Queen Elizabeth on her final engagement - September 2022.Photo: Jane Barlow - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II waits in the Drawing Room before receiving newly elected leader of the Conservative party Liz Truss at Balmoral Castle

Queen Elizabethis giving a glimpse into her royal residence.

For thefirst timein her 70-year reign, the monarch, 96, appointed the new prime minister of the United Kingdom atBalmoral Castlein Scotland. The Queen appeared in good spirits on Tuesday as she welcomed Conservative Party leaderLiz Trussto her retreat in the Scottish Highlands and bid outgoing Prime MinisterBoris Johnsona formal farewell.

The Queen hosted her audience in the Drawing Room of Balmoral, opening the door into the cozy space for the public. The monarch was all smiles before a crackling fireplace, and much of the room’s décor remains unchanged from decades ago.

For more on Queen Elizabeth, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

Hulton Archive/Getty

26th September 1976: Queen Elizabeth II with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, at Balmoral.

Dating even further back, as compared with an image from 1885 — the time of Queen Victoria’s reign! — the same gilded mirror, decorative fireplace mantel and ornate candelabras still seem to be in the Drawing Room.

Drawing room in Balmoral Castle.

Can’t get enough ofPEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates onKate Middleton,Meghan Markleand more!

Queen Elizabeth on Sept. 6, 2022 at Balmoral Castle.Jane Barlow - WPA Pool/Getty

Queen Elizabeth II waits in the Drawing Room before receiving newly elected leader of the Conservative party Liz Truss at Balmoral Castle for an audience where she will be invited to become Prime Minister and form a new government on September 6, 2022 in Aberdeen, Scotland. The Queen broke with the tradition of meeting the new prime minister and Buckingham Palace, after needing to remain at Balmoral Castle due to mobility issues

For over 150 years, the Scottish castle has served as a private retreat for the British royals. In the Highlands, the royals like to entertain friends, hold dances, picnic and go on shooting parties — all the while battling the nibbling little flies that stalk the heather-covered mountain sides.

The expansive Scottish property has been in the family since 1845 when Prince Albert purchased the castle and the surrounding 7,000-acre estate.

It’s not all play for the monarch while she’s away in the Scottish Highlands, however. She continues to work, reading her diplomatic papers in the famous “red boxes” delivered daily. The Queen has also traditionally held audiences and undertaken some public engagements.

source: people.com