King Charles’s favourite winter residence, Balmoral Castle, will be closed today and tomorrow due to harsh winter weather conditions and an active weather warning. This means any potential visitors will be turned away and are encouraged not to visit in the harsh, winter weather.
The notice was posted on Balmoral Castle’s Instagram page, informing visitors of the closure. It read: Balmoral remains closed to the public today (Saturday 3 January) due to winter weather conditions and an active weather warning. Balmoral will remain closed to the public on Sunday 4 January. All Sunday lunch booking deposits will be refunded.
“Please follow our Facebook and Instagram pages or visit balmoralcastle.com for the latest opening information. Take care and stay safe.”
Although Balmoral Castle is a firm favourite residence of the King, the monarch is currently thought to be spending time at Sandringham in Norfolk still, where he spent the festive period, celebrating with his family and attending church on Christmas Day.
King Charles has started 2026 with the rather difficult decision of closing his beloved Scottish home. It comes as the Met Office, Aberdeenshire, where Balmoral Castle is located, currently has an amber weather warning in place and it remains in place until Monday.
It reads: “Frequent and heavy snow showers will bring further accumulations of snow and ice which may cause travel disruption and delays. Snow showers are expected to continue through the weekend, being brought well inland by strong northerly winds. Winds should ease somewhat into Sunday, with showers by then most prevalent around coasts.
“Snow showers should finally begin to ease during Monday morning. With temperatures inland likely remaining below freezing through the weekend, thaw of lying snow is not expected.”
Visitors are being encouraged to check the website of Balmoral Castle for the latest information.
