Is King Charles Making Balmoral Castle a Wedding Venue? Inside What's Happening

Mar. 15, 2025

(Left) King Charles at the Army Aviation Centre on May 13, 2024; (Right) Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.Photo:Chris Jackson/Getty; Alamy

Chris Jackson/Getty; Alamy

Everyone loves aroyal wedding— and excitement is building around speculation thatKing Charlesis pursuing permission to transform a building on the grounds of Balmoral Castle into a wedding venue.

The King, 75, privately owns Balmoral Castle in Scotland and its 50,000-acre estate, known as the British royal family’s summer escape for generations and whereQueen Elizabethdied in 2022. Earlier this week,The Timesreported that an application was sent to the Aberdeenshire Council for a “major variation” to the Queen’s Building — which is close to the castle — that could allow weddings to happen.

“The Queen’s Building part of the premises may be used for weddings, dinners, meetings and associated events … These events may involve live performances and dancing where alcohol may be sold up to 12:30 a.m.,” the request said, according to the outlet, with events “rare throughout the year.”

Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.Robert Plattner/Oneworld Picture/Universal Images Group via Getty

Robert Plattner/Oneworld Picture/Universal Images Group via Getty

The appeal reportedly seeks to boost capacity for the building, built in the 1980s to accommodate staff and revamped in 2023 to create more dining space for tourists. Plans will increase the capacity of the space from 250 to 277 people indoors and 40 to 144 people outdoors.

Despite the hype,BBCreported on Oct. 24 that this doesn’t mean members of the public will be able to get married there.

“The Royal estate confirmed later that this was not the case,” the outlet said. “It is understood Balmoral has, in fact, had an appropriate license in place for more than 15 years to host weddings, events and functions should it wish, but there are no plans to do so commercially.”

Queen Elizabeth, Prince Edward, Prince Philip, the future King Charles and Prince Andrew at Balmoral Castle in September 1979.Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty

Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty

Queen Victoriaand Prince Albert acquired the Balmoral estate in 1845 and, while no major family weddings have been staged there, it has been asentimental placefor several royals.Prince Philipreportedly proposed to the then-Princess Elizabeth there in 1946, and the future King Charles andPrincess Dianaspent their honeymoon at the castle in 1981.

The royals had previously allowed tours at Balmoral around the grounds and gardens, but access inside the castle was limited to the ballroom, making the Castle Internal Guided Tours the most intimate ever. The special offer wrapped before a key date — the kickoff of King Charles andQueen Camilla’s annual summer stay in Scotland.

The future King Charles and Camilla at Birkhall near Balmoral Castle in a photo issued in April 2023.Frank Augstein/Getty Images

Frank Augstein/Getty Images

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While King Charles and Queen Camilla, 77, have continued the late Queen Elizabeth’s tradition of spending some of the late summer in Scotland, it’s a little-known fact that they don’t actually stay at Balmoral. Instead, they retreat to the neighboring Birkhall Estate.

Birkhall on the Balmoral Castle estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

The future King Charles inherited Birkhall following the death ofQueen Elizabeth, the Queen Motherin 2002, and reportedly honeymooned there with Camilla after they wed in 2005.

The couple is known to spend summers at the 18th century home andalso stayed thereduring some of the COVID pandemic in 2020.

source: people.com