Balmoral
- Emma Wilkinson
- Oct 21, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Feb 16
The Celebrated Highland Home of the Royal Family, Balmoral Castle
~ Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire
Balmoral is much more than a castle. It is an enduring symbol of a Royal couple's love for Scotland and an illustration of a rich chapter in tartan's history.
The story of Balmoral as we know it starts in 1842, when a royal couple first visited Scotland together. After a number of assassination attempts had been made on the young Queen's life, Victoria and her beloved consort Prince Albert decided to travel north. A welcome break from their royal duties, the pressures and dangers of their position and their growing family. They stayed in Edinburgh, then at Taymouth Castle in Perthshire. They were fond of the works of great Scottish novelist Sir Walter Scott, "The Bride of Lammermoor" being one of the Queen's favourites. She wrote lovingly of her first visit to Scotland, stating of Edinburgh,
"This is a city of shifting light, of changing skies, of sudden vistas. A city so beautiful it breaks the heart again and again."
In awe of Scotland's beauty, two years later, the royal couple returned, this time venturing further north to Blair Castle. They took in the surrounding glens, walking, riding and stalking. In 1847, they visited the Highlands again, this time renting Ardverikie House by Loch Laggan. It rained persistently throughout their visit, prompting the Queen's doctor to recommend Deeside as the next stop on their highland adventure. They immersed themselves in the very best of Scotland's traditions and culture, donning the local dress of tweed and tartan. Prince Albert is said to have attempted to learn Gaelic, but not to much avail.
They're love of Scotland grew and in 1848, they purchased the lease of the Balmoral estate, in what would become known as Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire - they had never even seen the property! By September that year, they finally visited their own piece of Scotland to call home. Queen Victoria found the house "small but pretty", writing in her journal,
"All seemed to breathe freedom and peace, and to make one forget the world and its sad turmoils".
Balmoral's history spans much further back than what we see today, created from the imaginations of Victoria and Albert. It had much older regal connections. The land had been a hunting ground to King Robert II throughout the 14th century, with a lodge near to where Balmoral Castle would one day stand dating to around 1390. Clan Gordon then called the area home, followed by the Farquharsons from 1662. Due to the Farquharson's Jacobite sympathises in both the 1715 and 1745 risings, they were forced to forfeit the lands at Balmoral as a result of Jacobite defeat at the Battle of Culloden, 16th of April 1746. The estate then found a new owner, the Duke of Fife who acquired the land, leasing the castle to the Gordon's once more who made major developments to the building around 1830.
Simply leasing Balmoral wasn't enough. Victoria and Albert were determined to call this beautiful, secluded place by the River Dee home. Prince Albert finally completed the sale, purchasing the estate from the Duke of Fife in June 1852 for around £4.5million today. He secured Balmoral as a private residence for his family and generations to come. With an ever growing family, a new and improved...and not forgetting larger, castle was planned. In 1853, the new foundation stone was laid by Queen Victoria.
Balmoral as we see it today, was completed in 1856. A Highland haven, with one foot in the whimsical past and one born from the forward thinking mind of Prince Albert. Although it is of Scots Baronial style with lots of gothic elements (such as the dormer windows, stepped gables and carriage porch entrance way with battlement details), there is a more orderly fashion to the design that nods to more Germanic architecture - perhaps a subtle reminder of Prince Albert's homeland or taste. The tower takes inspiration from traditional 13th and 14th century Scottish tower houses scattered across Aberdeenshire, while the pepper-pot turrets are like those of a French chateaux. It was designed to last, as if an illustration of the couples love for each other and for Scotland.
The royal couple's creation was another instrumental factor in the ongoing revival of Highland culture. They had built a palace to all things Scottish, decorating the interiors in swathes of tartan and curiosities. They threw Highland balls and attended the Highland Gathering at Braemar (as our monarch today, HM King Charles III continues to do like his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, before him). They spent their time here enjoying the quieter, simpler things life here has to offer in the stunning scenery. Queen Victoria even described herself as a Jacobite! They, it could be argued, continued Sir Walter Scott's legacy. He wrote Scotland into a new and romantic existence, Victoria and Albert lived it and influenced others in the lowlands and further south to embrace this highland way of life too. For perhaps the first time, the monarchy was truly British, embracing all corners of their kingdom.
The Victorian appetite for tartan propelled it to new heights. They wanted a tartan for every occasion that would allow them to stay true to their family setts, as clan tartans gained even more traction and uniformity following King George IV's visit to Scotland in 1822. Different colour-ways for family patterns (setts) began to develop:
~ Dress tartans featuring a great deal of white, more red or even yellow in the sett ideal for evening wear.
~ Hunting tartans made up of more green or brown shades perfect for activities such as stalking.
~ Even mourning tartans in sombre black and white began to emerge.
Balmoral has it's own tartan - the Balmoral tartan no less. It has a marled base appearing grey, with an over-check of red and black. The Scottish Register of Tartans dates the tartan to the 1850s but I am aware that research continues around it's origins carried out by leading tartan historian Peter MacDonald and Chair of the Scottish Tartans Authority John McLeish. Out of personal interest, I am also always on the look out for references to it. Most recently, I was studying D.W. Stewart's Old and Rare Scottish Tartans (1893), where a small silk woven swatch of this pattern is included. Here it appears lilac in its base with a very small sett - inconsistent with the marl grey, black and red woven and illustrated examples both past and present. Claims have been made that Prince Albert designed the Balmoral tartan around 1853, however, their are earlier references and illustrations to a check/tartan/tweed that resemble the Balmoral tartan, hence the registered date of 1850. It is restricted to the sole use of the Royal family and the monarch's piper (since 1936). The Royal Family are also known to wear Hunting Stewart, Old Stewart and Royal Stewart while in residence at Balmoral.
Victoria and Albert's time at Balmoral was blissful. They lived more like gentry, comfortable and quiet, rather than Royalty bound by duty and protocol. They were free here. Allowed to be so by the locals and the landscape alike. But tragedy struck in 1861, with the death of Prince Albert. Victoria would continue to visit, for longer and longer spells of time over her long years of mourning.
She erected a number of monuments to her beloved consort at Balmoral, the most impressive being a large pyramid cairn nestled in the hills of the estate (and well worth a visit if you don't mind a short uphill hike). Apart from a little maintenance to mountain pathways and completing projects Albert had started, Balmoral remained largely unchanged following his passing. Victoria perhaps keeping the castle as it's own monument to his memory, frozen as he had last left it just a few months before his death.
Victoria's last visit was throughout the summer and autumn of the year 1900 - she passed away in January 1901.
Further generations of royals after Victoria continued to enjoy the beauty and seclusion of Balmoral. It continued to be a place for the Royal Family to come to indulge in a slower pace of life, a break from the gaze of the public eye and scrutiny, a place to enjoy but equally, at times, a place to grieve and reflect undisturbed. King George V and Queen Mary made substantial developments to the castle and grounds throughout the 1910s and 20s. their initials can be seen on the front gates to the castle's long, tree-lined driveway. In the 1950s Prince Philip developed the gardens further, and HM King Charles III continuing work, with the development of the thistle maze currently under construction, as well as further trees being planted throughout the grounds surrounding the castle.
When I was a little girl, holidaying in Royal Deeside as I have done my entire life, I used to wait in Ballater to see Queen Elizabeth II pass through on her way to her own summer retreat to Balmoral. I would joyfully wave then go back to the cottage to draw the events of the day! I loved the idea that the Queen was just up the river from me, the Dee water that passed through her back garden would soon pass by where I would walk and play as well. I am fascinated by the British monarchy, their history and the traditions they represent. And although I live a life worlds apart from theirs, I can relate to them on one thing - the peace that can be found while visiting Royal Deeside. There is no place as tranquil and beautiful in my opinion.
Queen Elizabeth II passed away at Balmoral on the 8th of September 2022 aged 96, after 70 years on the throne. She was the first monarch to pass in Scotland since James V at Falkland Palace in 1542, and the first at Balmoral. While the castle stands as a reminder of Victoria and Albert's love of each other and Scotland, for me and many others I'm sure, it also serves as a beautiful monument to another Queen, who was a comforting and constant figure in our lives for so long. HM King Charles III continues to visit the Balmoral estate each year, partaking in local pass-times such as hiking and attending the Braemar Highland Gathering like generations before him. He is a great supporter of Scotland, our crafts and traditions. He is the patron of the Scottish Tartans Authority, of which I am proudly a trustee, and I had the pleasure of meeting HM The King in 2022 as part of the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trusts 30th anniversary celebrations where we spoke about tartan and kiltmaking past, present and future.
I always look forward to my annual, autumnal visit to Balmoral. The peace and tranquility of Royal Deeside is incredibly cathartic. I find visiting locations and landmarks steeped in history inspiring and motivating. Balmoral brings all of this together. A beautiful, special place that stands as an illustration of a time of great revival and growth in the story of tartan and an unwavering love for Scotland.
A glimpse at Balmoral ~
Find out more about Balmoral's history and visiting dates/times here
Video by Greg Chalmers