Every summer, the royals reside at Balmoral, their majestic 50,000-acre Scottish estate, and set their annual pilgrimage to the Highlands.st. Every summer, the royals reside at Balmoral, their majestic 50,000-acre Scottish estate.
But what many people don’t know is that there’s another royal retreat hidden deep in those forests, just six miles from the castle, a secret sanctuary King Charles has managed to keep just for himself.
While the rest of the Royal Family gathers at Balmoral Castle, King Charles frequently stays at Birkhall because it is smaller, quaint, and offers a cosy atmosphere where he can truly relax and work in private.
While he ventures to the main castle for royal entertaining or to see other members of the family, Birkhall serves as his true home away from home during the family's annual summer sojourn to Scotland.
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Birkhall is where he chose to hide out when the scandal of his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles was blown wide open. She was spotted by a photographer leaving the secret hideaway house while Princess Diana was 500 miles away in Kensington Palace.
Later it would be where he would propose to his beloved Camilla and where they had their honeymoon after their marriage in 2005. It is in fact the only royal property that could be truly considered a marital home to them.
This summer, the King will no doubt spend some of his time in Scotland at Birkhall. The house, despite his huge property portfolio, remains his lifelong favourite.
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine tells the programme: “It is the property that means the most to him. It is completely secluded away from everybody. It is very hidden, very private.”
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond adds: “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. The gardens at Birkhall are stunning and Charles has put his own mark on them very clearly.”
The immaculate lawn slopes down to the bell garden, a beautifully planted flower and vegetable garden in the shape of a bell with little pathways running through.
Daily Express gardening columnist and author of “Royal Gardens of the World”, Mark Lane, reveals how Charles has planted little strawberry plants along them for the visiting grandchildren to pick and enjoy.
Always keen to inject some fun into the beloved garden and ever the organic gardener, the King also brought in eight runner ducks to eat the slugs and other garden pests. Like Highgrove, there are no pesticides here.
And then there's the red squirrels! Prince William revealed his father has named them all and can tell them apart by their individual characteristics. He even lets them come into the property and jump around the dining room.
Birkhall was gifted to Charles by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. Jennie Bond added: “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.”
For Charles, Birkhall is a constant reminder of his “beloved granny" and it has been his safe haven since his school days.
Jennie Bond said: “For Charles she was this haven of security and affection, laughter and love and whenever he could he would make the two hour journey from Gordonstoun to see her at Birkhall. It is where they formed their very strong bond.”
Still seeking that haven to this day, Mark Lane adds: “He likes the idea that even if the rest of the family are at Balmoral he can still escape and have a wonderful space of his own for him and Camilla.”