Prince Albert bought the Balmoral estate and its original castle in 1852, and the house was soon judged too small. William Smith, the city architect of Aberdeen, designed a larger castle, and Albert amended his designs, including turrets and windows. Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone on September 28, 1853. The royal apartments were ready by the autumn of 1855, and the new house was complete in 1856.
The style is Scots baronial revival. The granite was quarried on the estate at Invergelder. The castle is the private property of King Charles III and is not part of the Crown Estate, because Albert bought it privately.
The gardens and grounds were first opened to the public in 1931, and they are open daily from April to the end of July. In 2024, limited numbers of visitors toured several interior rooms, the first public opening of the interior since completion.
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