Expensive "journey through time"

Charles opens Balmoral – at a proud price

Visits to Balmoral Castle are a relatively expensive pleasure, but some dates are already sold out.

(Bild: APA/AFP/POOL/Andrew Milligan)

For the first time, tourists can visit some areas of Balmoral Castle in Scotland that are used by the British Royal Family. The guided tours will be offered between July 1 and August 4, before King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla traditionally spend their summer vacation on the estate in the Scottish Highlands. But it is an expensive pleasure.

The "time travel", as the administration calls the tours, is only likely to be an option for a few visitors given the high prices.

150 pounds for a guided tour and tea time
A guided tour with a maximum of ten participants costs 100 pounds (116.70 euros) per person, while a tour including afternoon tea, which includes tea and sandwiches, costs 150 pounds.

A maximum of 40 tickets are available each day. Some dates are already sold out.

Close connection
The royals have a close connection to Balmoral Castle, which belongs to the monarch himself. Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, bought the property in 1852 and had a new, larger building erected. The original castle was demolished.

Charles' mother Queen Elizabeth II spent many weeks here every summer and also went hiking in the surrounding area. She died on the estate on September 8, 2022.

It is the first time since the castle was completed in 1855 that private tours have been offered, the administration announced. Tourists have been able to visit Balmoral for some time. However, entry is restricted to the gardens and park as well as the ballroom. This year, admission is possible from May 4 to August 11.

Charles announces he has cancer
At the beginning of February, the palace announced that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer. It is not known what form of the disease it is - except that it is not believed to be prostate cancer.

The monarch has since undergone treatment and has canceled all public appearances until further notice. However, over the Easter weekend, he appeared to his subjects at a church service in Windsor and even chatted with onlookers who wished him well.