The shocking news shared on the royal residence’s official Instagram page
The royal family has made an unexpected decision about King Charles residence amid ongoing crisis.
According to a bombshell announcement, Balmoral Castle, including its grounds, gardens, and exhibitions, is now closed to the public.
The shocking news was shared on the royal residence’s official Instagram page this week
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However, it’s unclear why the decision was made to restrict access at this time, though royal fans can breathe easy, as the doors have only been shuttered for the rest of the month.
Day after the announcement, Prince William flied to Balmoral to spend private quality time with his father King Charles, who’s fighting cancer.
The castle is set to reopen in October.
“Join our mailing list and be the first to hear about our upcoming calendar of special events, tickets, exclusive news from the estate and castle, and the latest additions to our gift shop collections, all delivered directly to your inbox,” the post encouraged, pointing interested followers to the link in their bio.
It also explained: “Stay connected and never miss a moment of the magic of Balmoral.”
Meanwhile, the grounds are closed, the gift shop and terrace cafe near the main gates remain open, operating from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. every day..
The walk to Prince Albert’s Pyramid, a memorial built in 1862 by then-Queen Victoria to honor her husband, Prince Albert, is also available.
The decision left many in shock as it comes just two years since the monarch first decided to grant the public increased access to his beloved Scotland home, with tours selling out almost instantaneously.
Why did King Charles close doors of the royal residence?
The real reason to close doors of the royal house is yet to reveal.
However, there are speculations that the monarch plans to use this time to modernise parts of the property.
The 76-year-old previously has at his Sandringham Estate and Windsor Castle, including the installation of solar panels.
He has also converted his State Bentleys to run on biofuel and intends to eventually update the entire Royal fleet to be electric, while he looks to make his long-distance travels more sustainable with a temporary Sustainable Air Fuel tank installed to fill his helicopters.
At this time, there’s no word if his sustainability efforts have anything to do with the property’s closure.
Charles & Kate Accused of Snubbing Trump in Leaked State Visit Video After Reports of the Princess’ True Feelings Toward the President Calling Her ‘Beautiful’
Protocol can be easily misunderstood because the rules governing it, particularly when it comes to the British royal family, are not well-known. This is exactly what has happened with the state visit from US President Donald Trump to the UK, where there have already been a couple of instances, like the President and First Lady not bowing and curtsying, respectively, that people have taken offense to. And now, another moment from the banquet has surfaced that could be interpreted in a few different ways.
The moment, seen on a video that was posted to TikTok, shows guests standing to clap during President Trump’s speech. However, the video also shows King Charles and Kate Middleton sitting down while the guests clapped, which people are interpreting as a snub.
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Was it? Unlikely, considering the entire point of the state visit was to strengthen the diplomatic bond between the two countries. It’s more likely that the standing ovation was not in the program, and both the King and the Princess of Wales followed protocol by sitting down. There has, after all, been no comment about the fact, and it probably wouldn’t have been a thing had the video not surfaced on social media.
This seems to confirm what a palace source told Newsweek about the state visit: “There was genuine warmth at all tiers of everyone involved in the state visit from the principals (the royals). You could see the general warmth in the relationship there, right the way down the whole operational cascade.”
In fact, The Independent even reported that Trump was considering whether to invite the royal family to the U.S. next year to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. That doesn’t sound like someone who felt snubbed in any way, shape or form.
This all comes after reports that after President Trump and first lady Melania Trump met with Prince William and Kate Middleton, he reportedly told Middleton, “You’re beautiful, so beautiful.” Middleton was sitting down next to the US President during the state banquet and was seen talking to him and smiling with him during the dinner, and though some people found the interactions creepy, Middleton gave no indication that she did.
Royal biographer Ingrid Seward told People that the Princess of Wales was “animated and happy and having a laugh” at the state banquet, after a very hard year coming back from cancer treatment. “She lightened the whole evening. She lit up the table with the megawatt smile. There was a lot of pressure on her because all eyes were on her,” Seward said.
And about her interactions with Trump, Seward said, “She obviously amused him,” adding that, “She is just a doyenne of perfect manners. He must have made her laugh.”
The state visit seems to have gone pretty well, enough that there are reportedly already plans for the two sides to make other joint appearances. No controversies, and President Donald Trump seems to have been particularly taken with the Princess of Wales. A win for diplomacy, in all respects, despite what social media might suggest.
King Charles’ next move could send shockwaves through monarchy: ‘times of war’
King Charles could risk bringing the Royal Family into disgrace if he takes severe action against Prince Andrew, according to a veteran royal commentator.
The monarch continues to deal with the fall out from a long-running scandal involving his younger brother and former sister-in-law, Sarah Ferguson- a controversy that remains in the media spotlight due to their past association with the late Jeffrey Epstein.
The issue has gained fresh momentum after emails sent by the Duchess of York to Epstein in 2011 resurfaced.
In the messages, Fergie appeared to apologise to Epstein for publicly disowning him as her supreme friend.
Now, speculation is growing that King Charles may take a decisive action to distance the monarchy from the Yorks with Prince Andrew’s membership in the Order of the Garter, the oldest and most prestigious chivalric order in Britain, reportedly at risk.
However, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams has warned that such a move could backfire, stating that revoking Andrew’s honorary title ‘could risk bringing the Royal Family into disrepute.’
Fitzwilliams noted that such revocations have only occurred ‘in extremis’-usually during war time.
For context, the last time a Garter Knight was removed from the order was when Japanese Emperor Hirohito was stripped of the title during the second world war.
Moreover, the complete removal of Prince Andrew from the royal fold would mark a historic and unprecedent decision for King Charles.
Kensington Palace shares update after Prince William, King Charles meeting
Kensington Palace has issued an update about “amazing work” being carried out hours after an emergency private meeting reportedly took place between Prince William and King Charles.
On the night of Thursday, September 25, the official Instagram account of the Prince and Princess of Wales, run by Kensington Palace, promoted the latest venture by William and Kate’s The Royal Foundation.
The account re-posted a video by the Tom Dean Swim School to its Stories, sharing an update on the new partnership with Olympic swimming legend Tom Dean MBE, which was announced earlier this week.
“Amazing work happening at @tomdeanswimschool to improve young people’s access to a potentially lifesaving skill, delivered with support from The Royal Foundation.”
The update comes just hours after it was reported that Prince William jetted off to the Scottish Highlands to spend some much-needed one-on-one time with his father King Charles III. The heir to the throne was seen arriving at Aberdeen Airport, from where he headed to Balmoral Castle and will reportedly stay there for a few days.
It was speculated that the father and son will finally talk about reported tensions among the royal family, including between them.
Moreover, the meeting comes at a time of heightened scrutiny for the House of York, as Prince Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson’s past connection to Jeffrey Epstein have resurfaced.
Prince Harry’s statement ‘sets alarm bells ringing’ in Palace
Prince Harry’s reunion with King Charles III seemed like a potential turning point for reconciliation, but latest reports suggest it might have actually dashed hopes of mending fences with the royal family.
The Duke of Sussex spoiled plans of rebuilding ties with the Firm within hours of meeting the monarch, with insiders claiming his latest remarks have “already set alarm bells ringing” inside the palace about what his return would mean for the monarchy.
Harry was all excited after seeing his father for the first time in more than a year during his recent meeting at Clarence House.
The father-son duo reunion, which came after months of speculation about whether the monarch would allow his youngest son to return to a more active role, lasted just under an hour.
But shortly afterward, Prince William’s younger brother traveled to Ukraine, where he gave a televised interview defending his memoir Spare and insisting his “conscience is clear.”
A palace insider said: “It felt like Harry blew everything up just as progress was being made. It was a totally wrecking ball moment.”
“The king allowed space for personal talks, but Harry’s choice to repeat his grievances right afterward looked careless and confrontational.”
“It suggested he isn’t able to draw a line between private and public,” the source told Radar Online.
It’s previously claimed by several royal authors that the palace won’t welcome Harry with open arms as long as he continues to make family disputes public.
The source added: “The chance of returning is gone.”
King Charles responds after flurry of palace errors sparks headlines
King Charles is bringing festive cheer to Buckingham Palace with the launch of a Christmas pop-up shop at the iconic Royal Mews, a first for the monarch.
The seasonal store will feature a range of festive delights, from tree decorations and gifts to gourmet foodie treats, offering visitors a chance to shop in true royal style.
Opening from 14 November to 5 January, the Royal Mews is being promoted by the Royal Collection Trust as “a premier destination for all your Christmas gifts, tree decorations and festive food.”
Highlights include bestselling gift items, a full size advent calendar with daily product reveals, limited-edition treats, exclusive collectibles, and more.
After some media outlets and social media accounts mistakenly labelled the event a “Christmas market,” organisers clarified that it is a pop up shop rather than a full market, promising a curated festive shopping experience within the historic palace grounds.
A bold clarification was added at the end of the Royal Collection Trust’s announcement, “Please note that the Royal Mews Christmas Shop is a pop up shop selling Royal Collection Trust festive products within the existing Royal Mews space and is not a Christmas market. There will not be a Christmas market at Buckingham Palace.”
Since ascending the throne, the monarch has made a number of modifications that have been welcomed by fans and visitors, such as opening Balmoral for public tours.
For example, Windsor Castle now charges locals for admission, whereas it was previously free though residents still receive a 50% discount.
Solar panels have been added to Windsor Castle’s roof, and a 2,000-panel solar farm has been installed at Sandringham. As monarch, he now has the platform to make a tangible difference in environmental conservation.
His dedication to the cause has been praised over the years. Sir David Attenborough told the BBC, “When Charles became prominent and an adult, he took a strong line at a time when nature conservation was regarded as being slightly specialist.
But in fact, he was absolutely right and the world has come to see the world as he saw it.”
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