Advertisement

Queen to visit Balmoral to privately mourn Prince Philip

Duke of Edinburgh and Queen (PA Media)
Duke of Edinburgh and Queen (PA Media)

The Queen will travel to Balmoral this month to privately grieve Prince Philip following his death in April, it has been reported.

Her Majesty will be making a low key out-of-season trip to the sprawling Scottish estate, which she usually visits with other members of the royal family from August to October.

A similar trip was made by Queen Victoria almost 160 years ago, following the death of her husband Prince Albert.

According to the Daily Mail, the Queen will not stay in the castle but at the seven-bedroom Craigowan Lodge on the Balmoral Estate, a stone’s throw from where she and Prince Philip spent part of their honeymoon seven decades ago.

The paper says there will be no days out to Highland Games, nor visits from heads of state.

A small number of staff will accompany the Queen, while her niece, Lady Sarah Chatto, may join her.

Prince Philip and the Queen travelled to Balmoral for summer holidays away from Windsor Castle.

If the Queen decides to stay at Balmoral during the summer break, she will likely be joined by other family members including the Cambridges, the Wessexes, Prince Charles and Camilla and the Duchess of Rothesay.

Princess Eugenie previously shared how Her Majesty is “most happy” at Balmoral, saying it is “the most beautiful place on Earth”.

Speaking on ITV's Our Queen At Ninety, she said: "I think she really, really loves the Highlands.

"Walks, picnics, dogs – a lot of dogs, there's always dogs – and people coming in and out all the time.

“It's a lovely base for Granny and Grandpa, for us to come and see them up there; where you just have room to breathe and run."

The Queen set out the Government’s programme this week in her first major public ceremonial appearance since the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.

During the speech, around 30 pieces of legislation were promised. This included:

- A Health and Care Bill to better integrate the NHS and social care systems.

- A Planning Bill to make it easier to build new homes, schools and hospitals.

- New laws to scrap the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, meaning it will be easier for Mr Johnson to call an early general election before 2024.

- A Counter-State Threats Bill to introduce a US-style register of foreign agents to help counter espionage and influence from hostile governments.

- The return of the controversial Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which saw demonstrations over concerns that it would curtail the right to protest when it was last before Parliament.

- A Higher Education (Free Speech) Bill giving regulators the power to fine universities or students’ unions in England if they fail to protect freedom of expression.

Read More

Duke of Edinburgh remembered on set of stamps issued by Royal Mail

Consort’s throne missing from state opening

Charles touches on death of Prince Philip in Ramadan message