Plans lodged for the King’s Balmoral Estate to host wedding venue
An application has been made for the Queen’s Building to be able to stage events.
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Members of the public could have their own “royal” wedding if plans to allow couples to hold their big day at the King’s Balmoral estate are granted permission.
The royal estate in Aberdeenshire has lodged plans to hold weddings at the Queen’s Building, on the grounds near Balmoral Castle.
The plans include enabling the venue to “be used for weddings, dinners, meetings and associated events”, which it said would be “rare throughout the year”.
The private Scottish home has been handed down through generations of royals after being bought for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852, and is used as a royal summer retreat.
Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral in September 2022.
Charles has opened up the castle to public tours this year, which sold out within 24 hours.
Tickets for the guided tours, priced at £100 or £150 with afternoon tea, enabled 40 people each day to visit the royal residence from July 1 to August 4.
Now, the estate plans to revamp the layout of the Queen’s Building with a new reception area and expanded outdoor area on the patio, increasing capacity from 250 to 277 people inside and 40 to 144 outside.
Inside, alcohol could be served up to 12.30am and events could involve live performances and dancing.
An application set to go before the Aberdeenshire Licensing Board meeting in December argues certain conditions on the outdoor area are not required, describing it as a “pleasant outdoor area for family dining located in the confines of the private estate property”.
Addressing a condition preventing amplified music being played outside, the application states there is “no realistic possibility of the public or of any neighbour being disturbed” as music will be kept to a “low level”.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.