King plans to spend January in Scotland in new tradition
THE King will spend most of January in Scotland as he cements a new tradition.
The King, 75, and the Queen, 76, spent last night at Sandringham, but they are expected to fly to Aberdeenshire within the next day or two.
They will spend the next few weeks at Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate, said to be the King’s favourite residence, which they consider their marital home.
Charles is also likely to spend time at the Castle of Mey, his late grandmother’s former home on the north coast.
By opting to relocate to Scotland, the King is forging his own path as monarch, breaking with a decades-old tradition set by Elizabeth II. The late Queen opted to remain in Norfolk throughout January to mark her accession day, Feb 6, at Sandringham, where her father, George VI, died in 1952.
Friends and members of the Royal family came and went as they extended the New Year festivities with shooting parties that stretched over long weekends. But the King has long cherished his January retreat to Scotland, a routine he has kept for years.
This time, for the second consecutive year, his days will be punctuated with the arrival of his red boxes of government papers, but otherwise, it will be a time to recharge the batteries.
The smattering of house guests is unlikely to differ, with Camilla’s sister, Annabel Elliot, and close friends such as former Conservative MP Sir Nicholas Soames, among the visitors.
The King and Queen were due to see in the New Year at Sandringham.
Yesterday, they made one final walk from the “big house” to St Mary Magdalene church for the weekly Sunday service. They were joined by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester at the church for their first public outing since Christmas Day.
The King and Queen led a large group of family members and aides to the traditional Christmas Day service. Among them was Sarah, Duchess of York, who was allowed to join the high profile outing for the first time in more than three decades.