As the Princess of Wales’ attendance at Wimbledon—a staple in her summer diary—remains up in the air, one summer plan that is firmly in place for Kate and her family? The desire for this season to be “fun and carefree,” especially for Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, Tatler reports.
While nothing is confirmed for Kate as the rollercoaster of 2024 rolls on, “the family are said to be looking forward to spending time together at Balmoral,” Tatler reports, which is, of course, the royal family’s traditional summer retreat, where they head off to en masse every August. Going to Balmoral—which is nestled in the Scottish Highlands—“will give them much-needed space and rest after a challenging first half of 2024,” Tatler writes. “The place is particularly significant for [Prince] William, who describes Scotland as the source of some of his happiest memories, but also his saddest.”
It was the site of many fond family memories, but also William’s deepest tragedy—he, along with brother Prince Harry, were at Balmoral on August 31, 1997, when they learned their beloved mother, Princess Diana, had been killed in a car accident in Paris. Speaking in 2022, William said “I was in Balmoral when I was told that my mother had died,” he said. “Still in shock, I found sanctuary in the service at Crathie Kirk that very morning. And in the dark days of grief that followed, I found comfort and solace in the Scottish outdoors. As a result, the connection I feel to Scotland will forever run deep.”
While the Wales family of five’s attendance hasn’t been confirmed, Tatler reports the family has the option to stay at Tam-Na-Ghar, a cottage on the Balmoral estate frequently visited by Queen Victoria and left to William by his great-grandmother the Queen Mother after her death in 2002. “George, Charlotte, and Louis already know how dear Scotland is to both of us, and they’re starting to build their own happy memories here, too,” William said.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told The Mirror “It’s been one heck of a year for the royal family so far, and nothing would please the King more than to have his close family gathered together in the peace of Balmoral for a time to take stock together, mark the passing of an incredibly difficult few months, and look to the future,” she said. King Charles, of course, has also been diagnosed with cancer this year, as has Kate, and both are currently still receiving treatment.
Of Kate, Bond said that the royal family will “want to surround her with love, support, and renewed strength,” she said. “The princess will want to make the summer months as fun and carefree for the children as she possibly can after everything she’s been through.”
The King is said to enjoy reading to his grandchildren, playing cards, and enjoying picnics, “as well as riding and walking in Prince George’s Wood, the arboretum named after Charles’ eldest grandson,” Tatler writes. “After the turbulent few months they have endured, what more could the Wales family want?”
Royal editor Emily Nash said that “Both William and Kate are very hands-on parents—they take the kids to school, attend sports matches and concerts, and try to be home for bedtime as much as they can,” she said. “While Kate [was] in hospital, William [was] at home keeping things as normal as possible.”
Though Kate herself said that she wasn’t out of the woods yet, a corner seems to have been firmly turned for the better, and, as opposed to the tense first half of 2024, hopefully this summer will be as fun and carefree as the Wales family hopes it will be. The Mirror reports that, if Balmoral isn’t in their plans, “an extended break at Anmer Hall in Norfolk seems likely,” the outlet writes of the family’s country home. “The residence, often described as their favorite, offers a private sanctuary where they can enjoy simple pleasures like garden games, local excursions, and beach outings to Holkham Beach.”
But Balmoral seems like a solid option in August, and, as Bond said, “The summer stay up there has always been a time primarily for family for a gathering in the peace of the Scottish countryside after the busyness and noise of their working lives in London and elsewhere,” she said, per OK. “It’s a ‘breathe, relax, and be still’ kind of place, and that’s what they all love about it.” (That sounds like exactly what the royal family needs right now.)
Bond continued “And this year, more than ever, they all need to gather themselves and regroup for what they all must hope will be better days to come,” she said.
