King Charles once described it as “a unique haven of comfort”.
Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate in Scotland, was the Queen Mother’s holiday home and has long been a favorite of Her Majesty.
So it’s no surprise that one source said it’s “the closest thing” to being a marital home for Charles and Queen Camilla.
It was where the couple enjoyed their honeymoon in 2005 and, in recent weeks, it has been the perfect retreat for the King as he continues his cancer treatment.
But Birkhall hasn’t just been a favorite of Charles and Camilla: it was also a honeymoon paradise for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Prince Edward and Sophia, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and Princess Alexandra and Angus. Ogilvy.
King Charles once described it as “a unique haven of comfort”. Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate in Scotland, was the holiday home of the Queen Mother and has long been a favorite of Her Majesty. Above: Charles and Camilla at Birkhall in 2020
Unsurprisingly, one source said it is “the closest thing” to being a marital home for Charles and Queen Camilla.
Charles and Camilla enjoyed their honeymoon in Birkhall in 2005. Above: The couple on their way to the estate shortly after their wedding.
It features tartan walls, rugs and large fireplaces, giving it the feel of a regular house rather than a royal residence.
Since their diagnosis in February, Charles and Camilla have spent time there gardening, walking and hosting close friends.
When his mother was on her deathbed at Balmoral on 8 September 2022, Charles retired to Birkhall to pick mushrooms in the surrounding woods.
The then Prince of Wales returned to his bed before he died and then returned to Birkhall as the new King that night.
The grieving monarch held a private dinner there with Camilla and Prince William.
A source told the Mail on Sunday last month that even the typically dodgy Scottish weather hasn’t stopped Charles and Camilla from having fun outdoors in Birkhall in recent weeks.
“Bad weather doesn’t stop them,” they said. “It has been a really special moment, following their wedding anniversary and reflecting on the Coronation anniversary.”
Camilla has previously described gardening as “the most relaxing thing in the world”.
Peas, beans, spinach and potatoes are grown in Birkhall’s orchard, as well as more exotic fennel, fraises des bois and dahlias.
“My husband is an excellent gardener and we are quite competitive with our fruits and vegetables,” Camilla said in an interview.
Prince William and Prince Harry with their father at Birkhall in June 1994. The image was released by King Charles to mark Father’s Day in 2022.
Charles, then Prince of Wales, at a ceremony in Birkhall to present medals to soldiers of the 51st Highland, 7th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, 2012.
Queen Elizabeth and her son Charles, then Prince of Wales, are seen receiving a copy of the official biography of the Queen Mother written by author William Shawcross in 2009.
Prince Edward and Sophie, then Earl and Countess of Wessex, enjoyed their honeymoon in Birkhall in 1999.
The Queen Mother watching the ceremony presenting the 1st Battalion, The Black Watch, new colours, at Birkhall.
Princess Elizabeth bends down to wipe baby Princess Anne’s nose before introducing her to Lieutenant Colonel Nielson, who commanded the 1st Argyll in Korea, during her summer holiday at Birkhall.
Prince Charles dancing with the Queen Mother during a staff party at Birkhall
Birkhall was used by the Queen Mother for half a century, after King George V lent it to her and her husband, the future George VI, when they were Duke and Duchess of York.
The Queen Mother loved the house, decorated it to her liking and extensively developed the garden.
Only reluctantly did she trade it for the grandeur of Balmoral Castle when her husband became king.
The young Princess Elizabeth spent time there, before returning it to her mother when she became queen in 1952.
She and Philip had enjoyed the second part of their honeymoon there in 1947, after initially staying at Broadlands, Earl Mountbatten’s home.
Princess Alexandra with her new husband Angus Ogilvy, as they leave Crathie Church near Balmoral during their honeymoon in Birkhall, 1963.
The Duke and Duchess of Kent are seen on their way to Birkhall shortly after their wedding, 1961.
Charles and Camilla in Birkhall in February 2005, two months before their wedding.
Charles and Camilla near Birkhall in 2007. The couple enjoys celebrating their wedding anniversary there.
Prince Charles and his sister Princess Anne ride in baby carriages at Birkhall in 1951
The house is named after the birch trees that surround it. It dates back to 1715 and was purchased by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert for her son in 1849.
But he never liked it and stayed there only once.
As Prince of Wales, Charles stayed there frequently, including with his sons William and Harry.
Princess Diana famously refused to accompany Charles there on holiday when their marriage deteriorated.