Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have taken matters into their own hands after being excluded for many years from the Royal Family’s traditional summer gathering at Balmoral Castle.
Bypassed and nearly forgotten by King Charles III, who has refrained from extending an official invitation to the Aberdeenshire estate to avoid angering Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, blasé by it all, have quietly arranged their own alternative holiday in Scotland.
Rather than dwelling on the exclusion, the couple flew across the Atlantic to ensure their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, could still experience the Scottish Highlands on a secret family getaway.
Instead of begging to stay at the private royal estate that Prince Harry once described in his memoir as “simply paradise,” the family traveled to Tanera Mor, a remote 800-acre island in the Summer Isles.
The private property is owned by billionaire hedge-fund tycoon Ian Wace, a longtime friend of the Royal Family who has invested roughly £100 million ($135 million) in restoring the island’s cottages, roads, and native landscape.
According to reports via The Daily Mail, the decision to seek an alternative Scottish sanctuary highlights the couple’s determination to forge their own path despite ongoing family tensions.
The media outlet claimed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stayed on the island in early July, noting: “Prince Harry has not yet taken his children to Balmoral, the private royal estate in Aberdeenshire that he has described as ‘simply paradise’. He has, however, secretly taken them to a remote Scottish island owned by a hedge fund tycoon.”
The publication also outlined the historical interest of the site, stating that “the private island is said to have inspired The Wicker Man, the cult 1973 film starring Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee and Britt Ekland.”
Because of its scenic seclusion, the island has particular importance for Prince Harry since it is closely associated with veterans and military support. More than half of the guests who are hosted on the island come via the Taigh Mor Foundation, a charity that is devoted to promoting the mental health and well-being of ex-members of the armed forces.
The Scottish leg of their journey followed a broader, quieter tour of the United Kingdom. Before arriving at Tanera Mor, the family visited Althorp Estate in Northamptonshire to pay their respects at the resting place of Princess Diana.
They also spent time with King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire. Representatives for both the Sussexes and Ian Wace prefer to stay mum on the trip, with a spokesman for the Duke and Duchess only revealing, “This is not something we would comment on.”
The fact that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arranged their own private escape shows that even though the doors of Balmoral Castle are still closed, their link with Scotland and their dedication to making family memories continue on their own terms.
