The Prince of Wales is currently spending time with his family out of the spotlight
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Prince William is taking time out of his summer break to send an important message.
The Prince of Wales, 44, took to the social media accounts he shares with his wife, Kate Middleton, on Monday, July 27, to offer his thoughts on the wildfires currently ravaging the U.K., Spain and France.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the devastating wildfires across France, Spain and the U.K,” the royal heir wrote. “We are deeply grateful to the firefighters, emergency services and volunteers working tirelessly in extraordinarily difficult conditions. These events are a stark reminder of the challenges posed by an increasingly extreme climate and the importance of protecting both people and nature.
The fires broke out amid a sweltering summer of European heatwaves, which saw regions of the continent hit temperatures up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. More than 300,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes as the fires burn near Madrid in Spain and in the Bordeaux region of France.
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The U.K. has so far seen smaller-scale fires; however, a major incident was declared in Scotland over the weekend due to a significant wildfire in the Cairngorms.
The mountain range is just a short distance from Balmoral, the Scottish castle and estate where the royal family annually retreats in late summer. This year, the castle closes to the public on Aug. 9, hinting at when the royals will start their stay.
The tradition began during the reign of Queen Victoria, whose husband, Prince Albert, purchased Balmoral in 1852. The late Queen Elizabeth was known to leave for Scotland in late July and not return to London until October, with other members of the family joining her for periods of her stay.
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Prince William and Princess Kate had a busy start to the summer. June began with a royal wedding, as William’s cousin Peter Phillips tied the knot with Harriet Sperling. Then, the couple and their children — Prince George, 13, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8 — attended the annual Trooping the Colour festivities.
The Prince and Princess of Wales’ summer has also included the Royal Ascot, a charity polo match, Kate’s completion of the National Three Peaks Challenge and more. They even turned out for the Wimbledon men’s tennis championship, bringing along Prince George and Princess Charlotte for the event.
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As the family prepares for Prince George’s start at Eton College this fall, they’ll likely enjoy some downtime, including their tradition of heading to Balmoral.
“My family has deep connections there, and it was such a fun part of my childhood and upbringing,” Prince William told Country Life in 2018.
Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith previously told PEOPLE, “Balmoral has always been a place of rejuvenation and reflection.” It was an especially meaningful escape for the late Queen, and William and Kate have started their own happy traditions at the Scottish retreat.
Soon after they began dating in 2001, the couple would sneak away to the royal estate to avoid paparazzi. The following year, just before her death, William’s late great-grandmother, the Queen Mother, gifted him a small cottage on the estate called Tam-Na-Ghar.
The three-bedroom residence is private, even by royal standards. Only a few photographs of its exterior have ever been made public, and even its exact location is unknown to most. The privacy is crucial to the Prince and Princess of Wales, who often choose to stay at Tam-Na-Ghar rather than with the rest of the family in the castle.
There’s plenty for the whole family to do during their late summer Balmoral getaways. Generations of royals have headed to the Scottish estate to fish, hike and simply spend time together out of the public eye.
In 2024, as Princess Kate was in the midst of chemotherapy treatment for cancer, Prince William spoke about bringing his children to Balmoral in the hopes of giving them a “fun and carefree” summer.
“George, Charlotte and Louis already know how dear Scotland is to both of us, and they’re starting to build their own happy memories here too,” he said.
