What is Balmoral Castle?
{{Infobox historic site |name = Balmoral Castle |location = [[Royal Deeside]], [[Aberdeenshire]], Scotland |image = Balmoral Castle.jpg |caption = |locmapin = Scotland Aberdeenshire |map_alt = |map_caption = Location in Aberdeenshire, Scotland |coordinates = {{coord|57|2|27|N|3|13|48|W|display=inline,title}} |map_size = |type = [[Scots Baronial Style architecture|Scots baronial mansion]] |built = 1856 |architect = William Smith, directed by [[Albert, Prince Consort|Prince Albert]] |materials = |height = }} [[File:ABDAG007269 - William Gauci - Balmoral Castle.jpeg|alt=Colour lithograph of Balmoral Castle by William Gauci.|thumb|William Gauci - Balmoral Castle (ABDAG007269). Aberdeen Art Gallery, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]] '''Balmoral Castle''' is a [[List of British Royal Residences|royal residence]] in [[Aberdeenshire]], [[Scotland]]. It is located near the village of [[Crathie]], {{convert|10|km|order=flip}} west of [[Ballater]] and {{convert|11|km|order=flip}} east of [[Braemar]]. It was purchased by [[Albert, Prince Consort|Prince Albert]], [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]]'s husband, in 1848. Victoria and Albert paid [[Pound sterling|£]]300,000 for full ownership of the house in 1852. Queen Victoria laid the [[foundation stone]] in 1853, signed a parchment recording the date, and placed it in the hole prepared for the stone. The area of Balmoral covers approximately {{convert|50000|acre|ha|abbr=off}}. Today, Balmoral is owned [[private property|privately]] by the [[British royal family]], and was one of [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]]'s favourite [[summer]] retreats. This is the place where Queen Elizabeth II died on 8 September 2022. ==Other websites== {{commonscat-inline}} {{Royal palaces in the United Kingdom}} {{multistub|geo|UK}} [[Category:Royal residences in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Castles in Scotland]] [[Category:Buildings and structures completed in the 19th century]] [[Category:Aberdeenshire]]