The Queen’s traditional welcome to Balmoral Castle has been cancelled, which has raised concerns over the 96-year-old’s health.
Her Majesty had been due to attend the ceremony in Aberdeenshire tomorrow but it has reportedly been axed and replaced with a “small, private event”.
It is the first time in decades, other than during the pandemic, that she will not greet locals at the gates to mark the start of her annual holiday at the historic Deeside estate.
A royal source told the Mirror: “The traditional welcome to Balmoral is normally cemented in the Queen’s calendar and something Her Majesty really enjoys, being able to greet locals who travel to see her.
‘A sign of things to come’
“It’s a bitter disappointment the ceremony will not take place in its traditional form.”
Another source suggested the alternative plan was “very much a sign of things to come”.
The Mirror reports Buckingham Palace played down the concerns over the monarch’s health last night, insisting the private ceremony was “in line with adapting Her Majesty’s schedule for her comfort”.
The Queen usually would inspect a Guard of Honour from Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, of The Royal Regiment of Scotland.
In her role as colonel-in-chief of the regiment, she will instead attend a private inspection of troops on the Balmoral lawns within the Castle grounds. No cameras or photographers will be invited.
Historic connection to Balmoral
The royal family has owned Balmoral for 170 years since it was purchased by Queen Victoria.
The estate measures 50,000 acres – which is twice the size of Manchester.
It has about 150 other buildings, including cottages, farms and a distillery.
Its large size and remoteness have reportedly made it the Queen’s favourite residence.
The Queen arrived in Scotland on July 21, and will be staying at the nearby Craigowan Lodge – about a mile away from the castle.
With a mere seven bedrooms, this property is the closest thing the Queen has to an “ordinary” home.
In March, it was reported the lodge has been upgraded to make it more comfortable for the aging monarch.
As she plans to spend more time in Balmoral, it was fitted with a £20,000 lift, a new security gate, and a state-of-the-art intercom system.
However, there have been some concerns that the Queen will not be able to attend other local events while she is staying in Balmoral.
At her Platinum Jubilee celebration in June, the Queen missed out on the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral due to “discomfort”.
She also did not attend the Epsom Derby, despite attending the event regularly in the past and horse racing being one of her favorite pastimes.
Will the Queen attend the Braemar gathering?
The Queen is currently still planning on attending the annual Braemar Gathering, which is renowned for its attendance by various members of the royal family.
She has never missed it during her reign.
The event is seen as the biggest spectacle in the Highland Games calendar, and is always on the first Saturday in September.
Royal sources have confirmed the Queen will interrupt her holiday at Balmoral to travel to England and invite her 15th Prime Minister to form a government when Boris Johnson quits on September 6.
Buckingham Palace is the usual venue but this may be changed to Windsor Castle due to the current refurbishments that are taking place at the palace.
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