and Anmer belong to the King, not the Waleses. However, Llwynywermod has been handed back to the Duchy of Cornwall, and is now available for private lettings. I apoligise for my misspellings. Mey I should have known. Holyrood I assumed had two ls because of its pronunciation.
@@t.a.k.palfrey3882 Anmer was a wedding present to William and Kate (much as Sandringham was to Bertie and Alexandra); it has been reported that King Charles now pays rent to the Duchy for Highgrove.
As for Holyrood, like many churches, Holyrood Abbey is dedicated to the Holy Rood; the rood, of course , being the representation of the cross or of Jesus, often on the rood screen of a church. James VI was crowned in the Church of the Holy Rude (sic - as written in Scots at the time) near to Stirling Castle at the age of thirteen months. Holyrood as spoken is simply a contraction of Holy Rood. I'm not sure what a Holly Rood would symbolise!
Yes the grounds are open to the public for part of the year. They have various accommodations that can be rented. There is a video that went viral recently of a group of mountain bikers staying on the Balmoral estate who came across King Charles when he was out for a walk and he stopped to have a conversation with them.
That's great to hear! I've seen so many places such as Balmoral Castle I'd like to visit some day, hopefully sooner rather than later. I actually did see the mountain bike video with King Charles and ended up watching it twice. What an experience! Everyone very kind and respectful.
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I believe that during the war the Royal Family stayed at Buckingham Palace to be seen and bolster the morale of Londoners.
True.... The Queen Mother was heard to say, "Thank goodness we have been bombed, now I can face the East End of London..(Which was heavily bombed in WW2)...
Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret were sent to Windsor Castle.
Commentary was a bit jarring as was some of the filming but I guess it did its job… if you haven’t done it already take a look at Osborne House, another Victoria and Albert home built by them on the Isle of Wight… now a museum and open to the public virtually all year. It’s an astonishing estate! Thanks for your continuing reactions and enthusiasm!
I have been to Balmoral and it really is lovely. I've also been inside Crathie Kirk (church in Scotland) where the RF traditionally worship when at Balmoral and it is where Princess Anne got married. Also well worth a visit.
I understand that the people in the nearby village are very protective of the Royal Famiiy`s right to privacy ,and that the late Queen and others regularly used those shops .
No one turns a hair ,they are just classed as neighbours who visit from time to time .
All true
If you like Albert you should do something on Osbourne House which is on the Isle of Wight, he bought it and redesigned and extended it for Victoria, and was used as a royal residence and was where Victoria carried out most of her mourning after Albert died, it's not as well known but was more of a family home for the royals and where they went to get away from it all. It's stunning inside and out and there isn't another royal residence quite like it. It's no longer used at all by the royals but is open to the public.
It was sold by Edward VII and then became a junior version of Dartmouth (Royal Navy officer training college for non-UK folk) which was attended by his sons!
@@jacquieclapperton9758 It was also a convalescent home run by the Civil Service Benevolent Fund, where top brass from the civil service, judiciary, military and aristocracy could convalesce and in some cases live. I have had many members of my family work there in lots of different capacities over the decades.
The tradition has carried on, King Charles spent time in the summer with extended family.
I visited last year shortly after the Queen died, it is so beautiful and the grounds are stunning
It's possible that the family stayed at Windsor rather than Balmoral because Windsor was built as a literal fortress that could probably take a fair few hits, whereas Balmoral was basically built as a castle like house? It's also thought that the King wanted to be close to London to show solidarity.
Oh, Balmoral wouldn't be out of range (but probably impossible to target at night) - Scotland was extensively bombed during the war. Glasgow and it's shipyards had to suffer it's own Blitz. But for the record I would have stayed at Balmoral.
A lot of this was inaccurate, the only picture inside which has been seen many times is the one with the green carpets etc, I suggest you find an official video of the tour on the Balmoral Castle website, as for the cottages having a hefty price tag, they can be around £900 in peak season but per cottage not per person and they can sleep around 6, and the wrong amount of bedrooms given for the Castle, wrong year for the passing of Duke Of Edinburgh 2021 not 2020
If you are fond of Victoria and Albert then check out Osborne House on the Isle of Wight..I live not far from there and it is beautiful, you can tour the house and the lovely gardens and they put on special events, such as decorating at Christmastime like Victoria would have..best to prebook for that though. 😊✌🇬🇧
I was lucky enough to visit Balmoral last year, just before the Queen died. As was said on the video you don't get to see much of the castle but, the garden was nice to walk around and The Dee is quite a lovely river. If you do go there please take some time to have a good look around the Cairngorms National Park. It is absolutely stunning!
I don’t know but l suspect that the Royal Family didn’t use Balmoral during the Second World War because fuel was rationed and it would not look good for them to be wasting it to go to the Highlands. The late Queen and her sister were at Windsor, and although they spoke to their parents every night they rarely saw them despite being quite close to London, probably for the same reason.
You used to only be able to visit the grounds of Balmoral as it’s a Private Residence. However, from 1st July to 4th August 2024, guests will now be given access to two dining rooms, the drawing room and the page's lobby - rooms used regularly by the royal family when in residence.
Beautiful estate and lovely part of the country, I’m surprised that the video didn’t mention the pyramids built on the estate which are famous, my favourite part was visiting the old church and cemeteries outside Balmoral estate
We Bumped Into King Charles On This Bike Ride! you have too watch
I hate to tell you, but some of the interior photographs in this video are not Balmoral at all but are from King Ludwig II of Bavaria’s Castle of Neuschwanstein. Whoever put this video together thought that any old photographs of spectacular gothic interiors would do. I only know because I’ve been to Neuschwanstein and recognised them immediately. I was surprised!
if the union jack is flying, it means the Queen/King are not in residence. They fly the royal standard if they are in residence.
There are so many inaccuracies in this video it’s easier to pick out the few parts she got right! Yes Charles loves country life and has always spent Summer in Scotland, so it would be more unusual if he stopped going.
For the past couple of years I`ve not been able to get out much, since I have been in need of a double hip replacement and been in wait of the NHS to provide the treatment ( `can,t afford the £25,000 bill ). However, I am now half way through the operations and am thinking of doing a tour of the whole of the UK once "I`m done."
Balmoral was the base for their summer holidays. But they didn’t just stay there. The most important part was their cruise around Scotland in their own luxury liner. The Brittania.
I worked at the Victoria & Albert Museum for 37 years until I retired three years ago. I could be wrong but I got the impression from you that you are under the impression that the Museum is about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. I wouldn’t want you to come to the Museum with this preconception and be disappointed as it isn’t. It’s named in their honour, like say Washington bridge wouldn’t be about George Washington; it would simply be named in his honour. The V&A is a national Museum of the decorative arts; one of the largest in the world after the Louvre in Paris. Naturally decorative arts featuring Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are included in the general collections, but only the objects’ role as decorative arts, if you see what I mean. You won’t find any personal effects of the Queen or the Prince; they’re in the Royal Collection, not the V&A. It is a fabulous Museum though, with seven and a half miles of galleries and well worth a visit.
I hope you get to see it.
The architectural style of traditonal Scottish buildings is unique from England & Wales.
A good number of the most outstanding castles are in the most remote areas.
In England, not quite so bad, but you'd still need a car if you want to make an extensive castle circuit.
Not only are castles remote, but they're spread out all over the nation.
Finally, we have a fully illustrated colour annual publication (which is inexpensive - remember no tax on books/periodicals in UK) - "Houses, Castles and gardens open to public".
And don't forget the National Trust go-everywhere ticket.
So when I go to any such places, they're totally free (I pay just £80 a year nembership).
Prince Albert was German, so he & Victoria had a smaller Scottish Castle, the rectangular tower on the right end is Scottish in style, rebuilt in more Bavarian style.
Yes, they preferred to remain in London during the War years. The King still had his job to do, so had to be in, or close to, London. They likely spent a lot of time at Windsor Castle, where Elizabeth & Margaret were resident during the Blitz. It is not clear if King Charles will continue to go there each summer as the late Queen always did.
Yes it is real as I visited Balmoral.
I only visited Balmoral Castle once, in the mid-1960s, as a child. Quite impressive obviously, but definitely out of season as it was late winter.
The commentary in this video should be compared with Peter Sellers’ brilliant 1950’s record ‘Balham - Gateway to the South’. In it in a broad US accent he uses every inept and unidiomatic phrase possible starting with ‘BalHAM’ and takes it from there. Mind you, it was intentionally amusing!
There's rumours that King Charles is going to open parts of Balmoral castle to the public. So far only the grounds have been open.
The King and Queen during the war would not even allow their girls to be taken to safety in the country. If the people had to stay, then so did they.
True. The Government wanted them to flee to Canada for their safety but both the King and Queen said "No, we will stay with our people in London". They wouldn't even move out when Buckingham Palace was targeted and bombed more than once. The two young Princesses were housed nearby at Windsor.
@@jillosler9353"the girls won't leave without me, I won't leave without the King. And the King will NEVER leave!"
The royal family refused to leave London during the war.
The grounds open to the public
I heard that king Charles has opened more of the building to public to see
I am not 100% certain but I am sure that I read that King Charles will open all of Balmoral up to the public. It has lost its appeal as a summer residence now that he is King.
King Charles has his own private house in the grounds of Balmoral which he has stayed at since his first marriage so doesn't need to stay in the main house which was where the Queen and her husband stayed when on holiday.
To a British ear, American accents discussing anything about Britain sounds lamentably absurd.
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The royal family stayed in london during world war11
They served in the armed forces during the war
This woman is so annoying. Her excitement and cadence changes are so jarring.
Also, the village a "convenient" six miles away…just in case they fancy a fish supper? I assume she means for visitors, but it comes across weird.
CZcamsr McTrail Rider chatted with Charles on the Balmoral estate recently (Scotland has roaming rights). Not a history video, as he's a mountain biker, still very cool.
Oh I so agree with you, and she doesn't even get her facts correct......Harry and Meghan long visits, I don't think so and Archie popping in really it's more like a fantasy story!
I am squirming and cringing at the same time especially with the pronunciation. As for Harry & Meghan visiting, they have turned down more invitations to visit Balmoral and even in The Queen's last few weeks on earth, as I understand they declined an invitation. As for Archie visiting this is pure supposition and is not factual whatsoever on this woman's part.
So it's set in "acres" of lush green countryside. How many acres, 2?, 20?,200? What a lazy bit of videoing, couldn't they have spent a 'few 'seconds' to find out that it is set in around fifty thousand acres (>20,000 hectares, 78 square miles).
That was slightly cheesy- couldn’t really take it seriously
hahaha i doubt M will come here. The narrators voice was too gushing to be authentic.
Too many interjections
No disrespect to you but this documentary is a little disjointed and badly edited.... sounds like an electronic voice.
Traditionally decorated with wooden furniture.....🤣🤣🤣what a shock. I like the clips but I can't stand sickly American voice overs. They just don't do it for me.
By American standards it is really small. When I watch American TV or movies they all live in places much bigger !