Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis could miss out on a sweet family tradition this year as they spend their first holiday at Balmoral without the Queen.
- Kate Middleton revealed that the Queen would leave 'little gifts' in Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis' Balmoral rooms to 'show her love for her family' when they came to stay with her.
- As the Royal Family prepares for their first visit to Balmoral following the Queen's death, it is unclear if King Charles will continue the tradition.
- In other royal news, Prince William ‘wants his 3 children to stay close’ for this heartbreaking reason.
The school summer holidays are well underway though the British weather may not have realised it as it continues to pour with rain and the idea of a heatwave arriving anytime soon dwindles rapidly.
Searches for the best sun creams to stock up on, the best outdoor toys to invest in and the best paddling pools to keep you cool this summer may have been put on hold, but that doesn't mean families aren't planning exciting trips to keep everyone busy through the long break.
The Royal Family are no different. While they too may be cooped up thanks to the rain, with Prince George's unexpected favourite meal perhaps being the biggest excitement of the indoor days, they will soon be off to Balmoral to continue the Royal Family's holiday tradition of spending time in the Scottish countryside.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are already reportedly enjoying their annual summer break at the Castle of Mey, the Queen Mother's former home. It is believed that the couple will move over to Balmoral castle when other members of the Royal Family, including Prince William, Kate Middleton and their three children, join them for a holiday.
During the late Queen Elizabeth’s reign, the family would visit Balmoral every year for some family time away from the pressures of royal life. But, while the family continue one tradition, it is unclear whether King Charles will will keep up others started by his late mother.
In 2016, Kate Middleton revealed on the ITV documentary, Our Queen at Ninety, that Queen Elizabeth began a sweet tradition to show 'her love' for her great-grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis when they would visit her in Scotland.
She said, “[Queen Elizabeth] always leaves a little gift or something in their room when we go and stay, and that just shows her love for her family."
While she didn't divulge what the gifts were, it's likely that the presents became something the children greatly looked forward to when making the long trip from their Windsor home Adelaide Cottage to Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
But it is possible that King Charles will keep up the tradition as it is known how much he loves and 'values' spending time with his grandchildren.
According to the BBC’s former royal correspondent Jennie Bond, who spoke to OK! Magazine about Charles' bond with George, Charlotte and Louis, "For all his serious ponderings on the state of the world and in spite of his heavy workload, Charles is quite a soppy old thing really and I’m sure he hugely values the time he has available to spend with his grandchildren."
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