Balmoral is both a royal residence and a large Highland estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The public does not have unrestricted access to the castle or grounds throughout the year; opening dates are seasonal and can be restricted during the Royal Family’s annual stay. That distinction is central to planning a visit. Balmoral’s official history describes an estate of around 50,000 acres, while the castle itself is only one part of a wider landscape of gardens, woodland, walks and working land.
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert first leased Balmoral in 1848 and purchased it in 1852. They had visited Scotland earlier in the decade and were drawn to the Highlands. Prince Albert commissioned Aberdeen architect William Smith to design a new residence in place of the old castle. Construction began in 1853 and the new building was completed in 1856. Historic Environment Scotland identifies it as Scottish Baronial in style and built from local white granite, a design that gives the residence a different character from the royal palaces of London.
