Queen's traditional welcome ceremony at Balmoral Castle 'canceled' over new health concerns
SCOTLAND, UNITED KINGDOM: The Queen's traditional welcome to Balmoral Castle, one of her favorite homes where she takes a break each year at the end of summer, has been canceled amid fears over the 96-year-old’s health. Queen Elizabeth II was due to attend the ceremony on August 8, 2022, but it has been canceled and replaced with a "small, but private event," as per reports.
According to DailyMail, the Queen arrived at the Aberdeenshire estate in late July and had been staying at the smaller Craigowan Lodge on her estate. She had planned to attend the welcome ceremony, but it got cancelled on August 6, and has been replaced by a smaller gathering. This will be the first time, apart from during the Covid pandemic, that the Queen will not participate in the ceremony outside the castle gates. A royal source told Mirror, "The traditional welcome to Balmoral is normally cemented in the Queen’s calendar and something Her Majesty really enjoys, being able to greet locals who travel to see her. It’s a bitter disappointment the ceremony will not take place in its traditional form.”
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As per the Mirror report, other sources suggested the alternative plan was "very much a sign of things to come" amid the Queen's mobility issues. She would inspect a Guard of Honour from Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, during her visit to the castle. However, Buckingham Palace said that the private event was "in line with adapting Her Majesty’s schedule for her comfort."
As per the update, the Queen, who acts as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, will now attend the private event on the Balmoral lawns within the castle.
Inside Balmoral Castle
According to Town&Country, the first home in Balmoral was reportedly built in 1390 but it did not belong to British royal family until 1852 when Prince Albert bought the property as a gift for his wife Queen Victoria. However, after the purchase, when the residence seemed too small, the royal couple built an additional castle to fit their growing family. The architectural design is Scottish and Baronial, and the interior designs were done by William Burn, who used granite for the construction, his specialty. The new castle was completed in 1856. Now, there are a total of 15 buildings on the 50,000-acre estate.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana's honeymoon was in the castle and this was also where Prince Harry and Prince William found out about their mother's death in 1997.
