Balmoral Castle holds a "uniquely special place" in the hearts of the royal family, the King has said in the foreword to a new guidebook.

Charles said the vast Scottish estate is a "cherished home" for his family, with "startling individuality" and a "precious, almost sacred, surrounding landscape".

In 1852, the Balmoral estate was purchased by Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, who had fallen in love with the highlands and went on to build the castle.

Since then, the 20,000 hectare estate has become a favourite summer retreat of the royal family, with kings and queens adding their own stamp to the castle and grounds over the decades.

"Balmoral has been the cherished Scottish home of my family since the estate was purchased by Prince Albert, my great-great-great-grandfather, in 1852," Charles wrote.

"With its buildings of startling individuality, which never fail to fascinate, and its precious, almost sacred, surrounding landscape, it is a place where there is constant change, yet everything remains unaltered, with a sense of timelessness which refreshes the soul.

"Since my earliest childhood, it has held, and continues to hold, a uniquely special place in the hearts of my family and myself, and my late mother particularly treasured her time at Balmoral.

"It was here, in these most beloved of surroundings, that she chose to spend her final days.

"Whatever the circumstances in which you are reading this book, I hope that you, too, will be inspired by the rich complexity of the architecture and share in the magic of the surrounding countryside, whose 'wild and majestic' landscape has been the source of inspiration and enjoyment for so many."

Queen Elizabeth II, died at the estate aged 96 on September 8, 2022 after serving as sovereign for 70 years

The guidebook opens with an image of a watercolour of the castle, painted by Charles in 1989, alongside the foreword.

In July 2024, the King opened the Aberdeenshire castle to the public for the first time in more than 170 years and has made a number of changes to the interior and the gardens.

Before this, the only part of the building the public could visit was the ballroom, which houses a different exhibition each year.

Prime ministers are traditionally invited to stay with the head of state at Balmoral during the summer.