Queen to spend more time at her Scottish retreat in future

London: Britain's Queen Elizabeth II may increasingly spend more time at her Scottish home Balmoral Castle, as she gradually reduces her workload as monarch.

The Queen, who will be 90 next year, is understood to have expressed her desire to spend considerably more time at her retreat in the Scottish Highlands in the event of her husband Prince Philip's death, 'The Sunday Times' reported.

She currently spends her two-month summer break at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire with her family every year.

But it is believed that plans have been explored for her to split her time between there and Buckingham Palace in London if and when she is on her own. There is no suggestion that this is imminent.

At the age of 94, the Duke of Edinburgh appears to be in robust health having recovered from several scares in recent years.

However distant a prospect it may be, plans for what the Queen will do when he is no longer there are being actively, if discreetly, discussed, the newspaper claimed.

Earlier this month, the Queen became Britain's longest-reigning monarch, surpassing Queen Victoria's record of 63 years and seven months.

Balmoral is not just a holiday home for the Queen, who works through her official red boxes there every day.

She also hosts visiting statesmen there and the British Prime Minister visits every September.

The castle at Balmoral has been the Scottish home of the royal family since it was bought for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852, having been first leased in 1848.

Buckingham Palace has declined to comment.