From the rugged landscapes of Royal Deeside to magical Edinburgh and the resting place of Britannia, enjoy the splendor of Scotland

There are many places in England where you can immerse yourself in royal history – from the grandeur of Buckingham Palace to the grandeur of Windsor Castle. But if you really want to understand family—past and present—you have to look further north.

For in this coronation year you will find that it is in Scotland that the majesty of the monarchy comes to life.

From Holyroodhouse Palace in Edinburgh, where Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin lay in Balmoral after her death, to the late Queen Mother’s Cairngorms picnic grounds and Queen Victoria’s Highland Boltholes, it feels like every corner becomes something new that reveals something about the royal family .

You can even find Princess Diana’s honeymoon bed in Scotland – aboard the royal yacht Britannia. The now decommissioned yacht is a floating, faithfully preserved museum on Edinburgh’s seafront.

So it makes sense that Pride of Britain Hotels have put together a Coronation Concierge package to take you from afternoon tea at the Goring Hotel, near Buckingham Palace, to a luxury Scottish exploration of Scotland. And the royal connection is not limited to the past.

Above is King Charles at a reception at Prestonfield House

“The King just walked up here a few weeks ago and stopped for a chat,” said Yellow Welly Tours guide Simon Blackett, who has lived in the area for 30 years. “He wanted to know what color we would paint Braemar Castle after the renovation. We see a lot of His Majesty here.”

“Here” is the Highland Games village of Braemar, nine miles from the royal family’s Balmoral estate. Our hotel for the night is the Fife Arms, set in the beautiful countryside of the area whose connections earned it the name Royal Deeside.

The rooms are beautiful and the walls of the lobby and living room are decorated with works by Picasso.

Roaring fires and award-winning chefs make you feel at home but far away in a luxurious parallel universe. No wonder it attracts a certain type of clientele. Dame Judi Dench played the hotel’s grand piano on New Year’s Eve while Sharleen Spiteri sang Abba.

King Charles is said to be a regular visitor to the town of Braemar (above), which is nine miles from the royal family’s Balmoral estate.

Kate checked into the Fife Arms Hotel (pictured) in Braemar. “Guests can sample some of the King’s favorite drams at Bertie’s Whiskey Bar, where rare bottles line the walls,” she reveals

“Roaring fires and award-winning chefs make you feel at home and away in a luxury parallel universe,” says Kate of the Fife Arms

Guests can sample some of the King’s favorite drams at Bertie’s Whiskey Bar, where rare bottles line the walls.

But I’m making progress. Our break started with Coronation Afternoon Tea at The Goring Hotel in London before boarding the train to Edinburgh – first class of course.

If you want to understand royalty, you need to be treated like one. It’s a seven minute taxi ride from Edinburgh train station to our first residence, the magnificent Prestonfield House, where the Queen celebrated her 80th birthday. To celebrate the coronation, a new cocktail has appeared on the menu, the Royal Warrant, which features orange bitters and Lochnagar whisky.

Kate boarded the Fingal, a ship that once sailed along the Scottish coast to deliver supplies to remote lighthouse keepers

James Thomson has lovingly restored the hotel and his team can arrange vintage cars to take you to Holyroodhouse where an audio headset will guide you around with recordings of the King, Princess Anne and Prince Edward.

After a good night’s sleep we boarded the Fingal, a ship that once sailed along the Scottish coast bringing supplies to remote lighthouse keepers. Permanently docked, she is now on a new mission: a five-star romantic getaway.

It is run by the same team as the Royal Yacht Britannia which is only a few minutes drive away and makes for a fascinating day trip.

On board the yacht Her Majesty calls ‘home’, it is a delight to discover that personal belongings of the family are still there; of the pictures to a telephone system named “Queen” and “Duke”.

After staying at the Fife Arms, our three nights came to an end and I understood why Elizabeth II loved Scotland so much. But perhaps another queen put it best. Victoria wrote: “I am so sad to think of leaving this enchanting place and the peace, freedom and pure air we have enjoyed. The life of action we led was peculiar in its own way and so delightful.’