CHAPTER XX BALMORAL CASTLE

Sir James Clark's suggestion that the valley of the Dee was a neighbourhood possessing all the qualifications of a health resort, induced the Prince Consort to purchase Balmoral Castle in 1852. Both he and the Queen found the lonely situation of the castle among the rugged hills, quite delightful, and though Prince Albert had at first only taken a lease, he soon bought the entire property, handing it over to the Queen as a possession for the reigning monarchs.

Though belonging to the Farquharsons for about 150 years, the last tenant of Balmoral had been Sir Robert Gordon, who, having been high in the diplomatic world, filled his house with many distinguished guests. Sir Robert had considerably enlarged the castle, but it was not sufficient for the needs of a Court, quiet and homelike as it might be. A new castle was commenced in 1853, largely from the plans and ideas of the Prince Consort, whose devoted wife called it "his own creation, own work, own building." To-day, the castle, built of native granite in the Scottish baronial style, stands out strikingly white among the dark wooded hills.

BALMORAL CASTLE.

Erected in 1853, following the plans of the Prince Consort. Built of native granite in the
Scottish baronial style, it stands out strikingly white among the dark wooded hills.

By August, 1856, the new castle was quite ready, and Queen Victoria found everything delightful—"the house is charming; the rooms delightful; the furniture, papers, everything perfection"—and from that moment Balmoral remained her favourite residence, where she was happy in the company of her beloved husband, and free from much of the conventionality of State ceremonial. No one reading the Queen's letters or her diary, can fail to see how blissful was the simple domestic life, the gay picnic expeditions among the mountains, the informal dances where the Queen joined in Scotch reels and country dances.

It was among the heather of the Scottish hills that Prince Frederick of Prussia proposed to the little Princess Royal, then only fifteen years old. Prince Frederick (afterwards the Emperor Frederick III.) was so much in love that he could not refrain from speaking of it, though the Queen, owing to her daughter's youth, had wanted him to wait a little longer. Picking up a piece of white heather, Prince Frederick gave it to the Princess as they rode down Glen Girnoch, telling her at the same time how allerliebst she was.

In the midst of all this happiness came the sudden blow of the early death of Prince Albert, a grief from [pg 96] which the Queen never recovered. She wrote to her uncle, "my life as a happy one is ended! the world is gone for me!" Amidst all her desolation, it was a relief to her to get away to Balmoral, where everything reminded her of him, and where the beauty and calm of the mountains and glens were restful. Though there were no longer any large shooting parties, Queen Victoria did not shut herself up, but took a great interest in the tenantry, whom she visited constantly.

Under the fostering care of Queen Victoria, the village of Balmoral, once poor and barren, with mud cottages roofed with heather, became prosperous. Constant employment has brought wealth to the village, where schools and a library had been erected.

Whatever its subsequent history may be, Balmoral Castle will ever remain enshrined as the dearly-loved home of Victoria the Good, among the Highland folk she knew and loved so well. All her letters from the castle breathe the same feeling as the one written on October 6, 1851: "I love my peaceful wild Highlands, the glorious scenery, the dear good people who are much attached to us ... my heart is bien gros at going from here."

The End