The Queen used a hidden lodge at Balmoral so she and Prince Philip could be like any ‘ordinary married couple’

The Queen used a hidden lodge at Balmoral (opens in new tab) so she and Prince Philip could be like any 'ordinary married couple'.

• The Queen stayed in a hidden lodge with Prince Philip so she could act like an 'ordinary married couple' it's been revealed.
• Her Majesty would get comfortable at the modest seven-bedroom Craigowan Lodge.
• This royal news (opens in new tab) comes as the telling sign that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle aren’t A-list celebrities yet (opens in new tab) is revealed.

The Queen used to spend the first couple of weeks of her summer Balmoral break staying in a hidden lodge on the estate so she and her husband Prince Philip could act like an 'ordinary married couple'.

Her Majesty has arrived at Balmoral - her favourite holiday home in the UK, but while the break will be a bittersweet one without Prince Philip (opens in new tab), it's expected that it will give some much-needed rest.

And as the Queen looks back fondly on her time spent there over the years, with great-granddaughters Lady Louise Windsor and Princess Charlotte sharing an adorable pastime (opens in new tab), it's hoped she will be joined by other members of the royal family and also Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie (opens in new tab).

But before anyone joins, historically, the Queen and Prince Philip would have a few weeks to themselves living in a much-scaled down property - seven-bedroom Craigowan Lodge - than their usual palace.

And according to Channel 5 documentary, Secrets of the Royal Palaces, the Queen spent time here following the death of Prince Philip and has previously stayed there with him.

Royal expert Wesley Kerr told viewers, “I don’t imagine that she’s doing the cooking or anything, but she and the Duke are able to be there as an ordinary married couple without the grandeur."

He added, "I think the Queen sees the grandeur in these amazing houses as, sort of, part of the job.

“But the Queen, like anybody else,” he added, “can only be in one room at a time. So one room in a small house is probably a rather nice change.”

The Queen is said to love the Highlands - 50,000 acres away from the public eye.

Princess Eugenie once revealed on ITV’s Our Queen At Ninety documentary, "I think she really, really loves the Highlands.

“Walks, picnics, dogs – a lot of dogs, there's always dogs – and people coming in and out all the time.

“It's a lovely base for Granny and Grandpa, for us to come and see them up there; where you just have room to breathe and run,” she added.

You can find out more about Balmoral castle in the video below...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yC5IP_CXDA

Prince William and wife Kate along with the Cambridge kids usually spend some time with the Queen on the estate over the summer period but it's not yet known when they will make the journey.