‘BALMORAL IS WHERE THE QUEEN CAN KICK OFF HER CROWN AND RELAX'

AS THE QUEEN HEADS OFF ON HER ANNUAL RETREAT TO SCOTLAND ROYAL EXPERT DUNCAN LARCOMBE TELLS OF THE MAGIC OF THE ESTATE AND WHY THIS YEAR WILL BE POIGNANT WITHOUT PRINCE PHILIP

- KAT ROMERO

The Queen has enjoyed her annual summer retreat to the Balmoral estate in the Scottish Highlands for decades. But this year’s visit, which started last week, will no doubt be tinged with sadness as it marks the first since the passing of her husband of 73 years Prince Philip in April.

“The Queen has had a blanket of support thrown around her since Philip’s passing,” royal expert Duncan Larcombe tells OK! “She’ll have regular guests to stay at the estate. But it will still be an incredibly hard reminder that Philip has gone. Special occasions will always be tinged with sadness. She knows the first Christmas at Sandringham will be tough without him as he was the head of festivities. Similarly with Balmoral, he loved to take charge of activities. It gave the Queen that rest. For the time she was there, she was able to kick off her crown and relax. He loved to be able to do that for her.”

Balmoral Castle has been the Scottish home of the royal family since it was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852. The castle is directly owned by the Queen and considered to be her private residence. She and her family have spent summers there since she was a young girl.