Although the Queen was known for being primarily in London, with estates, castles, and country houses across the UK she often spent part of the year in her different homes. Queen Elizabeth II spent the summer months at Balmoral, the Scottish castle, and Christmas at Sandringham in Norfolk.
The Queen died at Balmoral on Monday, August 8, 2022, Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement. Her close family, including Prince Charles and Prince William, made the journey to Balmoral before the news was announced.
Balmoral can be found in Cairngorms National Park in northeast Scotland. It is said to be the Queen's favourite estate and where she most enjoyed spending time.
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The castle is 169 years old and has been one of the residences of the British royal family since 1852. Balmoral was a private property of the Queen and is not part of the Crown Estate. It is a working estate, with grouse moors, forestry, and farmland, as well as managed herds of deer, Highland cattle, and ponies.
The Queen had no official duties at Balmoral other than attending the Braemar Gathering, where she was often an excited onlooker at the caber tossing, the tug of war, and the sack races. One tradition established by Queen Victoria that the Queen reportedly used to enjoy having a bagpiper play for 15 minutes under her window at 9am every morning.
Royal picnics, where the royal family gets together to enjoy a picnic that Prince Philip was famous for cooking, were another favourite pastime of the Queen's while at Balmoral. The Queen also had three other key estates where she stays during the year.
There is the famous Buckingham Palace in the centre of London and it is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch. Buckingham Palace is used for many official events like hosting different heads of state and meeting the British Prime Minister.
Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms. In measurements, the building is 108 metres long across the front, 120 metres deep (including the central quadrangle), and 24 metres high. More than 50,000 people visit the Palace each year as guests to State banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions, and Garden Parties.
In Norfolk there is the Sandringham estate where the Queen and her family spend Christmas. It is where the iconic photos of the royal family walking to church on Christmas day are taken.
The Queen inherited Sandringham from her father King George VI in 1952, following his death on February 6 of that year. Sandringham House has been the private home to four generations of sovereigns since 1862.
Like Balmoral, Sandringham belongs to the Queen privately and was not owned by the Crown Estate. In 1957 the Queen made her first televised Christmas broadcast from the house.
Another castle the Queen often resides at is Windsor Castle. The Queen used the castle both as a private home, where she usually spent the weekend, and as an official Royal residence at which she undertook certain formal duties.
Every year The Queen took up official residence in Windsor Castle for a month over Easter (March-April), known as Easter Court. During that time The Queen hosted occasional 'dine and sleeps' events for guests, including politicians and public figures. Her Majesty, supported by other members of The Royal Family, also presided over Investiture ceremonies at Windsor Castle throughout the year.
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