We all know about the famous country estates beloved of the Queen: Sandringham, Balmoral, and Windsor, but in addition to these well-known official royal residences, there is also a lesser-known estate which apparently had a formative impact on the young Princess Elizabeth - Glamis Castle in Scotland.
Glamis was the family home of the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, and has been in the Lyon family since the 14th century, when Sir John Lyon, Thane of Glamis, received the land as a gift from King Robert II. Its medieval incarnation even made it into Shakespeare as the home of Macbeth, who starts off the play as Thane of Glamis and ends up (briefly) as King of Scotland. The current castle with its tumble of turrets was built in the early 17th century, possibly with the help of the great architect Inigo Jones.
The castle continued to play a role in the future Queen Mother's life after she married Prince Albert (later King George VI), and their second daughter Princess Margaret was born there. She often brought her daughters there to spend the summer - days which Tommy Baxter, the General Manager at Glamis, describes as “living an ordinary life." As she did not at the time expect to become Queen, she was able to enjoy a more relaxed life away from the more official royal residences. “It was freedom,” as Tommy said.
Glamis is still in the Bowes-Lyon family today, occupied by the Dowager Countess, Mary of Strathmore who was niece by marriage, to the Queen Mother. The estate is open to the public in the spring and summer months, usually from the beginning of April, and you can spend a lovely day exploring the castle and gardens, along with any exhibitions the house is hosting. You can even stay on the estate, in the six-bedroom Glamis House, which is available to rent as a self-catering property.
The extensive gardens are one of the most beautiful features of the house, including formal Italian and walled gardens, extensive woodland, and even a Macbeth trail taking you round the grounds. The castle has become an image closely linked with Scottish history, both as the residence of royals and as the legendary seat of Macbeth, and even features on the Scottish ten-pound note.
For more information, visit glamis-castle.co.uk
