Vintage photos show some of the royal family's memorable moments at Balmoral Castle, where Queen Elizabeth II died
Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at the age of 96 in her Scottish holiday home, Balmoral Castle.
The private residence is considered the place where she felt most comfortable.
The royal family has seen several memorable moments at the family residence in the Scottish Highlands.
She and Her Majesty's staff were quarantined there during parts of the pandemic in a "Balmoral bubble."
Some of the royal family's best moments, from family vacations to honeymoons, also took place at Balmoral over the years.
Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh, and their children spent plenty of time vacationing at Balmoral Castle, one of the only properties owned by the royal family and not the Crown.
The Queen spent virtually every summer since her childhood at the private residence, and the home is where she was considered to be the most comfortable.
As the Queen's children King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Edward, and Prince Andrew grew up, they took many official family photos on the grounds in Ballater, Scotland.
They also enjoyed plenty of candid moments, too. In this photo, the Queen plays with a 4-year-old King Charles.
Her Majesty wasn't afraid to break royal etiquette when she helped her daughter, Princess Anne, climb through the window of the residence during a family vacation.
The Queen loved walking cross country on the grounds of Balmoral Castle ...
... and spending time with nature.
As Insider previously reported, Princess Eugenie said a typical day at Balmoral includes "Walks, picnics, dogs — a lot of dogs, there's always dogs — and people coming in and out all the time."
The Queen and Prince Philip enjoyed time together on the estate's farm in 1972, the year of their silver wedding anniversary.
Princess Diana and King Charles enjoyed their honeymoon at Balmoral during the summer of 1981.
During their stay, the couple broke protocol to show PDA in this adorable photo from their visit.
Read more: Photos of Princess Diana show the lasting impact she had on the world
The holiday retreat has been an ideal place to bring children. The King often took his sons, Princes William and Harry, to play on the banks of the River Dee ...
... and continued to do so as the boys grew older.
A major part of the Queen's summer vacation involved a front-row seat at the annual Braemar Gathering, a special exhibition of the Scottish heritage and games.
Charles and Camilla — The King and The Queen Consort— spent their honeymoon at the estate in 2005. The couple took some time away from their romantic getaway to open a local children's playground, their first official engagement as a married couple.
Kate Middleton has also vacationed at Balmoral through the years and often joined the Queen to attend Crathie Kirk Church. Every monarch since Queen Victoria has worshipped there.
The Queen and Her Majesty's staff were quarantined there during parts of the pandemic in a "Balmoral bubble."
Britain's new Prime Minister Liz Truss met with the Queen at Balmoral Castle on September 6, 2022, where the Queen invited Truss to form a Government.
Two days later, royals including Prince William, Prince Charles, and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, traveled to Balmoral Castle to be by the Queen's side as the monarch's doctors were concerned for her health.
Source: The Queen's doctors are 'concerned' for the 96-year-old monarch's health, palace says
Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at the age of 96 in her private Scottish home on September 8, 2022.
Source: Queen Elizabeth II is dead at 96, bringing her unprecedented 70-year reign to a close
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