The most well-travelled British monarch in history, Queen Elizabeth II is believed to have visited 117 countries during her 70-year reign, but it was those places closer to home that held a dear place in her heart as much as the exotic locations she visited abroad during her many official royal visits and personal trips.
Following the sad news of the passing of HRH Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, we take a look at some of the highlights of the travels of this much-loved monarch and pick out five of her most cherished and well visited travel destinations.
Scotland
Balmoral Castle, in Aberdeenshire, in the Scottish Highlands is undoubtedly up there with the Queen’s favourite place, with the royal having spent every summer there since her reign began in 1952. It’s also quite poignant that she chose to live out her final days in the 50,000-acre estate and also headed there following Prince Philip’s passing in 2021.
The Scottish Highlands is brimming with wildlife, nature and plenty of places to feel closer to the natural world, so it’s no surprise that the Queen would enjoy such pleasant surroundings with her dogs and horses. With Loch Ness at the centre, dolphins swimming in the Moray Firth, medieval castle ruins, Ben Nevis, waterfalls and so much more to delight, visiting this mountainous region is sure to delight.
Malta
Did you know that the Queen lived in Malta when she and Prince Philip were first married? The royal couple lived just outside Valletta between 1949 and 1951 while Philip was stationed there when working for the Royal Navy. The Queen is quoted as having said Malta was “always very special for me” when visiting the island in 2015.
The pair resided in an 18th-century, 18-bedroom mansion, but if you want to visit and there and can’t quite find the same residence, there are plenty of discerning hotels to base yourself in while you explore the history-filled archipelago.
Canada
The Queen’s most visited country during her reign, the monarch was said to have travelled to vast Canada a whopping 27 times. Her most in-depth trip was in 1994 during a state tour alongside Prince Philip and Prince Edward. From Halifax – where the Queen stated when she arrived: “it’s good to be home” – to the Northwest Territories to British Columbia, where the Commonwealth Games were being held, the trip certainly covered a lot of ground.
Canada holds a wealth of places to see, things to do and experience, from the peaceful wilderness to lively cities, at any time of year. Covering almost 10 million square kilometres, you may just need to pencil in a trip or three, though 27 might be a hard target to beat!
Windsor
The royal residence in Berkshire and the place where the Queen moved full time for the past two years, Windsor Castle boasts almost a millennium of architectural history. That’s right! Construction started in 1070 and since William the Conqueror founded it in the 11th century, it has been the home of 39 monarchs since, making it the oldest, and largest, occupied castle in the world.
From the gold décor to the impressive art collection to the 500-year-old St George’s chapel where royal weddings have taken place and ten kings, including Henry VIII and Charles I, are buried, there’s a lot going on here. Outside of the castle, visitors to Windsor can enjoy some great food across a range of restaurants as well as plenty of shopping in this Thames-side town.
South Africa
The Queen visited South Africa as a princess with her father, King George VI, the Queen Mother (known as Queen Consort at the time) and her younger sister Princess Margaret in 1947 in what was her first foreign tour. The royal turned 21 during this trip and later returned in 1995 via the Royal Yacht Britannia to support the new government at the end of Apartheid, being greeted by then President Nelson Mandela.
There’s a lot to see and so in this stunning country, from memorable safaris to city visits to vineyard tours and so very much more.
