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Queen Elizabeth Remembered: Royal Family 'Will All Be There' to Honor Late Monarch at Balmoral as Anniversary of Her Passing Nears

Queen Elizabeth II's death nearly two years ago 'left a void' in the royal family, but all senior members will gather at Balmoral Castle on September 8 to honor her memory.

The late Queen Elizabeth II was the British monarch throughout multiple generations, technological evolutions and unprecedented social changes in British royal history. But to her family, she was a matriarch whose death on September 8, 2022, left a void in their lives "that has been unbearably sad at times," according to a palace insider.

Now, it is reported that her family can still feel her "presence" when staying at Balmoral Castle. As the second anniversary of her death nears, the royals "will all be there" to honor her.

"The 8th of September will be that day we all have, we will all remember the Queen, and I think it was so perfect that she did pass at Balmoral, the place where she loved raising her family with Prince Philip, and they had such happy times," former royal butler in the late Queen's household, Paul Burrell, said on behalf of Slingo.

He added, "I think they will probably have a dinner in memory of the Queen, and her son, King Charles III, will make a toast, because [the fact she reigned] for 70 years just can't go unmarked. I think the family will all be there to mark it in private."

September 8 is also known as "Accession Day" in Britain and the Commonwealth realms, in which remembrance for Elizabeth II mixes with a celebration of Charles III's becoming monarch. Gun salutes are fired across the United Kingdom along with the ringing of bells and church services.

That day will also be a time that numerous royal enthusiasts think about the future of the ancient British Crown and how it will once again evolve to match a changing society. The castle the late Queen loved so dearly will also come into focus for many, especially with its unprecedented opening to the public after centuries.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert purchased the estate in 1852. Enamored with the Scottish Highlands, they commissioned the construction of a new castle to replace the original, deemed too small. Completed in 1856, the new Balmoral Castle was designed in the Scottish Baronial style, reflecting the romanticism of the Victorian era.

The castle's interiors were glimpsed briefly throughout Elizabeth II's record-breaking reign, but never in full detail — however, King Charles wishes to change that.

The span of 70.5 years as the castle's chief resident no doubt has Elizabeth II's family feeling an immense void in her eternal absence from within its shrouded walls. However, with the King's recent decision to open the castle to the public, Her late Majesty would likely not approve.

"I bet they see her around every corner," former palace aide Grant Harrold observed. "I bet they remember the things that she did. They'll remember everything that she did within the castle because she loved Balmoral. But now it's open to the public. Her last bastion has gone, and now every royal residence really is open to the public."

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