Does Prince Charles own a Castle in Scotland?

The Castle of Mey was once owned by the Queen Mother Share this: As well as Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate, Prince Charles also owns a second holiday home in Scotland, Castle of Mey in Caithness.



As of 2026, the individual formerly known as Prince Charles is King Charles III, and he does indeed own and have access to several castles and estates in Scotland. Most significantly, he inherited Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire as a private property following the death of Queen Elizabeth II; unlike official royal residences, Balmoral is owned personally by the monarch. He also owns Birkhall, a grand house on the Balmoral estate that was a favorite of the Queen Mother. Additionally, through the Prince's Foundation, he restored and manages The Castle of Mey in Caithness, which he inherited from his grandmother. While the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, it is part of the Crown Estate rather than the King's personal property. His deep connection to Scotland is further evidenced by his frequent stays at these residences, where he often engages in local traditions and manages the extensive Highland estates.

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Who owns it? Though official royal residences like Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace are owned by the Crown Estate, which is funded by British taxpayers, Balmoral is the personal property of King Charles III, as is Sandringham, located in Norfolk, England.

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The newly-crowned monarch now counts at least seven palaces, 10 castles, 12 homes, 56 cottages, and 14 ancient ruins in his property portfolio, according to Forbes.

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Places like Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are owned by the monarch of the moment because of their position as king or queen, while other properties, like Balmoral and Sandringham House, are personally owned and not publicly funded. Click through for everything to know about where your favorite royals live.

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Those who live and work within the Castle include the titular head of the Castle community, the Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle; the Dean of Windsor, Canons and other staff who run the College of St George; the Military Knights of Windsor; the Superintendent of Windsor Castle and his staff, who are responsible ...

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The Castle of Mey was the property of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from 1952 until 1996, when Her Majesty generously gifted it with an endowment to the Trust. The castle is situated on the north coast of Caithness, in the parish of Canisbay, about 15 miles east of Thurso and six miles west of John O'Groats.

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The palace, like Windsor Castle, is owned by the reigning monarch in right of the Crown. Occupied royal palaces are not part of the Crown Estate, nor are they the monarch's personal property, unlike Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle.

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King Charles, inherited her $500 million per Forbes. 4 Charles' inheritance has reportedly made his wealth total over $2 billion (£1.8 billion), according to The Guardian,2 and includes assets ranging from estates and artwork, to jewels, racehorses, stamps and cars.

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To answer the question of which palace is bigger, Buckingham Palace has a total of 775 rooms, while Windsor Castle has a total of 1,000 rooms. Thus, Windsor Castle is bigger than Buckingham Palace. The castle at Windsor Castle is Europe's largest and longest-occupied castle.

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It was a building that had deep significance to the monarch throughout her life - a place of work but also her own private retreat. The Queen's special association with Windsor Castle began when she was a child.

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