As King Charles III continues the long-standing tradition of
spending part of August at the Castle of Mey, one little-known
story from the estate’s royal history recalls how Queen Elizabeth
II once intervened to ensure her mother could enjoy uninterrupted
afternoon naps.
The Queen Mother spent several weeks each summer at the Castle
of Mey in Caithness after purchasing the property in 1952,
following the death of King George VI. It quickly became one of her
favourite homes and she returned almost every year until shortly
before her death in 2002.
During her stays, she regularly enjoyed a midday nap but was
occasionally disturbed by the sound of low-flying Royal Air Force
aircraft.
Ministry of Defence records released in 2022 revealed that Queen
Elizabeth II asked military chiefs to establish a temporary no-fly
zone around the Castle of Mey while her mother was in
residence.
A Ministry of Defence letter stated: “While we can give no
guarantee that aircraft are not seen in the vicinity, this should
ensure that Her Majesty is not disturbed.”
It added: “Similar arrangements can be made for future
periods when the Queen Mother is in residence. I understand that
this is usually during the month of August.”
The arrangement ensured that military aircraft avoided flying
low over the castle during the Queen Mother’s annual summer
holidays, allowing her to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the
remote Highland estate.
Today, King Charles has continued his grandmother’s tradition by
spending the first week of August each year at the Castle of Mey.
The estate is now managed by The King’s Foundation, which cares for
the historic castle and its gardens before reopening them to
visitors following the King’s summer stay.
The story remains one of the more unusual examples of the
practical measures taken to protect the privacy and comfort of
senior members of the Royal Family.
