PRINCESS Kate delighted royal fans as she was spotted smiling as she arrived at church near Balmoral with Prince William last week.
The royal, 42, made her first public appearance in over a month as she headed to the Sunday service at Crathie Church, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Every year the royal family flocks to Balmoral for their summer break to “let their hair down”, and it seems this year is no different – even for Princess Kate.
The Princess of Wales announced in March that she was undergoing preventative cancer treatment and she has only been seen a handful of times this year.
When William and Kate visit Balmoral, they don’t stay in the 52-bedroom castle like the rest of the family – but in their own countryside cottage.
Secret home
Tam-Na-Ghar is nestled in the grounds on the 5,000-acre estate, and was gifted to William by his late great-grandmother, the Queen Mother, before her death in 2002.
The three-bedroom cottage is a rather modest dwelling, certainly in comparison to the Wales family’s grand Anmer Hall in Norfolk.
They also have Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace which they used to live in full time, before relocating to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor.
It was constructed in the traditional style of Scottish lodges and very few photos are available of the house’s exterior and interior.
It is located near to Birkhall, the King’s large home on the bank of the River Muick, and is said to be surrounded by lush greenery.
While the home appears rather lowkey in appearance, it does have fond memories for the couple.
University sweethearts Kate and William, who met at St Andrews, used to use the home as a hideaway when they were dating.
Some sources claim the couple hail their time at Tam-Na-Ghar as the site of some of their happiest times together over the years.
While Kate visited the home from as early as 2001, it wasn’t until 2009 that she visited Balmoral, which was a big step as she and William were not yet engaged.
Prince William previously gushed about how a “big part” of him is always in Scotland.
He told Country Life: “My family has deep connections there and it was such a fun part of my childhood and upbringing.”
It’s a long-held tradition for the royals to holiday at Balmoral during the summer, and they typically spend their time fishing, riding, walking and doing BBQs.
While there are numerous rooms in the castle for family, there are said to be approximately 150 cottages on the large estate.
‘Positive sign’
The family break will be Kate’s longest trip away since her cancer diagnosis, as she continues to undergo treatment.
However, royal author Phil Dampier said that it is a “positive” sign in her recovery that the mum-of-three is planning to go to Scotland.
Speaking to Fabulous, he said: “The fact that Kate is well enough to travel to Scotland and enjoy a holiday at Balmoral is a sure sign she is on the mend and a very positive step.”
The Waleses will join King Charles and Queen Camilla, with the rest of the Royal Family in tow, at Balmoral, as reported by The Mail on Sunday.
Room to run around
The Balmoral Estate is vast, and it now covers an area of approximately 50,000 acres of forestry, mountains and fields, with the scenic river Dee flowing through it.
Phil shared: “Obviously, there’s so much space up there, so the children can go off.
“I’m sure that George is of an age now where he’ll be fishing, possibly in the River Dee there.”
The estate and castle are privately owned by the Royal Family and are not the property of the Crown, which offers them a family break away from the public eye.
Phil said: “There’s so much space that they can go off for picnics, go off for massive long walks, and just enjoy the fresh air and the forest up there, and enjoy the freedom.
“They might get a pony up there and start doing some horse riding if they’re not already.
“That’s the sort of thing they’ll get up to.
“It’s all the typical traditional royal pursuits that they can enjoy if they want to up there.”
The royal expert said that Balmoral tips are “extremely private”, and added: “We don’t tend to see as many pictures as we used to; they tend to be left alone up there, and I’m sure that’s how they’ll like it.”
The category A listed Balmoral Castle- which costs around £3million annually to run – is breathtaking but can be fairly “drafty”, according to Phil.
During the stay, King Charles will stay at Birkhall with Queen Camilla, but they’ll “travel over for dinner and events and picnics”, claims Phil.
Balmoral Castle
BALMORAL Castle is a large estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, near the village of Crathie.
The vast property is situated 6.2 miles west of Ballater and 6.8 miles east of Braemar.
The estate and castle are privately owned by the Royal Family and are not the property of the Crown.
The existing house on site was found to be too small, so the royals purchased the estate in 1852.
In its place, the construction of the current Balmoral Castle was commissioned.
William Smith of Aberdeen was the architect, although his designs were amended by Prince Albert.
Historic Scotland classified the castle as a category A listed building.
The new castle was completed in 1856, with the old castle demolished shortly thereafter.
Successive Royal Family members added to the Balmoral Estate, and it now covers an area of approximately 50,000 acres.
As well as the main castle, there are 150 other buildings on the estate, including Birkhall, the estate of King Charles, Craigowan Lodge, and several other cottages.
Balmoral is a working estate, including grouse moors, forestry, and farmland, as well as managed herds of deer, Highland cattle, and ponies.
Since 1987, an illustration of the castle has been featured on the reverse side of £100 notes issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland.
The crimson-coloured notes are the largest denomination of banknotes issued by The Royal Bank of Scotland and are still in production.