The Queen to unveil Diamond Jubilee Cairn at Balmoral Castle

I have just returned from Scotland on my Royal Culinary Trip  which included a tour of the Balmoral Estate for the group. One of the highlights was a preview of the new Diamond Jubilee Cairn, due to be officially unveiled by Her Majesty The Queen.

Today, although she has been on the estate since Sunday, The Queen officially begins her annual vacation when she moves into Balmoral Castle and on Wednesday will be especially excited as she unveils her first Cairn on the Balmoral Estate.

No Monarch has built a Cairn on the Balmoral Estate since Queen Victoria erected 10 Cairns – one for each of her nine children and one on the day she and Prince Albert purchased Balmoral Castle.  After the unveiling Her Majesty will host a garden party in the Castle grounds.

The Diamond Jubilee Cairn was affectionately built as a gift to The Queen from present and former employees of the Balmoral Estate and looks down onto the sunken garden.

Queen Victoria built the first granite Cairn in 1852 called the “Purchase Cairn” the day she and Prince Albert bought the Balmoral Estate and then one for each of her children when they married.

You can be sure the Diamond Jubilee Cairn will have a special place in Queen Elizabeth’s heart.