Much like Queen Elizabeth, King Charles and Queen Camilla are expected to spend at least part of the summer on the Balmoral Estate in Scotland, with a friend of the couple telling Vanity Fair: "The house was always full of guests coming and going and Charles will be continuing that tradition. That is very important to him."

The Balmoral Estate was incredibly important to the late Queen and is comprised of several smaller properties, including Birkhall, Craigowan Lodge and Tam Na Ghar.

While the King looks set to be returning to Scotland for a well deserved break in the coming weeks, former BBC Royal Correspondent Jennie Bond has questioned what the monarch's time up there could look like and why it will be different from how the late Queen would spend the period.

Speaking to OK!, Jennie said: "Charles and Camilla‘s preference will always be to stay at Birkhall, which they have very much made their own and love it because it belonged to the Queen Mother. But if the family do join them for part of the summer, some of them at least will obviously have to stay in the castle.

"I think Charles has already shown that he wants to continue the tradition of gathering the family together at least once or twice a year. But he is a busy man, and much busier now that he is Monarch.

"So I do not think that he will be having the extended summer stay at Balmoral that the Queen so enjoyed. He does love it up in Scotland and I think it does his soul good to walk on the moors and have at least some time away from public duties."

Jennie added: "I’m not sure that William and Catherine are quite so keen on a prolonged stay in Scotland, even though as a family they love the big outdoors.

"Balmoral does offer them all a haven which is full of memories, both good and bad, including learning of Diana’s death and rushing up there for Queen Elizabeth's death.

"It will be a poignant time for them to return to the Castle and possibly gather there to mark the first anniversary of the Queen’s death in September."

Balmoral Castle is located in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is near the village of Crathie and 50 miles west of Aberdeen.

Balmoral was bought by Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert in 1852 from the Farquharson family and is still privately owned as it was purchased using personal funds. As a result, any revenue from the estate does not go to Parliament or the public purse.

Queen Elizabeth's love of the estate was well-documented, with her granddaughter Princess Eugenie explaining: "It's the most beautiful place on earth. I think Granny is the most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands."

Speaking to ITV for the documentary ‘Our Queen At Ninety’, she added: "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."

Prince William also recalled a time that the late Queen was very angry at him and his cousin, Peter Phillips, when they were much younger at Balmoral Castle.

Speaking during the documentary ‘The Queen at 90’, Prince William explained: "[Peter Phillips and I] were chasing Zara around who was on a go-cart, and [we] managed to herd Zara into a lamppost and the lamppost came down and nearly squashed her.

"And I remember my grandmother being the first person out at Balmoral to come running across the lawn in her kilt. She came charging over and gave us the most almighty telling off, and that sort of stuck in my mind from that moment on."

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