As a student living in London, I would often walk past Buckingham Palace and watch as tourists gathered outside the gates, hoping to get a glimpse of the Queen.
In all my time there, I never did see Her Majesty poke her head around a curtain or walk her corgis in the grounds.
It may have been the monarch’s official residence, but was it truly where she felt most at home?
Following her death at Balmoral on September 8, the people of Ballater spoke of their grief following the loss of their “neighbour”.
“She was one of us,” they said.
Stunning landscapes aren’t just for shortbread tins
The royals rarely visited Scotland before the 19th century, but reading the books of Sir Walter Scott as a child instilled a love of the country in Queen Victoria.
His novels and poems were ones I pored over at Aberdeen University as I embarked upon my degree in Scottish and English literature. The picture he painted was one of sublime Highland landscapes, peppered with dark lochs, rolling hills and opulent castles.
This is an image still recognised today, worldwide, as one that appears on shortbread tins in the shops on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.
Many who have not been lucky enough to visit Royal Deeside would perhaps feel Scott’s version of Scotland to be romanticised. But the beauty of the region speaks for itself.
Where the Queen was at her happiest
As Elizabeth II left Balmoral for the final time last week, her cortege was followed by media helicopters and broadcast globally. And the scenery on display was not a million miles away from those shortbread tin images.
At Balmoral, she could swap the pomp and ceremony for wellies and a headscarf
The green, luscious landscape and winding rivers were picture-perfect. So, it may be unsurprising that it was where the Queen was said to be at her happiest.
It was where she could be herself. Somewhere she could swap the pomp and ceremony for wellies and a headscarf. Where she could focus on being a mother and a grandmother, with some of the family’s most precious photographs being taken there.
It’s also a place where I first encountered Her Majesty, having been fortunate enough to attend her Diamond Jubilee in 2012 as a young reporter.
It was clear then, seeing her first-hand in those surroundings, just how at peace she was there. So much so, that, it is believed, she chose to die at Balmoral.
The day after the funeral was aired across the globe, it was also where King Charles III decided to return to mourn her in private. Both of these events opened up the region to the world.
As the weeks and months ahead arrive, it is likely the region will see an influx of visitors, hoping to experience for themselves the landscape the Queen fell in love with.
The north-east should get ready to play host
On Monday, American tourists told The Press and Journal they had changed their holiday plans to take in Balmoral and Ballater.
The reason? Mitsi Andrews, from Colorado, simply explained it was because this is “where the Queen loved to be”.
Talks at the weekend suggested King Charles III may even have the castle turned into a museum in memory of his mother. This, undoubtedly, will benefit businesses and the wider Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire economies.
It is something we should prepare for.
I am sure, if and when that happens, we will show visitors the exceptional hospitality we are renowned for – and that the Queen loved so much.
Deeside’s royal links will live on for generations to come, as will the sense of pride locals feel at their connection to the unforgettable monarch.
Rebecca Buchan is City and Shire Team Leader for The Press & Journal and Evening Express
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