Source: Global Times
[Global Times Comprehensive Report] Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, who was 96 years old, died last week at Balmoral Castle in Scotland , which attracted widespread attention from the world. Balmoral Castle is the queen's favorite summer vacation spot. During her 70 years of reign, the queen took her family there for vacation every summer. A British historian and biographer once said that in the queen's heart, Buckingham Palace is her office, and Windsor Castle is her home, and only in Balmoral Castle, she can stay away from official troubles, avoid public vision, return to her family, and become the true nature of a wife, mother and grandmother. It can be said that Balmoral Castle is a quiet place for the queen to rest in her heart.
The quiet place in the queen's heart
Balmoral Castle was bought in the mid-19th century by Queen Victoria and converted into the Scottish manor style. In 1936, Edward VIII , who "don't love the country and love beauty", abdicated. Elizabeth II's father took over the throne from his brother and became George VI , and later spent a huge amount of money to buy the Balmoral Castle from his brother. It is reported that the transaction price was 300,000 pounds. Although the transaction process is quite uneasy, the castle bought in the chaos can later bring peace to the royal family for several months every year. It is reported that she should have no impression when she first visited the castle because she was still a little baby at that time.
Balmoral is located deep in the mountains of Scotland, nestled next to a small river. It is not only a castle, but also two country houses several miles away from the castle, as well as the surrounding forests and wilderness. Here, the Queen and her family can avoid hundreds of official activities schedules and media and public visions every year, where they can walk, ride horses, hunt, and fish. The Queen is also happy to integrate into the activities of the surrounding community, such as attending church prayers, watching the Scottish Highlands Games, etc. Since childhood, Princess Elizabeth has often come to Balmoral for vacation with her parents, and her parents also like this Scottish country life very much.
The third year after George VI bought Balmoral, that is, in 1939, World War II broke out. At that time, their family was on vacation in Balmoral. For security reasons, the king and queen decided to leave Princess Elizabeth, who was only 13 years old and her 9-year-old sister, Princess Margaret, in Balmoral, and the couple returned to London, shrouded in the clouds of Nazi German bombing. Two weeks later, the two sisters heard the radio of their father declaring war on Germany.
Balmoral is not only a quiet place to escape from war, but also a sweet place in the queen's heart. In 1947, Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip and came to Balmoral for her honeymoon. The happiness of this sweet years can be seen from the letter the princess wrote to her mother and her best friend. In the letter, Elizabeth described the snow scene in Balmoral in winter, as well as the romantic scene of her husband reading for herself under the lamp. In a letter to her best friend, she announced that she had married the best man in the world.
is not only the queen, but also the quiet place for Prince Charles (now Charles III) to rest in his heart. Because he was sensitive and weak since childhood, Prince Charles was sent by his father Prince Philip to the boarding school, a boarding school a hundred kilometers away, to attend the school, which is also Prince Philip's alma mater. Prince Charles has to withstand the test of morning jogging in the cold wind and cold water bathing every day. Because of his identity and personality, the prince has no friends at school and feels very lonely. At that time, the Queen's mother, Queen Elizabeth, lived in Balmoral Castle. In this kind of study, returning to Balmoral every weekend is received by the meticulous care of my grandmother, which has become Prince Charles' most desire for comfort.
"Balmoral Test"
Balmoral Castle witnessed a series of legendary stories of the British royal family, including joy and sorrow. Therefore, there is also a saying in the UK that Balmoral is also a test place for the royal "newcomers".The Queen's husband, Prince Philip, was the winner of the "Balmoral Test". In the summer of 1946, Philip , who was still a prince, came to Balmoral Castle as a guest. Here he wore a Scottish "Kilter" plaid skirt. With his good upbringing and humorous conversation, he passed the "test", won the appreciation of the king and queen, and won the hearts of Princess Elizabeth.
Mrs. Simpson is the loser of the "Balmoral Test". In September 1936, King Edward VIII asked his lover, Mrs. Simpson, to hold a royal banquet at Balmoral Castle as the hostess. At the banquet, Mrs. Simpson was treated and humiliated by key members of the royal family, including the king's younger brother and his wife. Although he failed Balmoral's "test", Mrs. Simpson won the heart of Edward VIII. The king gave up the throne three months later and wanted to marry her, leaving behind a legend of "not loving the country and loving beauty".
The story of Princess Diana and the Castle of Balmoral is both joyful and sad. In the summer of 1980, Diana , who was only 19 years old, came to Balmoral Castle as a guest. The youthful, beautiful and well-educated Diana won the love of almost everyone and passed the "Balmoral Test", although it was only her third official date with Prince Charles at that time. Later, Charles and Diana's honeymoon was also spent in Balmoral Castle. In 1997, Princess Diana, 36, died in a car accident. At that time, Queen Elizabeth was on vacation in Balmoral. The Scottish people mourn Princess Diana's flowers filled the entrance of the castle.
and "Iron Lady" brush the plate together
It is reported that Queen Elizabeth has invited 13 British Prime Ministers to visit Balmoral Castle. Her first prime minister guest was Churchill . The old man accompanied the queen's parents to experience World War II and was considered her elder. Many of the other prime ministers are younger than the queen. Among them, only the "Iron Lady" Madame Thatcher formed a friendship between the queen in Balmoral Castle.
In 1979, 54-year-old Mrs. Thatcher was elected Prime Minister of Britain. Four months later, Mrs. Thatcher received an invitation from the queen who was one year younger than her and came to Balmoral Castle as a guest. Some media commented that the prime minister, who has a city-like atmosphere from dressing to style, could not adapt to the rural life of Balmoral Castle.
In fact, the two middle-aged women get along very well. The Prime Minister accompanied the Queen to walk on the country road in the rain with an umbrella. After dinner, the queen invited the Prime Minister to wash the plates with her. The Queen washed them with her own hands, and the Prime Minister was responsible for drying the washed plates. Before leaving Balmoral, the Prime Minister gave the Queen a pair of yellow rubber gloves for kitchen scrubs as a gift. These gloves helped the "Iron Lady" win the friendship of the queen, and the two became lifelong friends. (Zhang Jiwen)
