THEn terms of Royal homes, Queen Elizabeth and her son had no tastes in common. And King Charles III wasted no time proving it. After having refused, upon accession to the throne, the possibility of permanently residing in Windsor, his mother’s favorite castle, preferring to remain in Clarence House, his official residence in London, now he broke another tradition dear to Elizabethsnubbing Sandringham and Bamoral.
King Charles III breaks Elizabeth’s tradition
Every year, after the Christmas holidays, Queen Elizabeth used to stay with her husband Philip at Sandringham, the Royal residence located in the south of England, which he inherited from George VI. And having left all the relatives hosted during the holidays, he never failed to stay there until February 6th, to honor the anniversary of his father’s death. A tradition immediately rejected by Carlo, who has many other plans.
Camilla e Carlobalmo in Scotland, but not at Balmoral
Rather than stay at Sandringham until February, and for the second year running, Charles and Camilla packed their bags and they went to Scotland. But will they reside in Balmoral Castle so dear to Queen Elizabeth? No, the new monarchs prefer the privacy of a home much more loved by them, and certainly more isolated, Birkhall, where they will spend the entire month of January.
Charles and Camilla with their dogs Bluebell and Beth in Birkhall, Scotland, April 2020 (IPA)
Charles and Camilla’s Scottish routine
At Birkhall, Carlo and Camilla will allow themselves a long period of reflection and relaxation. Carlo will dedicate himself to fishing, Camilla will take the dogs Beth and Bluebell for a walk. Together they will spend hours reading in the peace and tranquility of the mansion’s rich and ancient library, which employs only a handful of cooks and valets. And for theirs long morning walks they will not want to be accompanied by bodyguards.
Birkhall, the dream of King Charles III
Certainly less important than Balmoral, which is just a few kilometers away, Birkhall is the Scottish residence inherited by Charles from his grandmother, the Queen Mother, who passed away in 2002. The king is particularly fond of the residence: it was right there that he asked to Camilla to marry him and the two ended up spending their honeymoon there, in 2005, as well as the recent periods of lockdown.
The gardens inherited from her grandmother, the Queen Mother
What unites Carlo and Camilla in their passion for Birkhall, the historic residence that they consider a family home, are in particular the gardens that surround it and which they continue to look after themselves, often working alongside local gardeners. «AND a special place Why it was created by my grandmother” commented the then prince in a 2013 interview. “AND the garden of my childhood. I just limited myself to improving it a little.”
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