The Queen takes her first solo trip to Balmoral since Prince Philip’s death

The Queen was spotted leaving London on Friday marking her first official summer vacation without Prince Philip to Balmoral Castle in Scotland.  

The last time the Queen took a solo summer trip to Balmoral Castle was when she still went by Princess Elizabeth right before her engagement to Prince Philip, according to a tweet by royal editor and author Robert Jobson.

• Balmoral Castle has been the Scottish residence for the Royal Family since its purchase for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852. 
•  The Queen last went to Balmoral to privately grieve the loss of Prince Philip. 
•  In other royal news, Prince Charles rejects chef's glass of water in 'playful' royal joke. 

The castle holds a special place in the Queen’s heart as it has always offered privacy for the Royal family. Her and her late-husband have spent every summer at the castle since their honeymoon, where Philip is said to have barbequed while the Queen “did the washing,” according to Daily Mail.

This year will look a little different though as the Queen will be going solo for the first time since she was a Princess. She will reportedly remain on the grounds until October, when she makes her return to London. During her peaceful stay, other members of the Royal family are continuing to support her and are expected to visit throughout the summer. In fact, her niece, Lady Sarah Chatto, daughter of Princess Margaret is said to be keeping her company for most of her getaway.

The Queen’s heartbreak over Prince Philip’s death hasn’t stopped her from staying busy. Her motivation to keep up a normal routine has seemed to help her find some happiness. As royal expert Phil Dampier told the Daily Mail, “[Prince Philip] would not want her to sit around mourning him like Queen Victoria did for Albert, and I bet he would want her to carry on living life to the full.”