King Charles and Camilla face Balmoral shake-up
- By Maria Lopez -
- Aug 14, 2026

Queen Camilla Swaps Balmoral with King Charles’ Plans Following Family Break From July 30 to October 3, it has been confirmed that King Charles will be heading north of the border to the Scottish Highlands ahead of their summer holiday, and taking on a traditional visit to his beloved summer estate of Balmoral Castle.
However, it has been recently revealed that the new Queen has put her summer plans slightly on hold, and is taking her summer break a short while before the monarch.
Why Queen Camilla’s trip has been put on hold Instead of travelling immediately north for an extended stay with King Charles in their summer bolthole, Queen Camilla has stayed at their private country house of Ray Mill House in Wiltshire for the first few days of her summer holiday.
Insider sources for Hello, Magazine have reported that Queen Camilla will usually spend some of the first week or two of their summer break “decompressing and recharging” at Ray Mill House, which her private residence located near the small village of Lacock.
Queen Camilla will often be accompanied by her two grown children: 45-year-old Tom Parker Bowles and 43-year-old Laura Lopes. Queen Camilla and King Charles usually travel north a week after first taking their summer break.
Queen Camilla joined King Charles in Scotland later on in the month, however, there has always been a precedent for the monarch to be in residence earlier than Her Majesty Queen, but this doesn’t signal a “shift in relationship,” with the Prince and Queen simply finding “modern ways” to fit royal work and family time around their public engagements throughout the year.
Where was Balmoral Castle made The summer estate, Balmoral Castle is the former residence of Queen Elizabeth II and she has owned it since 1852, where a wide range of the Royal family members will gather there each August.
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert purchased the home which they are using as the ideal place for family picnics on the Scottish Moors for both King Charles III and Queen Elizabeth The Second (King George I) since before Queen Elizabeth the second came along.
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The royals use the Balmoral estate as a base in August each year for private outings and walks together where they relax and unwind as a unit.
