Queen Elizabeth II, 95, spends her summer holiday in Scotland every year. She usually travels to Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire in August but this year went early and was spotted leaving Windsor Castle in late July.

       The Queen's break in the Scottish Highlands usually stretches from August until October when she has traditionally returned to London and got back to royal duty.

       Since the pandemic, her holiday plans have altered slightly.

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       While Buckingham Palace was the Queen's main administrative base for years, she moved to Windsor Castle in Buckinghamshire at the start of the coronavirus crisis and is expected to carry out royal duty from the long term.

       This year, the Queen is expected to remain at Balmoral until autumn and will receive a string of visitors while there.

       The Queen is in Balmoral for the first time since her husband Prince Philip's death in April and may be grateful to receive visits from family members.

       Last year, Prince Edward, Sophie, Countess of Wessex and their children Lady Louise Windsor, 17, and James, Viscount Severn, 13, were the first royals to visit the Scottish Highlands.

       Their stay with the Queen was followed by visits from Prince William, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and their three children who are expected to visit again this year.

       The Queen's son Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are currently understood to be staying at their Scottish Cottage Birkhall and may have visited the Queen in recent days.

       Prince Andrew and his two daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have also been regulars at Balmoral over the years and are likely to travel there to see the Queen before the summer is over.

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       Not only did the Queen depart for Scotland earlier this year but last year she and her late husband Prince Philip cut their time in the Highlands short and headed to Wood Farm in Norfolk for some downtime before the Queen returned to Windsor.

       Eugenie previously touched on family holidays at Balmoral in a BBC documentary about the Queen.

       “Walks, picnics, dogs – a lot of dogs, there’s always dogs – and people coming in and out all the time.

       "It’s a lovely base for Granny and Grandpa, for us to come and see them up there; where you just have room to breathe and run."

       She added: "Walks, picnics, dogs – a lot of dogs, there’s always dogs – and people coming in and out all the time.

       "It’s a lovely base for Granny and Grandpa, for us to come and see them up there; where you just have room to breathe and run."

       The British Prime Minister and their husband or wife also traditionally stay with the Queen for a bit during her Balmoral break.

       Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie could travel up to Aberdeenshire in the coming weeks.