King Charles and Camilla Are Doing Everything to Hold Onto Their Birkhall Home, Claims Insider
King Charles owns an impressive portfolio of properties, including seven palaces, 10 castles, 12 homes, 56 cottages, and 14 ancient ruins. Among many of his residences, the monarch supposedly has a favorite, a place he can always call home. One such house is the Birkhall residence on the Balmoral Estate, which the king and Queen Camilla don't want to lose at any cost.
According to the Daily Express, the Birkhall residence, where several significant moments in Charles's life unfolded, holds a special place in his heart. The residence would be his hideout where he spent time with his grandmother, the late Queen Mother, while dealing with his Scottish boarding school. He also lived there with his first wife, the late Princess Diana, during the early years of their marriage, when Prince William and Prince Harry were only kids.
The monarch also made precious memories with Camilla, back when she was Camilla Parker Bowles, and it was their place of affair. The "luxury love nest" became their marital home after they tied the knot, where the couple would spend their honeymoon. Birkhall has also been a special honeymoon house for many royal couples, including Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Wessex, and the Duke and Duchess of Kent.
A new documentary reportedly saw the royal experts sit down to discuss the importance of the Birkhall residence, when royal expert Ingrid Seward said, “It is the property that means the most to him. It is completely secluded away from everybody. It is very hidden, very private.” Another commentator, Jennie Bond, chimed in, “I think when he arrives at Birkhall, it is a case of ‘phew, we are here.’ They have a sense of freedom there that they don’t have in their own lives.”
Bond further titled the three-storey house as ‘cozy but elegant,’ which is comparatively small for a royal residence. Professor of Modern History at the University of St. Andrews, Chandrika Kaul, who has been studying about British monarchy in Scotland, revealed that despite being a country house, the retreat is graceful. She said, “The interiors are graceful and elegant with a touch of comfort of a country house thrown in, but it is the gorgeous grounds that are closest to Charles’ heart.” In the same vein, Bond echoed, “The gardens at Birkhall are stunning and Charles has put his own mark on them very clearly.”
Charles's favorite property was a gift to the sovereign from his beloved grandmother. Kaul explained, “The loss of his grandmother was devastating. She gave Birkhall to her favourite grandson, but it was in a 1950s time warp, so he set about renovating it. He and Camilla refurbished it together with antique furniture and rugs from the Middle East.” Although the house is a special one for the King and Queen, two-thirds of the royal family’s annual outgoings go on the maintenance of luxurious properties, with at least 100 staff to keep them running. However, amid rising cost of living, experts aren't sure what might happen to the King's cozy nest.