Windsor Castle

Castle. In Windsor. The oldest royal residence and the largest occupied castle in the world. In its 900-year history the castle has been expanded, modified and rebuilt many times by several monarchs. The most significant constructions/ changes were made by:

Henry II: rebuilding of the large Round Tower in the 1170s

Edward III: construction of St George’s Hall (used by the Knights of the Garter)

Edward IV/ Henry VIII: building of St George’s Chapel (15th and 16th centuries)

George IV: adding the Waterloo Chamber in the 1820s (dedicated to the defeat of the French emperor Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815)

Elizabeth II: restoration of nine main rooms and about 100 smaller rooms (after the castle caught fire in 1992)

Today the Queen uses Windsor Castle as a private home (usually at the weekend) and as a royal residence. State visits are often held here. The Queen officially takes residence in Windsor twice a year. Between March and April she is staying for a month over Easter (known as Easter Court) and in June she is attending the service of the Order of the Garter and the Royal Ascot race.

Despite being a working royal palace, the castle is open to the public.

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Sources:

Wilkinson, Philip. The British Monarchy for Dummies. West Sussex: John Wiley, 2006.

The Official Website of The British Monarchy: http://www.royal.gov.uk/TheRoyalResidences/WindsorCastle/WindsorCastle.aspx