The Queen has had a "wheelchair-friendly" lift installed at her Balmoral retreat amid reports of worsening mobility issues.
Sources say Craigowan Lodge in the Scottish highlands has been fitted with a £20,000 (NZ$38,000) lift, along with a new security gate, intercom system and CCTV cameras.
The lift is described as the largest in its range and would allow the Queen to get to her bedroom without having to use the stairs. The 95-year-old monarch is said to be struggling with her mobility and now regularly uses a stick.
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, says Craigowan is one of the Queen's favourite homes.
"She loves being there," she told The Sun.
"The idea of making it easier for her so she can spend more time there in the future is a great idea.
"It makes perfect sense. It's a home she has always enjoyed and it gives her a bit of independence."
Royal biographer Penny Junor said it's "quite clear" her mobility is challenged.
"She does love Scotland but I would not think she would use it (the cottage) year round. It's a lovely place for the summer but it's pretty cold and bleak during the winter. But it is a very favourite place for her."
And a Balmoral insider added Craigowan would be the "perfect place" for the Queen to spend more time as she grows older.
"With the proper lift and now this new security, it can effectively be sealed off so she can spend much more time there quietly in her late nineties."
