CAITHNESSFrom far left:
Prince Charles
o cially opened
the 10-bedroom
Granary Lodge
B&B; the Castle
of Mey; the Queen
Mother’s writing
desk at the castleprior to her death in 2002. The entrance hall features
stately items, such as the flag that flew whenever
Her Majesty was in residence. But, equally, visitors are
shown the spot where she used to feed her Corgi dogs
most evenings. In the living room, there is a priceless
16th-century tapestry, but it’s also busy with ornaments,
hand-crafted gifts from local schoolchildren and playful
Scottish souvenirs, such as a Nessie toy.
Other rooms included in the tour are: the library, where
family photographs and the Queen Mother’s favourite
video tapes remain; the equerry’s room that houses
portraits of Her Majesty’s prize Aberdeen Angus cattle;
the grand dining room; and a series of basic bedrooms,
decorated in pastel hues and floral soft furnishings.
The Queen Mother’s style, taste and favoured colour
palette all shine through here. Prince Charles takes a
holiday in the castle every August, but very little has
changed in the public rooms since his grandmother’s day.³Tour guides at the Castle of Mey
are encouraged to share information
about the Queen Mother’s life here
UK CITY IMAGES/ALAMY/IAIN MASTERTON/PRESS ASSOCIATION/SEBASTIAN WASEK/4CORNERS