Only the second royal maze in 300 years, King Charle’s Scottish-themed maze at Balmoral has sprung up with trees sprouting several feet skywards.
The maze has a mini castle tower in the centre made from the same granite as the nearby castle. In the shape of a thistle, the maze has been constructed in front of the castle near the iconic Garden Cottage in the 50,000 acre grounds.
King Charles who is a keen gardener has overseen the development’s progress, tickets to see the interior of the castle went on sale to the public for the first time over the past few days. Tickets which sold out in mere hours, were costed at £100-150 each with tea.
The tours, limited to just 40 a day, will net the Monarch more than £150,000 towards the annual £3million running costs of the estate. The King is funding the maze at his private Scottish retreat where Queen Elizabeth 11 died in September 2022.
The summer attraction is said to be a personal tribute to King Charles’s late mother - rather than an added attraction at Balmoral, which relies on visitors to help pay around half of its running costs. The maze is already shown on maps handed out the visitors and trees and shrubs were previously gathered near the site for planting last year.
It is the second maze Charles has been involved in. At Dumfries House in Ayrshire he created the first Royal maze in three centuries.
The then Prince's Foundation, now King's Foundation - which is headquarted at the stately home which Charles saved for the nation - took on the project eight years ago. Inspired by memories of his childhood, Charles wanted to create the green puzzle north of the border.
He instructed gardeners to construct the 6ft high maze and personally oversaw the project. The hedge puzzle even has a Japanese-style pagoda for reflection at its centre as well as obelisks and statues.
Charles was inspired by his times as a child in a maze at Sandringham, which was removed many decades ago. He identified a perfect site, 500 yards from the main house. The prince then asked Fife-based garden designer Michael Innes to develop a plan.
The design involved a 164-foot diameter yew maze, with the tall plants to create immediate impact. There is more than 1,093 yards of hedging in total.
The Balmoral maze should be open to the public later this year. A source added: "It will be a lovely new addition to the garden to improve the visitor experience on the Balmoral Estate. The project is being privately funded by the Estate."
Balmoral's gardens were started in the 19th Century under the supervision of Prince Albert and have been expanded and improved by successive members of the Royal Family - and now by Charles.
A notice displayed at Balmoral stated: "His Majesty the King has plans to develop the gardens. Work has started on the Thistle Maze. A series of herbaceous borders will also encourage pollinators and add seasonal interest for visitors."
The castle gardens were first opened to the public in 1931 for one day a year under the Scotland's Gardens Scheme. Royal author Robert Hardman said that he had predicted King Charles would open up Balmoral, where his mother died on September 8, 2022.
Mr Hardman, in his seminal book Charles III. New King. New Court. The Inside Story 2024, said: "Balmoral is private property. However, it needs public footfall not just to help pay the bills but to bring benefits to the wider community and to remain in step with other stately homes.
"Critics and supporters of the monarchy alike have long complained that the castle is only open for a few months in spring and early summer.
"Even then, the public are only given access to the ballroom and stables. Why not offer them a good gawp at the main interior rooms all year round as long as the family are not in residence? After all, the King and Queen are much happier living at Birkhall, the Queen Mother's old home, when they are in these parts."