As the world celebrates the coming of Harry and Meghan’s royal baby, another royal has been busy with a ‘baby’ of his own.
Prince Charles, now grandfather to four kids, has just opened The Granary Lodge, a bed and breakfast in the Castle of Mey in Caithness, Scotland.
Housing its first guests on May 6, the Granary will open its doors to the public on May 15.
The Prince of Wales and future King of England has close ties with the property: his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, owned the castle from 1952 to 1996.
Before her death in 2002, the Queen Mother gifted the castle to the Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust; today, the Prince’s Foundation is its sole trustee.
Historically, the Granary – as its name implies – served as a storage place for grain grown by the estate’s tenants. Carts, ploughs, harrows, and other agricultural tools were housed here as well.
When the castle was opened to the public as a tourist site, an animal centre was added; this was later relocated prior to the site’s redevelopment into luxury accommodations.
Today the Granary Lodge along with its adjacent cottage have been converted into 10 bedrooms with views of the North Sea and Orkney Islands.
Sitting 150 metres to the northeast of the castle’s rear court, the three-storey granary dates back to the late 17th century, while a complex of accommodations and garages were added in the 20th century.
For its construction, the structure’s roofs and windows were repaired, and some eroded stonework replaced. The interiors, replete with florals and framed pictures of fauna (and fish) – reportedly match that of the castle’s.
Rooms are furnished with pieces from Edinburgh and London, including Georgian antiques and soft furnishings, lamps and cushions. In the communal area, there’s a wall of frames displaying the clans of Scotland, as well as a gallery of portraits of the Queen Mother.
Travellers and royal nerds alike not only get to spend the night in a castle from about HKD1,500 to HKD2,000 a night. The Granary Lodge is also intended as a conference venue and – for soon-to-weds – a wedding venue, too.
While owned by Prince Charles, proceeds go to sustaining the heritage site for future generations and boosting tourism in the North Highlands.
See more: 5 Things You Need To Know About Harry and Meghan’s New Family Home
