Balmoral Castle is a huge estate house located in the area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Balmoral Castle is undoubtedly the pearl in the crown of the Scottish royal architecture. The estate was bought by Queen Victoria’s husband – Prince Albert and becomes the most favorite summer residence of the Royal Family.

Ever since it was built, the castle served as a Royal Residence of the Royal Family. It is now a private property of the Queen and not part of the government owned royal estates. The castle was passed in the family generation after generation and progressively extended now reaching 20,000 hectares.  The incredibly beautiful River Dee is running through its territory.

The history of the castle started in in 1390 when Sir William Drummond built his family estate where Balmoral Castle is currently standing. Before that, King Robert II used the former building as a hunting lodge from 1316 until 1390. Balmoral Castle acquired its Royal Residence status in 1848 when the house was first leased to Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert. She described the castle in her diaries as ‘my dear paradise in the Highlands’. The Queen spent her summer vacations in the splendid Balmoral halls and the perfectly arranged gardens around it to this day.

Balmoral Castle blossoms over the years thanks to the royal cares. Special attention is paid to the harmony between the flora and the fauna there. The Duke of Edinburgh makes exceptional contributions to the beautiful gardens surrounding Balmoral by enlarging the flower and vegetable gardens as well adding a water park. The water garden is located in the western part of the central park among beautiful forest.

Balmoral Castle – the Scottish estate of Queen Elisabeth II will be the first royal property which will be energy self-sufficient using renewable resources.

The modern hydroelectric turbine at Balmoral generates electricity not only for the needs of the castle but to supply 1000 homes in the region too.  Another interesting fact is that the entire organic waste of the castle is fully recycled. Yet another proof for the Queen’s dedication to preserving the environment is the fact that her bodyguards in Scotland will be patrolling on bicycles instead of using cars. 

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