It was once described by King Charles as ‘a unique oasis of conviviality’.
Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate in Scotland, was the Queen Mother’s holiday home and has long been a favorite of His Majesty.
So it’s no surprise that a source said it’s “as close as it gets” to being a marital home for Charles and Queen Camilla.
It was where the couple enjoyed their honeymoon in 2005 and in recent weeks it has been the perfect retreat for the king as he continues his cancer treatment.
But Birkhall isn’t just Charles and Camilla’s favourite; it was also a honeymoon retreat for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Kent and Princess Alexandra and Angus Ogilvy.
It was once described by King Charles as ‘a unique oasis of conviviality’. Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate in Scotland, was the Queen Mother’s holiday home and has long been a favorite of His Majesty. Above: Charles and Camilla at Birkhall in 2020
It’s no surprise that a source said it’s “as close as it gets” to being a marital home for Charles and Queen Camilla
Charles and Camilla enjoyed their honeymoon at Birkhall in 2005. Above: the couple on their way to the estate shortly after their wedding
It features tartan walls, carpets and large fireplaces, giving it the feel of a normal home rather than a royal residence.
Since his diagnosis in February, Charles and Camilla have spent time there gardening, walking and entertaining close friends.
As his mother lay on her deathbed in Balmoral on September 8, 2022, Charles retreated to Birkhall to pick mushrooms in the surrounding woods.
The then Prince of Wales returned to her bedside before her death and returned to Birkhall that evening as the new king.
The grieving monarch had a private dinner there with Camilla and Prince William.
A source told the Mail on Sunday last month that even the usually unreliable Scottish climate hasn’t stopped Charles and Camilla from enjoying the outdoors at Birkhall in recent weeks.
“Mixed weather won’t stop them,” they said. ‘It was a very special time, just after their wedding anniversary and in retrospect to the anniversary of the coronation.’
Camilla has previously described gardening as ‘the most relaxing thing in the world’.
Birkhall’s kitchen garden grows peas, beans, spinach and potatoes, along with more exotic fennel, fraise des bois and dahlias.
“My husband is an excellent gardener and we are quite competitive when it comes to our fruits and vegetables,” Camilla said in an interview.
Prince William and Prince Harry with their father at Birkhall in June 1994. The image was posted by King Charles to mark Father’s Day in 2022
Charles, then the Prince of Wales, at a ceremony in Birkhall to present medals to soldiers of the 51st Highland, 7th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, 2012
Queen Elizabeth and her son Charles, then the Prince of Wales, are presented with a copy of the official biography of the Queen Mother by author William Shawcross in 2009
Prince Edward and Sophie, then the Earl and Countess of Wessex, enjoyed their honeymoon at Birkhall in 1999
The Queen Mother watches the ceremony where she presented the 1st Battalion, The Black Watch, with new colours, at Birkhall
Princess Elizabeth bends down to wipe baby Princess Anne’s nose before introducing her to Lieutenant Colonel Nielson, who commanded the 1st Argylls in Korea, during their summer holiday at Birkhall
Prince Charles dances with the Queen Mother during a staff party at Birkhall
Birkhall was used by the Queen Mother for half a century, after King George V lent it to her and her husband – the future George VI – when they were Duke and Duchess of York.
The Queen Mother loved the house, she decorated it to her taste and extensively landscaped the garden.
She only reluctantly traded it for the grandeur of Balmoral Castle when her husband became king.
The young Princess Elizabeth then spent time there before returning it to her mother when she became queen in 1952.
She and Philip had enjoyed the second part of their honeymoon there in 1947, after initially staying at Broadlands, Earl Mountbatten’s home.
Princess Alexandra with her husband Angus Ogilvy, as they leave Crathie Church near Balmoral on their honeymoon at Birkhall, in 1963
The Duke and Duchess of Kent are seen traveling to Birkhall shortly after their wedding in 1961
Charles and Camilla in Birkhall in February 2005, two months before their wedding
Charles and Camilla near Birkhall in 2007. The couple happily celebrate their wedding anniversary there
Prince Charles and his sister Princess Anne sin in prams at Birkhall in 1951
The house is named after the birch trees surrounding it. It dates from 1715 and was purchased by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert for their son in 1849.
But he never liked it and only stayed once.
As Prince of Wales, Charles stayed there regularly, including with his sons William and Harry.
Princess Diana famously refused to holiday there with Charles when their marriage deteriorated.