Inside £115m Balmoral Castle where the Queen spends her summer holidays, including 52 bedrooms, Prince Philip’s vegetable patch and A LOT of bats

EVERY year, The Queen heads up to the Scottish highlands to enjoy some time away from the spotlight at her favourite royal residence at Balmoral.

The Scottish castle has been in the Royal Family since 1852 and boasts over 50,000 acres of land, 52 bedrooms and is estimated to be worth a cool £155 million according to .

However, the breath-taking estate – situated in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire – holds more than just monetary value for the Royals as the sprawling countryside castle allows them privacy away from The Queen’s Buckingham Palace headquarters.

In the recent documentary Our Queen at Ninety, Princess Eugenie said her grandmother is “the most happy” during her Balmoral visits as she occupies her time with “walks, picnics and a lot of dogs”.

What’s more, Prince Philip has taken a keen interest in gardening and “created a large vegetable garden” which adjoins to the lavish gardens on the North side of the castle, the reveals.

And according to , The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh “take a close personal interest in running and improving the Estates” and visit the castle at least once a year on their summer break.

The castle is classified by Historic Scotland as a category A listed building, and costs around £3 million annually to run.

Prince Albert bought the estate in 1852 for his wife Queen Victoria and began expanding the stately home into a Castle suitable for the Royal Family but sadly passed away before it was completed.

As well as the main castle, there are 150 other buildings on the estate, including Birkhall, the estate of Prince Charles, Craigowan Lodge, and several other cottages.

Although the majority of the rooms at Balmoral have never been seen by the public, The Queen has been photographed in her study, living rooms and outside in the gardens over the years.

While The Queen and Prince Philip would take their four children to Balmoral with them every year when they were growing up, the couple now invite their grandchildren and their families to join them during their summer break.

In fact, The Queen is so strict about maintaining her family’s privacy at Balmoral that she rarely lets photographers into her summer home – but allowed Kate Middleton to take some photos during her first ever trip.

The Queen is also believed to be will hosting a birthday tea for her granddaughter-in-law Meghan who turned 38 over the weekend.

It is understood that Meghan, Harry and Archie will travel to Balmoral where they will be given their own wing, as well as enjoying a traditional afternoon tea with Her Maj.

A source told the Sun on Sunday: “The Queen and Prince Philip adore the couple and, of course, their new great-grandson Archie, and they have invited them to Balmoral for a few days.

“It’s no secret Balmoral is Her Majesty’s favourite home and that’s why this invite is so special and heartfelt.”

Last month, The Sun exclusively revealed that Balmoral is full of bats – and The Queen has been helping servants when they’re chasing them around with nets.

The ballroom of the large Aberdeenshire estate is believed to be home to a colony of pipistrelle bats that nest in the rafters – and Her Majesty has even pointed them out to her staff so they can catch them with nets.

Royal author Juliet Rieden also recently claimed that Balmoral is where The Queen enjoys a “normal existence” and even helps her staff with the washing up.

Speaking to Nine News Juliet said: “This is where she loves to be, this is holiday time for the Queen. She always said this is where she feels most herself and feels most free.

“When they are out having their barbecues, which they love to do out in the grounds of Balmoral – it’s a massive estate, the most beautiful grounds – where they literally set up a barbecue.

“And afterward the Queen does the washing up.”

In more Royal Family news, The Queen has made an “unusual effort” to welcome Meghan Markle as she doesn’t want her to feel alienated like Princess Diana, a royal commentator has claimed.

And Meghan Markle should “be a lady, not a hustler” according to controversial Lady Colin Campbell.

Plus The Sun exclusively revealed that Prince Harry has been joining Meghan Markle for regular £50 pedicures.