One of the royal family’s favorite residences has closed to the public, hinting at the start of a summer tradition

On Sunday, Aug. 9, Balmoral Castle in Scotland shared its official notice of closure for the season on social media.

“Balmoral Castle, including the grounds, gardens and exhibitions, is now closed to the public,” the post noted, in part. “Thank you to everyone who visited the Castle and Estate during the 2026 summer season. We hope you enjoyed your time at Balmoral and left with lasting memories of your visit.”

“Until next time, keep an eye on our social media channels for updates, including the return of the Balmoral Castle Exclusively Highlands Artisan Market on 6, 7 and 8 November.”

Balmoral has been a royal summer respite since the reign of Queen Victoria, whose husband, Prince Albert, purchased the castle and the surrounding 7,000 acres in 1845. Generations of royals have headed to the Scottish estate in the late summer to fish, hike and simply spend time together out of the public eye.

Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith previously told PEOPLE, “Balmoral has always been a place of rejuvenation and reflection.”

The property, which sits on the River Dee in Aberdeenshire, was especially beloved by late Queen Elizabeth, who was known to leave for Scotland in late July and not return to London until October, with other members of the family joining her for periods of her stay.

The castle held decades of meaningful memories for the monarch, from Prince Philip‘s proposal in 1946 and their royal honeymoon to summers with her growing family. Her granddaughter Princess Eugenie said of Balmoral in the 2016 documentary Our Queen at Ninety, “I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands.”

It was also where she spent her final days. Queen Elizabeth died at Balmoral on Sept. 8, 2022, becoming the first British monarch to die in Scotland since James V in 1542.

“In some ways it must have made her sad, but in many ways a great comfort,” Smith said of the castle being the Queen’s place of death.

It’s now also become a place of respite for future generations. King Charles, 77, has continued his mother’s tradition of spending some of the late summer at Balmoral since his accession. Prince William and Kate Middleton, both 44, usually visit with their three children — Prince George, 13, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8 — as well as other royals.

“My family has deep connections there, and it was such a fun part of my childhood and upbringing,” Prince William told Country Life in 2018.

William and Kate began making their own memories at the castle when they started dating at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 2001; they would sneak away to the royal estate to avoid paparazzi.

The following year, just before her death, William’s late great-grandmother, the Queen Mother, gifted him a small cottage on the estate called Tam-Na-Ghar, which is ultra private, even by royal standards. Only a few photographs of its exterior have ever been made public, and even its exact location is unknown to most.

The privacy is crucial to the Prince and Princess of Wales, who often choose to stay at Tam-Na-Ghar rather than with the rest of the family in the castle. The Scottish holiday provided a much-needed “fun and carefree” summer for their family in 2024, as Princess Kate was in the midst of chemotherapy treatment for cancer.

This year, it will give them a chance to recharge and spend quality time together before Prince George’s start at Eton College this fall.

“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 in 2024.

The Balmoral estate features one of the largest remaining preserved areas of the Caledonian forest, the ancient old-growth forest that once covered much of the Highlands. King Charles has said that the area, called the Ballochbuie Forest, is one of the “most precious, and almost sacred” parts of Balmoral for him due to his passion for wildlife conservation.

The 50,000-acre estate in Aberdeenshire is one of two estates that the Queen — and now, King Charles — owned privately. The other is Sandringham, in Norfolk, England, where the royal family traditionally spends Christmas.