Drone footage shows stunning new thistle-shaped maze at Balmoral Castle commissioned as tribute to late Queen

The first images show the completed Thistle Maze - a new addition to the royal estate commissioned by King Charles III as a tribute to his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Located within the grounds of the Aberdeenshire estate where the Queen spent much of her private life and died in September 2022, the maze is believed to be only the second royal maze created in Britain in the past 300 years. Its design takes the shape of Scotland's national flower - the thistle.

The project was brought to life by Aberdeenshire-based company Nicol of Skene, who were commissioned to transform the King's vision into reality.

Reports suggest that King Charles has been fascinated by mazes since he was a child, making the project both a personal passion and a meaningful memorial.

The maze forms part of Balmoral’s historic gardens, which were originally developed in the 19th century under the guidance of Prince Albert.

Recently, King Charles has spoken about the profound significance of Balmoral, describing it as holding a "uniquely special place" in the Royal Family’s affections.

Writing in the foreword to a new 80-page guidebook, the monarch shared that the Scottish estate serves as a "cherished home" for his family, distinguished by its "startling individuality" and a "precious, almost sacred, surrounding landscape".

Charles wrote of the 50,000-acre estate: "Balmoral has been the cherished Scottish home of my family since the estate was purchased by Prince Albert, my great-great-great-grandfather, in 1852.

"With its buildings of startling individuality, which never fail to fascinate, and its precious, almost sacred, surrounding landscape, it is a place where there is constant change, yet everything remains unaltered, with a sense of timelessness which refreshes the soul.

"Since my earliest childhood, it has held, and continues to hold, a uniquely special place in the hearts of my family and myself, and my late mother particularly treasured her time at Balmoral.

“It was here, in these most beloved of surroundings, that she chose to spend her final days."

"Whatever the circumstances in which you are reading this book, I hope that you, too, will be inspired by the rich complexity of the architecture and share in the magic of the surrounding countryside, whose ‘wild and majestic’ landscape has been the source of inspiration and enjoyment for so many."

The guidebook also features a watercolour painting of the castle by Charles, completed in 1989.

Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at Balmoral on September 8 2022, aged 96, after a reign of 70 years.

In July 2024, the King opened the Aberdeenshire castle to the public for the first time in more than 170 years and made a number of changes to the interior and the gardens. Before this, the only part of the building the public could visit was the ballroom, which houses a different exhibition each year.