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In his memoir, Spare, Prince Harry reflects on his cherished childhood summers spent at Balmoral Castle, a place he fondly remembers as a sanctuary. Published in January 2023, the memoir opens with the Duke of Sussex, now 39, reminiscing about the significance of Balmoral in his youth. The Scottish retreat, with its expansive 50,000-acre estate, has been a beloved summer escape for the royal family since 1845.
"Balmoral was always Paradise to me—a mix of Disney World and a sacred Druid grove," Prince Harry writes in Spare. Immersed in outdoor activities like fishing, shooting, and running around, he was too busy to notice anything peculiar about the old castle's atmosphere. "What I'm trying to say is, I was happy there," he continues, recalling that perhaps the happiest day of his life was August 30, 1997, at Balmoral.
Prince Harry describes the royal family's annual stay at Balmoral as a "micro-season" between summer and fall, with most of their time spent outdoors. His grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, particularly valued fresh air, making it a priority each day.
On the night of August 30, 1997, Prince Harry and his older brother, Prince William, then 12 and 15, respectively, took baths, donned pajamas, and settled in front of the TV for dinner, which included childhood favorites like fish fingers and cottage pie. Their father, then-Prince Charles, who had been divorced from Princess Diana for a year, checked in on them, reminding them that "Mummy's in Paris" and urging them to behave and not stay up too late.
The next day, August 31, 1997, Prince Harry and Prince William learned of their mother's tragic death in a car accident in Paris. Reflecting on this moment, Prince Harry writes that "everything seemed to come to a stop" when his father gently broke the news in his Balmoral bedroom.
Despite the profound sadness tied to Balmoral, the royal family continued to spend late summers there. King Charles has upheld this tradition since ascending to the throne following Queen Elizabeth's death at Balmoral in September 2022.
However, sources revealed to PEOPLE that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not invited to Balmoral Castle this summer. The couple, who stepped back from their royal roles in 2020 and moved to California, have not returned to the U.K. with their children since Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee in 2022. The ongoing rift within the family has left communication strained, with reports suggesting that King Charles no longer takes his son's calls or responds to his letters. Despite a positive meeting earlier this year, their relationship remains tense.
