King Charles to turn Balmoral Castle into public memorial for visitors to 'pay their respect to Queen'
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: If reports are to be believed, King Charles plans to make Balmoral castle, Aberdeenshire a public memorial to commemorate the life of his mother Queen Elizabeth II. King Charles is even considering opening it to the public from October to December without fees and guided tours even when he and Camilla, the Queen Consort, will be in residence.
According to Daily Mail report, King Charles will focus on "legacy and celebrating the queen" when determining how best to use his private homes and royal residences that he already inherited from his mother after her passing.
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As part of the Royal Family tradition during her reign, Queen Elizabeth spent her summers at Balmoral. In fact, the Queen spent her last days at the Aberdeenshire home. The estate has remained a place of official royal mourning ever since her death on September 8. A spokesman said: "Visitors will be able to visit the grounds and gardens, where they can enjoy the peace and tranquility of this special place and pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II."
Meanwhile, not just Balmoral castle but King Charles hopes to expand public access to other privately owned estates as well as other royal residences to reflect on the life of his mother. The King's preferred residence is Birkhall on the estate, which he inherited from his grandmother, the Queen Mother. It was also where he spent his honeymoon with Queen Consort Camilla.
In recent years, the enchanting estate, which is thought to be the Queen's favorite residence, has only been open between April and July.
King Charles has previously enjoyed welcoming guests to private homes and hopes to emulate the success of Dumfries House, where he is often found working above the front door whilst tourists explore the house. The Prince's Foundation owns Dumfries - a beautiful 18th-century house surrounded by 2,000 acres - since 2007. Additionally, the King spends a lot of time at Highgrove, Gloucestershire, where the public is invited to walk through the gardens while he is still there.
However, Queen Consort is said to be less attached to the Gloucestershire home. Penny Junor, one of her biographers, stated that she would not be sad to see Highgrove go as she believed that 'it belongs to Diana. It is not hers,' a DailyMail reported.