King Charles pays tribute to late Queen's love of Balmoral in new castle guidebook

King Charles III has contributed a heartfelt foreword to a new guidebook celebrating Balmoral Castle, describing the beloved Scottish estate as occupying a "uniquely special place" in his family's affections.

The monarch referred to the 50,000-acre property as his family's "cherished Scottish home" since Prince Albert first acquired it in 1852, praising both its architecture and the surrounding natural landscape.

King reflects on Balmoral's timeless appeal

In his foreword, the King singled out the estate's distinctive character and the almost spiritual quality of its Highland setting.

"With its buildings of startling individuality, which never fail to fascinate, and its precious, almost sacred, surrounding landscape, it is a place where there is constant change, yet everything remains unaltered, with a sense of timelessness which refreshes the soul," he wrote.

He concluded his contribution with an invitation to readers to discover the estate for themselves.

"I hope that you, too, will be inspired by the rich complexity of the architecture and share in the magic of the surrounding countryside, whose 'wild and majestic' landscape has been the source of inspiration and enjoyment for so many," he wrote.

Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II's love of Balmoral

In some of the most moving passages of the foreword, the King paid tribute to his late mother's famously deep bond with the Highlands residence.

"My late mother particularly treasured her time at Balmoral," he wrote. "It was here, in these most beloved of surroundings, that she chose to spend her final days."

Queen Elizabeth II passed away peacefully at the estate on 8 September 2022, aged 96, following seven decades on the throne.

Inside the new guidebook

The guidebook, titled simply Balmoral, spans 80 pages and features photography by Christopher Simon Sykes capturing the castle's historic interiors. It opens with a watercolour of the castle painted by the King himself in 1989, when he was still the Prince of Wales.

The book was written by journalist and historian Mary Miers and published by Barbreck Publishers. It will first go on sale at the Balmoral Castle gift shop and website from midday on Tuesday, with wider distribution through Amazon, Waterstones, Blackwells and other booksellers following from Thursday, 11 June. The paperback carries a retail price of £10.

For those unable to travel to Aberdeenshire in person, the publication offers a comprehensive visual tour of rooms that remained private for generations.

King's alterations to Balmoral's grounds

Since welcoming visitors inside the castle for the first time in over 170 years in July 2024, King Charles has undertaken a series of notable changes to Balmoral's grounds.

The most striking of these is the Celtic Ballroom Maze, an intricate geometric design created in 2024 that replaced the former lawn between the castle's north front and the River Dee. The maze reflects the monarch's well-documented interest in geometric patterns.

Within the castle itself, the King has enriched the interiors with additional furniture, paintings and objects, many sourced from the Royal Collection, as well as carpets that introduce fresh colour and texture to the historic rooms.

Author on Balmoral's enduring significance

Author Mary Miers spoke about the broader story the guidebook seeks to tell.

"Balmoral will forever be associated with Victoria and Albert's love affair with the Highlands, but there's so much more to the story, which I hope this guidebook reveals," she said.

"Now that Balmoral is more publicly accessible, it's possible to appreciate how central the Prince Consort's interests in architecture, design, landscaping and estate management were to its creation, and how effectively The King, who shares these passions, has added a new layer of interest and style, while preserving and enhancing the original."