William and Kate's Balmoral break - secret home, pranks and photoshoots
Each year the Prince and Princess of Wales make a summer trip to Balmoral - and it seems this year will be no different.
William and Kate are expected to take Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to the Scottish Highlands estate for a late summer break now that King Charles is in residence. There, they will have a chance to catch up with their royal relatives
This year may prove to be a bittersweet holiday for the family as it will be the first at Balmoral since the late Queen's death last September. But while they will cherish their happy Balmoral memories, they will also no doubt get up to lots of fun during the break - and here we look at what they might have planned...
Special retreat
William has been holidaying in Balmoral ever since he was a child and Kate began joining him once they married in 2011. George, Charlotte and Louis, like their dad, have also been making the annual trip to Scotland since their births.
William, Kate, George, Charlotte and Louis are said to be off to Balmoral this week (Kensington Palace via Getty Images)The estate has played an important role in William's life as it is where he has some of his happiest childhood memories - and also his saddest. Both he and younger brother Prince Harry were at Balmoral in 1997 when they received the devastating news their mother Princess Diana had died.
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When the late Queen died last year, William alluded to the special times at Balmoral, especially the ones he has been able to enjoy there with his children. He said: "I have had the benefit of The Queen's wisdom and reassurance into my fifth decade. My wife has had twenty years of her guidance and support. My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives."
Separate accommodation
When William, Kate and their children make it to Balmoral, the family of five often don't stay in the main castle.
Instead, they've bedded down at a cottage known as Tam-Na-Ghar on the estate, so it could be they choose to do the same again this year. The modest cottage has only three bedrooms with very few images of the Scottish home on the 50,000-acre Balmoral estate, which features 150 buildings in total.
The family toast their own marshmallows (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)According to Hello!, William and Kate have used the cottage as a retreat since the days when they were students at St Andrews University - also in Scotland. And it has been reported that they told friends that some of their happiest times were there.
When they stayed at the cottage in 2019 with their children, a source told Vanity Fair at the time: "The Queen has a lot of guests coming and to ease the pressure the Cambridges are likely to stay at the cottage. That could have added benefits for everyone as it means more space in the castle."
Games and pranks
With King Charles believed to be keeping many of the Balmoral traditions alive, it is likely William, Kate and their children will get stuck into outdoor pursuits. These include walking in the dramatic countryside, enjoying picnics and barbecues, fishing and horse riding.
But it seems there is also time for lots of games, something five-year-old Louis is very much a fan of. In the aftermath of the late Queen's death, Kate revealed how her youngest son was struggling to come to terms with his great-grandmother's passing - and gave a glimpse at life at Balmoral.
Louis trying his hand at archery in the past (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)During a lunch in the days leading up to the funeral, Kate told Australia's Governor General David Hurley that Louis asked if they could still play games at Balmoral. Mr Hurley revealed Kate said: "The younger one is now asking questions like, 'do you think we can still play these games when we go to Balmoral and things like that, cause she's not going to be there?'"
Meanwhile, it could be that the children take part in a Balmoral prank first started by the late Prince Philip, which was once revealed by William. Explaining the joke Prince Philip played at family lunches, William said: "Instead of like a mustard pot we'd have a mustard tube, a squeezy mustard tube.
"And then he'd squish your hands together to fire the mustard onto the ceiling. He used to get in a lot of trouble from my grandmother for covering most of the places we had lunch and things with mustard on the ceiling."
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Precious family snaps
One role that Kate has carved out among the royals is that of family photographer. In fact, on some of her early visits to Balmoral, the late Queen allowed her to bring her camera to capture the dramatic landscape.
Some of the most treasured family snaps taken in recent times of the former monarch and her family were taken in the Scottish Highlands by Kate. The latest to be shared was a beautiful photo of the late Queen surrounded by some of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, which was released to mark what would have been her 97th birthday in April.
A picture taken by Kate of the late Queen with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren (PA)The snap, taken by Kate last summer at Balmoral, shows the former monarch on a sofa with the young royals all smiles next to their beloved 'Gan Gan'. On the sofa next to her is her oldest great-grandchild Savannah Phillips, the eldest daughter of Peter Phillips, as well as Mia Tindall, who cradles her baby brother Lucas.
Behind them stands Lena Tindall, the middle child of Zara and Mike Tindall, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Isla Phillips and Prince Louis. Standing tall at the back are the Queen's youngest grandchildren Lady Louise Windsor and James, the new Earl of Wessex - the son and daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
It echoed another snap taken by Kate years earlier featuring many of the same children with the Queen as well as the late Prince Philip on the same sofa in Balmoral Castle.
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