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How the Queen really pays for her idyllic Scottish summer home

Her Majesty is residing at Balmoral


queen balmoral rental© Photo: Getty Images
Rachel Avery
Homes Editor
Updated: August 18, 2021
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Her Majesty the Queen is currently residing at Balmoral, her summer residence, and the upkeep of such a huge castle and estate won't come cheap, but luckily the monarch brings in extra revenue in a savvy way.

RELATED: The Queen's private holiday home is full of Prince Philip memories – photos

Within the Balmoral estate there are many different holiday cottages including Connachat Cottage, Karim Cottage and Rhebreck Lodge, which can be rented out by members of the public.

WATCH: The Queen's magical summer residence 

The properties, which are accessed via the Queen's private road, can host anything from four to seven people at a time and they all have their own stunning rustic charm.

The Balmoral Castle website warns prospective renters that the "holiday cottages on the estate are not available for some weeks during The Royal Visit".

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The Queen's Balmoral residence also has holiday rentals on site

The Guardian has revealed that Balmoral "requires more than £3m a year to run" including energy and staff, so we're sure that the income from these rental properties will be more than welcome.

MORE: The most beautiful holiday homes owned by the Queen and other royals

READ: Do the royals pay rent? Princess Eugenie, Prince Harry, Prince William and more

Balmoral is one of the two UK properties, along with Sandringham, which the monarch owns privately as others such as Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are owned by the Crown Estate.

balmoral castle© Photo: Getty Images

The Queen loves spending summertime in Scotland

The Crown Estate website explains: "The Crown Estate belongs to the reigning monarch 'in right of The Crown', that is, it is owned by the monarch for the duration of their reign, by virtue of their accession to the throne. But it is not the private property of the monarch - it cannot be sold by the monarch, nor do revenues from it belong to the monarch."

Her Majesty travelled to Balmoral for her traditional summer break last month and was officially welcomed to her Scottish residence during a short ceremony last week.

balmoral royal family

Balmoral has long been a choice for family vacations 

It marks the Queen's first stay at the estate since the death of her husband the Duke of Edinburgh in April.

The monarch hasn't been alone though as she has been joined by several family members, including the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of York and his former wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, and Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank, and their six-month-old son, August.

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