Queen Elizabeth Is Throwing Duchess Meghan A Birthday Tea In Scotland At Balmoral
Queen Elizabeth has some big plans for her summer jaunt to her residence in Scotland, and that includes a visit from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and baby Archie Harrison.
Vanity Fair reports that the queen spends the latter half of July, August, and September at her Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and so she is wrapping up her official engagements over the next two weeks. Practically the whole family visits the queen in Scotland for a week or more to spend some time outdoors, hunting, fishing or riding.
A friend says that the trip to the Scottish Highlands will be the first family vacation for the Sussexes, as Prince Harry has always loved his time in Scotland.
“Harry wants Archie to grow up loving the Scottish countryside and learning to fish and hunt there just like he did growing up. He’s a traditionalist in that way.”
Meghan Markle’s 38th birthday will coincide with the trip, and so Queen Elizabeth will be hosting a birthday tea for the Duchess of Sussex, which is a big deal, says a royal source.
“It is testament to Meghan that she has been given this invite. It’s a huge honor.”
The Queen Is Planning a Busy Week in Scotland—and a Birthday Tea for Meghan Markle https://t.co/OCgkGwaHQe Vanity Fair @VFHIVE pic.twitter.com/Sd6rftLtBv
— ?…just @Sussex_Jones ? (@Sussex_Jones) June 28, 2019
Queen Elizabeth visits Balmoral throughout the year, but always finishes out the summer at the castle, says The Inquisitr. The estate is featured in the movie, The Queen, with Helen Mirren, and in The Crown, the popular series on Netflix.
For the Balmoral scenes in The Crown, costume designer and dresser Michele Clapton reveals that she had her hands full, dressing the cast and the extras for the hunt and formal scenes with the men in kilts.
“It was a daunting prospect, with 293 speaking parts, 7,000 extras, and a costume department of up to 100 people.”
Balmoral has long been a favorite place of many of the royals, and it is featured in many of the shows and movies about the royal family because it photographs magically during almost every season of the year, but particularly in winter for the holidays.
Princess Eugenie, daughter of Prince Andrew, says that Balmoral Castle is “one of the most beautiful places in the world” and the place that her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth is happiest.
“I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands.”
Princess Eugenie explains that the queen travels up to Balmoral and Scotland in her private train, bringing her dogs, and in the summer, she can relax without any of her usual royal duties and obligations, and so she is always in good spirits.
