The Royal Family have begun a “big step” for the monarchy as they open their “most private” and “isolated” home to the public.
King Charles has granted royal fans access to Balmoral Castle for the first time in 169 years, where they can explore the place much beloved by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Balmoral Castle is also the place where Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8 2022.
Speaking to GB News, former Royal Butler Grant Harrold admitted he was “surprised” by the King’s decision to open up the family home to the public.
The Royal Family is set to open the Balmoral estate to the public
PA
Speaking to hosts Andrew Pierce and Bev Turner, Harrold said Balmoral was special to the late Queen for “many reasons”.
He revealed: “Most importantly, it was a family home and it’s where she spent a lot of time with her family.
“Obviously the monarchy was the first thing, but she always said that family was right behind that.
“And so time with family was important, whether it be at Sandringham or Balmoral, which were both properties that she privately owned. So they are private homes and they are very special.”
The late Queen Elizabeth II had a personal affection for the Balmoral estate, and died at the castle in 2022
PA
Bev Turner then highlighted how it is “even more surprising” that despite the estate being so “private” to the Royal Family, Charles still went ahead with the decision to open it to the public.
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Harrold agreed, responding: “For many years, I’ve always said that Balmoral is one of the one of the most private homes.
“They’ve always been quite fierce about keeping it a private home and a private estate.”
The former Butler noted: “You can visit the gardens at certain times of the year, and you can see the ballroom as well. But to actually go in the rooms is really a big step for them.
“It just shows you the kind of future of the monarchy with properties, is going to be opening the doors and letting the public in to see them.”
Former Royal Butler Grant Harrold says the Balmoral estate is ‘very private’ to the Royal Family
GB News
Recalling his own personal experience at Balmoral, Harrold also revealed that he once had a “dance with the Queen” in the Ballroom, which was recreated in The Crown.
Harrold told GB News: “I basically put my name down to go to the Ghillies Ball. I actually danced with Queen Camilla before I actually got a dance with the Queen, and I remember she said ‘you’re very nervous’.
“And I said ‘because I had this dream as a kid that I’ll get to dance with the Queen’. And she said, ‘oh, Grant, there’s 130, 140 people here, it’s not going to happen’. And as soon as she finished, behind me was the Queen.
“She was in a beautiful dress, she had a blue dress on, and I always remember she kept looking down to make sure that we were doing the right footsteps.”
