King Charles’s beloved Scottish residence, Balmoral Castle, has shut its doors to visitors this weekend owing to severe winter weather sweeping across the region.
The royal estate in Aberdeenshire announced it would remain closed on both Saturday, January 3 and Sunday, January 4, with an amber weather warning currently in effect across the area.
Those who had reserved Sunday lunch at the castle will receive their deposits back, according to a notice posted on Balmoral’s Instagram page.
The closure follows Friday’s initial shutdown, with harsh conditions forcing the estate to extend restrictions through the weekend.
King Charles’s royal residence forced to close as Scotland battered by snow
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GETTY
The Met Office has maintained its amber alert for Aberdeenshire until Monday, warning of potentially disruptive conditions across the region.
Forecasters predict frequent and heavy snow showers will continue throughout the weekend, driven inland by powerful northerly winds.
The warning states that these conditions “may cause travel disruption and delays,” with winds expected to ease somewhat by Sunday, when showers will become most prevalent around coastal areas.
Snow is anticipated to begin subsiding on Monday morning, though with inland temperatures likely to remain below freezing throughout the weekend, any accumulated snow is not expected to melt.
While Balmoral contends with treacherous conditions, the monarch himself is understood to be at Sandringham in Norfolk, where he spent the Christmas period with his family.
King Charles and Queen Camilla led senior members of the Royal Family to church services at the Norfolk estate on Christmas Day, greeting well-wishers in crisp winter weather.
By remaining at his English residence, the King has avoided the extreme weather currently battering Scotland.
The decision to close Balmoral marks a challenging start to 2026 for the royal estate, which serves as the family’s traditional summer retreat and was a particular favourite of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Balmoral Castle pictured when covered in snow and ice
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Traffic builds on the A9 south of Inverness on January 2 as amber weather warnings take hold across Scotland
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PA
Potential visitors have been urged to monitor Balmoral’s official website and social media channels for the latest updates on when the estate might reopen.
The castle’s statement encouraged the public to “take care and stay safe” during the dangerous conditions.
This is not the first occasion severe weather has forced the Scottish residence to close its gates, with a similar shutdown occurring briefly in November during an earlier spell of wintry conditions.
At that time, visitors were asked to leave by 3pm as the estate closed earlier than usual due to deteriorating weather.