The royal family have started arriving at Balmoral Castle for their annual summer break, which is hosted by King Charles this year. It is believed that the King's grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle won't be making an appearance, but do we know why?
While many could believe that it is due to the royal rift within the family since Prince Harry's departure from the UK, his tell-all Netflix docuseries and his explosive memoir, Spare, there could actually be another reason behind the decision.
Prince Archie attends pre-school in the US, nearby their Montecito mansion, and unlike the UK, the term times in the US tend to commence in August, so there's a possibility that their son is already back at school.
For Archie's cousins Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, school won't be starting until early September, meaning they have a couple more weeks of summer to enjoy.
© GettyWhile the family have had many summers together in Scotland, for Prince Harry, the sprawling Balmoral estate evokes "complicated memories" from the past and he previously revealed that visiting was difficult because it was the residence where he and his brother received the tragic news of their mother, Princess Diana's death from a car crash in August 1997.
While writing in his book, Spare, he said: "I fled to Scotland, met up with my family at Balmoral. It was August and they were all there. Yes, I thought, yes, the one thing missing from this Kafkaesque nightmare is Balmoral, with all its complicated memories and the pending anniversary of Mummy's death just days away."
© ShutterstockIt will of course be doubly sad for Harry now, as his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II passed away while at Balmoral in September 2022.
His Majesty King Charles, 74, was given an official welcome at the Castle on Monday as he took up his summer residence and other royals have since joined.
© Tim Rooke/ShutterstockAccording to ITV News' Royal Editor Chris Ship, Princess Eugenie arrived in Scotland with two-year-old August and baby Ernest on Tuesday, while Princess Beatrice, her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and their family were also seen.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children are reportedly not yet at the Scottish property, but they are expected to arrive soon.
© Tim GrahamBalmoral has been handed down through generations of royals after Prince Albert originally bought the property for Queen Victoria in 1852.
The expansive Scottish estate held a special place in the late Queen Elizabeth II's heart thanks to its deeper meaning. She and her late husband Prince Philip spent part of their honeymoon at Birkhall hunting lodge in 1947.
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Her granddaughter Eugenie previously explained: "It's the most beautiful place on earth. I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands."
