Balmoral Castle has been part of the royal family’s story since 1852, when Prince Albert purchased the estate as a gift for Queen Victoria, who loved the Scottish Highlands. The castle that stands today was completed in 1856, built directly over the original structure. For more than 170 years since, it has served as the family’s summer residence. It was also where Queen Elizabeth died in September 2022, a detail that gave the estate a new and permanent place in royal history. The photographs that have emerged from Balmoral over the decades offer some of the most candid and unguarded images of the royal family on record.