"If there is one place in the world that the Queen does let herself take a proper holiday and fully unwind, it’s in the Scottish Highlands. More specifically, at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, which has been a royal residence since 1852. The Queen has visited Balmoral every summer since she assumed the throne in 1952, and it’s here that she is said to be at her most relaxed. “I think Granny is the most happy there,” revealed Princess Eugenie in the Our Queen at Ninety documentary. “I think she really, really loves the Highlands. Walks, picnics, dogs—a lot of dogs, there’s always dogs—and people coming in and out all the time.” Balmoral has always been a place of refuge for her, as it was for the late Prince Philip—somewhere they could come together to enjoy the wild, remote landscape and practice their favorite outdoor pursuits, such as riding and walking. So it came as no surprise that it was here that she returned to last summer, in the wake of her beloved husband’s death." - Luciana Bellini
