Video LoadingVideo UnavailableClick to playTap to playThe video will auto-play soon8CancelPlay nowFormer royal butler Paul Burrell has given insight into how the second anniversary of the late Queen’s death will be commemorated by “all the family” at Balmoral. Queen Elizabeth passed away aged 96 at Balmoral two years ago this Sunday, and the Royal Family will honour the UK’s longest reigning monarch this weekend at the same Scottish location. Burrell believes the family “will all be there” in private, likely marking the occasion with a dinner in memory of the late Queen, where King Charles III will make a toast. He also mentioned that royal fans can expect to see them attending church on Sunday, marking a “sombre” and “poignant” time for the royals.
The second anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing takes place on September 8
(Image: Getty Images)
Burrell highlighted the significance of Balmoral for the Queen. “The 8th of September will be that day we all have, we will all remember the Queen, and I think it was so perfect that she did pass at Balmoral, the place where she loved raising her family with Prince Philip, and they had such happy times,” he said. He added: “I think they will probably have a dinner in memory of the Queen, and her son, King Charles, will make a toast, because [the fact she reigned] for 70 years just can’t go unmarked. I think the family will all be there to mark it in private.” Speaking on behalf of Slingo, Mr Burrell shared: “I think (this year in Balmoral will be particularly poignant for Charles) because it’s two years into being king, two years since his mother died. Balmoral is a very poignant place, because time stands still and our dear Queen casts a long shadow over everything.
Balmoral Castle was where Queen Elizabeth II passed away
(Image: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
“Especially for the family, and especially Balmoral because she was a larger-than-life presence that filled Balmoral castle. I bet they see her around every corner, and remember the things that she did. They’ll remember everything that she did within the castle because she loved Balmoral.” He also noted how Balmoral, once a private escape for the Queen, has changed under Charles’ reign. “Now it’s open to the public, [the Queen’s] last bastion has gone, and now every royal residence really is open to the public,” Mr Burrell said. “The Queen resisted and resisted all her life and said, ‘No, it’s the only corner I have left, that’s mine’, but now that’s gone, and we’ve moved on to another generation. Time moves on, but the places stand still.”
The Queen’s love for the Balmoral estate was unmatched
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Burrell highlighted the profound effect of the Queen’s passing on Princess Anne, saying: “(It) affected Anne greatly, being the only daughter, and she’s carrying her mother’s mantle in many ways, very stoic, hard-working, dedicated to the country,” he remarked. “Anne is the best Queen we never had, because she is very much like Prince Philip, obviously has his mannerisms and his ways, but has her mother’s heart, and that’s why she works so hard and doesn’t ask for anything in return, because that’s her job, and she understands it.” The royal butler also shared his sentiments about Balmoral, a place synonymous with the Queen, where “time stands still”. He reflected on the moments that define generations, saying: “That’s the generational thing, is that there’s always one event that you remember where you were because in my generation, it’s ‘Where you were when you heard Diana died?’,” he recalled.
The final photograph of Queen Elizabeth was released two days before her death
(Image: Getty Images)
“The generation before it was ‘Where were you when you heard Kennedy had been shot? ‘ Now, it’s ‘Where were you when you heard the news that the Queen had died?’ For 70 years, she was monarch. Her 70 years reign ended at Balmoral, two years ago, and that’s why Balmoral is still so special in the royals’ world, because Balmoral was close to the Queen’s heart.” “As I said, her shadow is a very long one, even in death, I think Balmoral might as well be bigger than Brigadoon because time stands still. Here, this special place is remembered as the Queen’s home, and two years on, the royals will be thinking about that. “Of course, they will, and they’ll go to church, and they’ll all think about their mother, their grandmother, their aunt, or their queen. And it didn’t just affect the royal family, it affected the country and all the people that worked on the estate who loved her. So it’s a very sombre, poignant time and it will be for many years to come.”Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterMore OnPaul BurrellPrince PhilipRoyal FamilyQueen Elizabeth IIKing Charles IIIBalmoralPrincess Anne
