Could the waters of Balmoral be the key to royal longevity?

Indeed, ageing gracefully runs in the family, from Queen Victoria, who reigned for 64 years, to the Queen Mother, who lived to 101.

Now scientists may have come up with an explanation for royal longevity - the pure waters of a Scottish spring.

Tests show that mineral water which rises from a spring on the edge of Balmoral, after flowing through the substrata of the royal estate, may keep the skin looking youthful into old age.

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Previous studies have shown the spring water helps ease the aches and pains of arthritis.

It also protects against toxic molecules called free radicals, which are linked to a host of other age-related illnesses including cancer, heart disease and strokes.

Sold as Deeside Natural Mineral Water in its bottled form, the water is available from supermarkets including Asda, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose.

Water from the spring has also received royal backing. It is sold under Prince Charles's Duchy Originals brand.

Experts believe the water's secret lies in the combination of minerals it gathers as it is filtered through granite and peatland before being bottled.

The latest tests found the growth of tubules - microscopically small passages that are key to the nourishment of the outer layers of the skin - increased by a fifth when bathed in the mineral water.

Dr Hugh Matheson, of the bioscience company TCS Cellworks, who conducted the experiments, said:

"There is potential for Deeside Mineral Water to be used as a repair and rejuvenating product for human skin.

"It increases tubule formation by an average of 20 per cent, a very significant increase on normal levels, and this will increase the flow of nutrients to the skin."

TCS Cellworks, which is based in Buckinghamshire, was commissioned by the Deeside Water Company to look at the effect of its water on skin.

The healing powers of Deeside water were first noted 250 years ago when a woman was cured of scrofula - an infection of glands in the neck - after bathing in and drinking the waters.

As word spread, a spa grew up at nearby Ballater to accommodate those who wished to sample the springs.

Notable visitors included Sir Walter Scott, Lord Byron and Queen Victoria, who recorded sampling the water in her Highland Journals of 1856.

The Queen stays at Balmoral every summer while the Queen Mother also loved visiting Scotland and spent long periods on the Deeside estate.

Interest, which waned with the advent of modern medicine, has been rekindled by a series of experiments which highlighted the water's health benefits.

Martin Simpson, managing director of the Deeside Water Company, said: "We are delighted by these fantastic results."