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The late Queen Elizabeth II reportedly requested for her great-grandchildren to join her at Balmoral so they could "all have a happy memory of her". The late royal, who died just months later, wanted all of her great-grandchildren to be present during the summer of 2022.

Although she now has 14 great-grandchildren, she had 12 at the time of her death. The invitation was extended to Prince William's three children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and seven-year-old Prince Louis, Zara Tindall's children, Mia, 11, Lena, seven, Lucas, five, Princess Beatrice's eldest daughter, four-year-old Sienna, and Princess Eugenie's eldest son, five-year-old August.

It also extended to Peter Phillips' daughters, Savannah, 15, and Isla, 14, as well as Prince Harry's two children, Prince Archie, six, and four-year-old Princess Lilibet.

The family was later joined, after her death, by Princess Eugenie's youngest son, two-year-old Ernest and Beatrice's youngest daughter, one-year-old Athena after her death.

Ernest was born in May 2023, whilst Beatrice gave birth to Athena in January 2025.

In Queen Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story, author Robert Hardman wrote: "The Queen wanted all the great-grandchildren to come up to Balmoral at some point over that summer, even if the Sussexes might not be able to make it. 'She wanted to make sure that they all had a really happy memory of her,' explained a friend of the family."

During the end of summer that year, it was reported that Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis joined their mum, Princess Catherine, on a commercial flight to Scotland.

It was reported at the time that Prince William, who is the heir to the throne, had travelled separately to the couple's eldest son, Prince George.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle - who reside in the US - travelled to the UK in June 2022, although it remains unclear if they spent any time in Scotland with their two children.

Author Tom Bower previously wrote that Meghan had "refused" the invitations to travel to Balmoral; however, a spokesperson for the Sussexes said that the claims in the book were filled with "conspiracy and melodrama".