Balmoral photo reveals the Queen's private space

Balmoral photo reveals the Queen's private space



From the skirted armchairs to the antique clock on the mantelpiece, this photograph could have been taken decades ago.

But the image was captured today in the library at the royal residence of Balmoral, and shows how Her Majesty has taken great care to preserve the traditional decor inside her beloved Scottish estate. 

It captures how the thrifty Queen prefers to keep the same furniture and accessories inside her homes, rather than splash out unnecessarily on the latest must-haves.



However the monarch, 91, has allowed herself one modern luxury - beneath the Samsung television sits the remote for a Sky box, showing that not even Her Majesty wants to risk missing an episode of her favourite programme.



The revealing picture was taken during a private audience between the Queen and the Governor General of Canada, Julie Payette.

The women looked relaxed as they spent time chatting - but it is the background that is of much greater interest.



In the place of a roaring log fire this hearth at Balmoral is graced with an electric convection heater, of a type available for less than £20 from high street retailers.

Similar heaters have been seen in other rooms inside the castle as far back 1992, proving how the Queen is keen to keep her housekeeping costs to a minimum.



Nearby sits a two-seater sofa and two individual armchairs, all covered in the same subdued green fabric and finished with traditional skirting.

Their white, red and blue cushions appear to feature some sort of crown motif. The fabric was also used to cover a sofa that was previously placed in the same library. It is possible the Queen chose to recover the sofa but keep the cushions, or use the fabric to cover this set.

Unlike other rooms in the castle which boast carpet in the Royal Tartan, this room has been laid with a much simpler green fabric.

Lining the walls are custom-made fitted bookshelves in solid wood, housing hundreds of different volumes.



A photograph of the Queen and Prince Philip in the library from 1977 reveals how some of the books have remained in the exact same place for the last 40 years.

While the layout of the room has changed significantly in the decades since the picture was taken, some of the furniture remains the same.



The red leather desk chair seen in the 1977 photo is tucked in the corner of the image taken today, along with the leather-top desk used by the Queen.