The King’s Balmoral estate has lodged plans for one its buildings to be turned into a wedding venue.

Ceremonies at the Queen’s Building – a few hundred metres from the main Royal castle – could host up to 277 guests, feature live performances and music and serve alcohol up to 00:30.

Balmoral has been the Royal Family’s Scottish holiday home since the 19th Century, and was where the late Queen Elizabeth spent her final days.

The estate has been increasingly opened up to the public by King Charles, with visitor tours of the main castle – costing £100 a ticket – being launched in June.

Plans for the Queen’s Building, which is currently used for visitors and as an event space for staff, have been lodged with Aberdeenshire Council.

They seek permission to convert the venue for “weddings, dinners, meetings and other events”.

The plans also insist music would be kept to a “low level” and that nobody would be disturbed.

Changes to the layout would include making use of an outdoor patio for a further 144 guests.

King Charles has continued the Royal Family tradition of spending his summer holidays at Balmoral, which sits on the banks of the River Dee.

But rather than staying in the main castle, the King and Queen Camilla prefer to stay at the neighbouring Birkhall estate which was once the favourite residence of the Queen Mother.