Balmoral Castle - what will happen to the Queen's Scottish home after her death?

On Thursday, September 8, the Queen died aged 96 at her beloved summer residence of Balmoral in Scotland.

In a break from tradition, Her Majesty bid goodbye to Boris Johnson and met newly appointed Prime Minister Liz Truss at her Scottish residence on Tuesday. She passed two days later after being placed under "medical supervision".

Balmoral has always been a place of sanctuary for Her Majesty, as she would travel to Scotland to spend up to three months of her summer there.

Throughout her stays, she would be joined by various members of the Royal Family to enjoy quality time together. There, she could take long outdoor walks with the Duke of Edinburgh, her beloved corgis and reminisce on times gone by.

Now, after her death, the Queen has not only left behind a historic legacy, but also a rather vast estate. The majority of Royal Palaces belong to what's known as the Crown Estate - a collection of lands and holdings belonging to the British Monarchy.

The Queen's "favourite photo" of her and late husband Philip, taken at the Coyles of Muick while staying at Balmoral (PA)

However, Balmoral is not part of this royal collection. In fact, according to history website English Monarchs, the property was purchased by Her Majesty's great-great grandmother Queen Victoria in 1852.

It was then inherited by the Queen, making it one of her private assets. As reported in Forbes, she has accumulated over $500 million in personal assets including her real estate holdings, which are likely to be inherited by King Charles III.

In this case, His Majesty will come to own Balmoral like his mother before him.

Will Balmoral open to the public?

Balmoral Castle is the country estate of the British Royal Family since 1852 (Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

While nothing is confirmed, it is not likely that Balmoral will open to the public full-time.

Prior to her death, Balmoral Castle is usually open for public visitation from April to July each year. While Buckingham Palace is open for tours, this is done to pay for palace maintenance and royal staff of the Crown Estate.

As Balmoral is the Queen's private property, its fate will be decided by whichever Royal Family member it is designated to.

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