Royal Family Castle Balmoral, where Elizabeth II Died, opened for Tours in the UK for the First Time Since 1852

For the first time in more than 170 years, the British royal family is opening the doors of its Balmoral residence in Scotland for large-scale tours. Previously, visitors could only enter the ballroom and the castle grounds, The Guardian writes.

Now, visitors will be able to see a number of other rooms: the entrance hall, the red corridor, the main and family dining rooms, the page's foyer, the library, and the living room.

The tours will be held from 1 July to 4 August. Tickets costing £100 and £150 are already sold out. Tourists will be able to appreciate how King Charles III changed the interior after becoming the British monarch after the death of Elizabeth II. For example, the king changed the carpets to those chosen by Queen Victoria - Hunting Stewart with a tartan pattern.

Up to 40 people can visit the residence every day. A regular ticket for a guided tour costs £100. A ticket with a tea party costs more - £150. All tickets were sold out in the first 24 hours.

Balmoral Castle was built in 1852 by architect William Smith in the Old Scottish Gothic style, made of granite, on behalf of Prince Albert, who bought the building for £32,000.

Since then, Balmoral has become the summer residence of the British royal family. In addition, it was in this castle that Elizabeth II died on 8 September 2022. The walls of Balmoral are decorated with paintings by Sir Edwin Henry Landsier.