King Charles III is considering turning the Queen' s beloved Balmoral holiday home into a museum in her memory, it has been claimed.
The 50,000-acre royal estate in Dee Valley, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is worth an estimated £120million and is where Her Majesty spent each summer.
As part of his efforts to modernise and 'slim down' the monarchy, the King is now said by insiders to be considering the possibility of converting the castle into a site open to the public.
It is thought the location might be refashioned as a museum in memory of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away there on September 8.
A source speaking to the MailOnline said: "Looking at the number of properties and the number of working members of the Royal Family, the King will be looking at the properties and asking: 'What value does this give to the public?'"
Various personal artefacts and items of clothing worn by the monarchy at significant points in her 70-year reign could potentially feature in exhibits, with the possible inclusion of selected pieces from the royal jewellery collection also likely to draw visitors.
The reports come only days after Daily Mirror royal expert Russell Myers told Lorraine on her ITV breakfast show that Charles had previously spoken of converting one of the family's palaces - as he thought the Royal Family had too many already.
The topic was raised when Lorraine told Russell: "I think they should turn Buckingham Palace into a museum, I think they should."
To which he replied: "Interestingly enough, King Charles has always been saying this.
"He's said he would want some of the royal palaces to be turned into museums because you don't need them all.
"I think it doesn't really sit with the music at the moment, so it will be very interesting to see how he shifts into being a modern monarch in the current climate."
The residency in Scotland will likely remain closely tied to the late monarch for many years to come - and in a message broadcast on TV following yesterday's minute's silence, Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles told how she was happiest at Balmoral.
Remembering the time the Queen spent away from her busy calendar of royal duties, Camilla said: “She made a rule that she had her private time and her private passions and then her public role and I think that is very important that, you know, the diary is planned out so you know when you’re on duty and when you’ve got to do things.
“Then when she went up to Scotland in August, you know that was the moment where it was her enjoyment.
“Although, she was probably working, you know with her red boxes throughout, she could have her family to stay, she could do the things she loved.”
