The natural beauty and breath-taking landscape of the Highlands creates and attracts famous faces, from musicians to megastars to mega-billionaires.
Scotland’s north has enticed millions of tourists with its deep lochs, rugged mountains and sweeping countryside, and the allure is not lost on the rich and powerful from all over the world.
Here are some of the most notable people with links to the Highlands.
Karen Gillan
Arguably the most famous person born in the Highland capital of Inverness, Karen Gillan has become a household name.
Her stint as Amy Pond in Doctor Who catapulted her to worldwide stardom and she has since starred in the blockbuster superhero series, Guardians of the Galaxy.
Tilda Swinton
Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton bought a home in Nairn last year and lives there with her partner and children.
She is perhaps most known for her role as the White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia series and the Ancient One in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Shirley Henderson
Forres-born Shirley Henderson has appeared in several well-known UK films, including Trainspotting, Bridget Jones Diary and Wild Child.
She is perhaps most recognised as the teenage schoolgirl ghost, Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter series, despite being 37 years old at the time.
Elon Musk & Talulah Riley
South African-born mega-billionaire and founder of Tesla, Elon Musk, married his second wife, St Trinian’s actress Talulah Riley in a ceremony at Dornoch Cathedral in 2010. The couple were together for two years before divorcing then remarrying the next year before splitting for good in 2016.
Elon Musk is among other things, famous for buying Twitter and transforming it into X.
Talulah Riley has since become engaged to Love Actually star Thomas Brodie-Sangster.
Laura Muir
Born in Inverness, Laura Muir is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medallist in the 1500 metres, having previously finished seventh at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Her speciality being the 1500m, she has achieved six 1st place finishes, including at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2022 European Championships.
Julie Fowlis
Educated at the University of the Highlands and Islands, Julie Fowlis graduated in 2011 before becoming well-known for the song Touch the Sky, the lead song from the Pixar movie Brave.
Originally from North Uist, she primarily performs in Gaelic and is an advocate for the retention of the ancient language in popular culture.
She currently lives in Dingwall with her family and continues to perform music.
Bob Dylan
Musician Bob Dylan until recently owned Aultmore House, a private mansion nestled near Nethy Bridge in the Cairngorms.
He purchased it in 2006 with his younger brother David Zimmerman, which he sold last year for £4m.
Jimmy Yuill
Actor Jimmy Yuill attended Golspie High School, where he became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
He is most known for his role as DI Doug Kersey in all five series of Wycliffe from 1994 to 1998, based on W. J. Burley’s novels about DS Charles Wycliffe.
Carol Kirkwood
The well-known friendly face that delivers either good or bad news depending on the weather, Carol Kirkwood was born in the village of Morar near Mallaig.
She attended Lochaber High School in Fort William before becoming a staple on BBC morning shows, including BBC Breakfast and Victoria Derbyshire.
Flora Macdonald
A legend in Scotland, she was instrumental in helping Charles Edward Stuart or Bonnie Prince Charlie hide from government troops after the Battle of Culloden in April 1746.
She has been commemorated around Scotland, including a statue outside Inverness Castle, which was erected in 1896.
Albert Roux
French chef Albert Roux has become synonymous with fine dining running La Gavroche, the first restaurant in the UK to achieve three Michelin stars.
He went on to open a restaurant with his son Michel Roux Jr at Inverlochy Castle near Fort William.
Sir Alexander Grant
A lesser-known name on this list, Alexander Grant, who was born in Forres in 1864, was the man behind the iconic McVitie’s digestive biscuit, a true British institution.
He also donated £200,000 to help establish the National Library of Scotland and was a keen golfer, regularly playing on the links at Nairn.
Ashley Judd
American actress and daughter of legendary country singer Naomi Judd, Ashley Judd married racecar driver Dario Franchitti at Skibo Castle near Dornoch in 2001.
Aside from her acting, she has become a vocal advocate for women’s rights and has been heavily involved in organisations such as Women for Women International and Equality Now.
Anders Holch Povlsen
The Danish billionaire owner of Asos has taken a keen interest in Highland property. In 2018, he purchased the 24,000-acre Ben Loyal and 18,000-acre Kinloch Lodge.
This made him the largest landowner in Scotland, having previously bought a 47,000-acre estate in Inverness-shire in 2006 and a 30,000-acre estate near Fort William in 2008.
Charlie Chaplin
Infamous funny man Charlie Chaplin rose to fame through his onscreen persona, The Tramp, which featured the signature moustache and comic timing. Notable films included The Kid, The Gold Rush and The Circus.
Later in life, into his 70s, Chaplin sought refuge from fame by holidaying in the coastal town of Nairn.
The family would stay at the Newton Hotel, renting out the whole second floor and loved to play tennis or golf.
Madonna & Guy Ritchie
Superstar Madonna and director Guy Ritchie travelled to Dornoch Cathedral, where their son Rocco was christened on December 21, 2001.
The following day, the pair married at the nearby Skibo Castle to much fanfare. The couple were married for eight years.
Madonna is currently on The Celebration Tour, travelling around the world.
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al-Maktoum
The current ruler of Dubai was a friend of the late Queen and shared her love of the north of Scotland.
He purchased the Killilan and Inverinate estate near Loch Duich and has since lodged plans to expand the property, including building an 11-bedroom lodge.
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