this is balmoral castle, in aberdeenshire, the queen's scottish retreat, where the royal family escaperom the hustle and bustle and public scrutiny of london. that is a magnificent building. more like a big country house than a castle. beautiful manicured lawn. i tell you what, i wouldn't mind unwinding here for a little while over the summer months. so the history is, in september 1853, queen victoria laid the foundation stone, and this is when they started the build of the balmoral castle that we have today. and in terms of the design, the architecture, what would you describe it as? yes, again, i think prince albert had quite an influence. it's quite a germanic style. it reminds him, i think, of his home in germany. i think someone described it as a piece of bavaria, plunked into the middle of the scottish forestland. exactly! so that was the start of the love affair with balmoral, so prince albert and victoria came here often? yes, every summer. normally, august, september, that's when they would come here for their summer holidays. and that tradition has remained and the royal fam

as queen elizabeth celebrates 70 years on the throne, i'm at scotland's balmoral castle. 1853, queenday. i think someone described it as a piece of bavaria plunked into the middle of the scottish forestland? exactly! so please do try and join us for that. and don't forget, you can follow our travel show social media accounts on facebook and twitter, and catch up with past episodes on the iplayer. right now, i'm tempted to see if any of that bestie magic has worn off on me and have a little kick about in the garden. but until next week, from me and everyone else here in belfast, it's goodbye. hello. a chilly start to wednesday morning, low single figures in the clearest spots. and whilst many will be dry first thing, there's an area of cloud, rain, parts of wales, the midlands, just turning into another batch of showers as it runs down into south—east england. elsewhere, although you may start dry, cloud builds, showers break out, some heavy and thundery ones from parts of southern scotland, northern, central and eastern england in particular into the afternoon. not many showers for n

castle and seeing the beaming - time, dancing with her at balmoral. castleer face during the scottish dancing — on her face during the scottish dancing being— on her face during the scottish dancing. being on— on her face during the scottish dancing. being on the - on her face during the scottish dancing. being on the royal. on her face during the scottish . dancing. being on the royal yacht britannia — dancing. being on the royal yacht britannia doing _ dancing. being on the royal yacht britannia doing state _ dancing. being on the royal yacht britannia doing state banquets - dancing. being on the royal yachtl britannia doing state banquets was 'ust britannia doing state banquets was just the _ britannia doing state banquets was just the most— britannia doing state banquets was just the most amazing _ britannia doing state banquets was just the most amazing time. - britannia doing state banquets was just the most amazing time. thankj just the most amazing time. thank ou for just the most amazing time. thank you for sharing _ just the most amazing time. than

playing host to a bonfire beacon lit at 9:45 tonight, one of dozens around scotland, including balmoral castlet time there last week, resting ahead of the jubilee. you can see a beacon lit on the top of the mountain and also in the capital at the edinburgh castle. if you have a look at the beacon, people have started to gather. we are expecting musical performances shortly on what is a lovely evening. >> let us go to northern ireland. emma carb day is there. >> welcome to northern ireland, where the bugles types and drowns of the royal irish regiment are just getting warmed up. they will be playing a specially composed fanfare, they will be playing when this deacon is. its one of about a dozen being late this evening in northern ireland. there will be irish dancers, musical entertainment,too. this is a place that feels it has a strong connection to the monarchy. the queen visited on her first coronation tour. the queen is also a symbol of reconciliation, as she played a part in the peace process in norn ireland. she has respect in nationalist communities, too. despe the rain, people have begun

now, the train cab might be a world away from the luxury of balmoral castle, but this railway line island, if you head to the capital, edinburgh, you can step aboard the royal yacht britannia, which was the family's yacht for more than 40 years, taking them on almost 1,000 official visits around the world. the tour takes you across five decks and, they say, it's the only place you can actually see the bedroom of a living british monarch. whilst down in london, a 15—minute walk from buckingham palace, nestled in the horse parade, is the museum of household cavalry — a living museum, where you can watch the queen's ceremonial guards tend to their horses. exhibits guide you through the history of the regiment and the pomp of all their iconic uniforms. make it there for 11 o'clock during the week to see the changing of the guard, too. or you could take a quick train ride out of london and head to the queen's weekend home at windsor castle, which has a claim to being the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. and this summer, they're holding a special exhibition, looking back at

it is one of dozens being lit on scotland including at balmoral castle, the queen's holiday home herebeacon on the top of that uk's highest mountain and also handicap at castle will stop if we have a look of a here at the beacon there are a lot of people who started to gather here and we are expecting some musical performances ready on what is a very lovely evening on the northeast coast. let us go to northern ireland and emma is there. welcome to people's park here in northern ireland where the pipes and drums of the royal irish regiment arejust getting warmed drums of the royal irish regiment are just getting warmed up because they are going to be playing a specially composed fanfare by the writing of the beacon here in ballymena later on. a specially composed fanfare they'll be playing when this beacon is mixed. it's one of about a dozen that's being lit across the region this evening. it would be lots of entertainment here. they will be irish dancers dancing on these boards and it would be musical entertainment as well and of course it's a place that feels it has a strong connecti

my i friend and i work going on to the beat with the traps in past balmoral castle and we woman walkingder howl a queen. we were laughing. so she - was amazed. i should wonder how many times her majesty has been called hen. thank you so much for sharing all your memories. they have been fantastic. in fact, all your memories. they have been fantastic. infact, ourtime all your memories. they have been fantastic. in fact, our time here has also been fantastic. we've had some glorious views, some wonderful guests and thank you to everybody who has been involved in it. here to play us out is the scottish type band with the high island in tribute to her majesty, 70 years on the throne. music the west coast of scotland look at its glorious past. i always love it i listen to the parties. they were giving out loud. i need to tell people at home or during a beautiful film and we were looking at the art out there, julian turned to lou and said, are you scottish? i’m out there, julian turned to lou and said, are you scottish?— said, are you scottish? i'm glad i was said, are you scottish? i'm glad

this time she was playing host, this time to president eisenhower, who she invited to her castle at balmoralalace in 1961. the only president she never met was lyndonjohnson, but she did meet his successor, richard nixon, in 1969. president gerald ford welcomed her to the white house in 1976, as part of america's bicentennial celebrations. another banquet, another president, this time jimmy carter being wined and dined at the palace. president reagan made quite the impression on uk—us relations, so much so he was given an honorary knighthood. as was his vice president, george bush snr, when he took over at the oval office. bill clinton met the queen several times, this, his final trip to the uk before leaving office. george w bush invited her to a state dinner at the white house, where she paid tribute to the bonds between the two countries. if the atlantic unites, not divides us, ours i is a partnership always to be reckoned with in| the defence of freedom. president number 12 was barack obama, being shown around the picture gallery at buckingham palace. donald trump was invited to tea at w

we have played at balmoral castle before and we are so honoured and it is delightful to be here. istate. a memorial plaque to the survivors of the london bridge and borough market terror attack is to be unveiled on friday to mark the five—year anniversary. eight people were killed and 48 others were injured when three terrorists drove a van into pedestrians on the bridge in 2017, before launching a knife attack. one eyewitness and local resident told us, despite the horror, it's brought the community closer together. you know, the terrorists, whatever they wished to achieve, they have failed — they have failed to do that in this community, and they should know that they have failed to do that anywhere in this country. police and crime commissioners forforces bordering london say the metropolitan police is acting selfishly by paying £5,000 to poach their experienced officers. the one—off payment is available for those who transfer to scotland yard by december. the met has called the move a "bold step", but neighbouring forces from kent and sussex say it's putting internal targets ahead o