One of Britain's most picturesque country estates, the Rothbury estate, which has been owned by successive generations of dukes for nearly 700 years, might soon have a new owner. Queen's

guitarist and astrophysicist, Sir Brian May, aged 76, was recently spotted exploring the sprawling estate, historically belonging to the Duke of Northumberland.

Accompanied by his wife, actress Anita Dobson, Sir Brian May toured the rural estate via a private helicopter. The Rothbury estate, boasting an impressive 9,486 acres, is now up for sale for the first time since 1332, with an astounding price tag of £35 million.

Local councillor Steven Bridgett expressed the hope that the Duke might pass the estate on to the Queen guitarist, saying, "We all hope this is a case of the Duke selling to Queen! It would be lovely if Brian May splashed out and bought the Rothbury estate. I think most people would agree that it would be in very good hands if he were to buy it."

Situated near the Northumberland National Park, the estate features areas of special scientific interest, the Simonside Hills, Iron Age hill forts, and charming stone-built farms and cottages. The Duke of Northumberland, aged 66, gifted the land to his youngest son, Max – Lord Percy, aged 33 – who recently put it up for sale. Notably, the sale excludes the Duke's home, Alnwick Castle, which serves as the family seat.

During his visit, Sir Brian May expressed particular interest in a nearby pub, which would be part of the purchase. Observers witnessed the helicopter circling over the pub, and locals speculated whether he would drop by for a pint. Amusingly, a postman even bumped into the renowned guitarist and initially mistook him for someone who resembled Brian May, to which Sir Brian replied, "That's because I am Brian May."

After landing the helicopter at one of the estate's 12 farms, Sir Brian and his wife continued the tour by car, accompanied by an estate agent. The helicopter was later spotted heading towards the couple's £25 million mansion in Surrey.

Locals are thrilled about the prospect of having Sir Brian May as the new owner, praising his dedication to preserving the countryside and his animal-welfare activism. Sir Brian has previously acquired agricultural land in Dorset and transformed it into a woodland wildlife sanctuary named May's Wood.

The Rothbury estate is renowned for its diverse wildlife, including red squirrels, red grouse, and curlews, with moorland areas serving as breeding habitats for rare species like merlins and cuckoos.

Estate agent Knight Frank highlights this "landmark sale" as the largest single block of land to come to the market in England in the past 30 years. As the sale proceeds, fans and locals alike eagerly await news of whether the iconic guitarist will indeed become the new regal owner of this historic estate. Photo by Brian Minkoff-London Pixels, Wikimedia commons.