Balmoral Castle, King Charles’ much loved Scottish residence, has confirmed it will remain closed to the public until January 28, 2026.
After a weekend marked by severe winter conditions and two consecutive days of closure, Balmoral confirmed that it would remain shut for the rest of the month.
They have also shared a planned reopening.
Balmoral shares prolonged closure
The castle’s official website now outlines its revised winter opening arrangements. Visitors are advised that access will resume on selected dates from late January through late March.
The site states, “Explore the gardens, admire the castle, or immerse yourself in the estate’s natural beauty, and discover the timeless charm of Balmoral. Open from 10:00 until 16:00 on certain dates from late January until late March.”
During this reopening period, general admission will be free of charge. Guests will be able to access the estate grounds, as well as the Mews Gift Shop and the restaurant.
Royal residence update
The update was also shared via Balmoral’s social media channels.
There, the estate confirmed: “The grounds, gift shop, and restaurant at Balmoral Castle are now closed to the public and will reopen on Wednesday, 28 January 2026.”
The message continued, “From then on, we’ll be open Wednesday–Sunday, 10:00–16:00, until Sunday, 22 March. As the snow continues to fall here at Balmoral, we hope you’re all keeping warm and staying safe!”
The extended closure follows precautionary measures taken earlier in the month. On Saturday, 3 January, the estate announced it would close.
They cited winter weather conditions and an active weather warning.
“Balmoral remains closed to the public today (Saturday 3 January) due to winter weather conditions and an active weather warning,” the statement read.
A follow up notice the following day confirmed continued closure on Sunday, 4 January.
It added that all Sunday lunch booking deposits would be refunded. Members of the public were advised to monitor Balmoral’s social media pages for further updates.
Sandringham Estate also affected by winter conditions
As winter tightens its grip across the UK, King Charles has been spending time at Sandringham in Norfolk.
There, he hosted members of the royal family over the Christmas period.
The King and Queen Camilla led the traditional Christmas Day walkabout at St Mary Magdalene Church, greeting well wishers as they attended the annual service.
Balmoral hasn’t been the only royal suffering a closure.
Sandringham has also been impacted by the cold spell. On Monday, January 5, the estate issued a notice warning that facilities could close earlier than planned due to the weather. The children’s play area was also closed until further notice.
The update coincided with a yellow weather warning issued by the Met Office, forecasting scattered snow showers and icy patches across parts of eastern England and Scotland.
The warning was in effect from Monday evening into Tuesday morning.
Despite the wintry conditions, the King and Queen made their first public appearance of the year on Sunday.
They dressed up warmly to attend a service on the Sandringham estate.
The pair were seen as they spoke with local residents, with the King taking time to greet children among the crowd.
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