Disclaimer:
this blog has been written and published before it’s been announced that HM The Queen Elizabeth II has died. Thus, the text body has remained unchanged.
No doubt you’ve heard about Windsor castle, a famous residence of the British sovereign alongside with the other royal locations such as Buckingham palace, Balmoral castle and Sandringham. It’s a fantastic place where you can dive into the history of the British monarchy!
History of Windsor Castle
The initial castle was constructed by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, and this means that the Windsor castle has been occupied by the monarchs for over 1000 years. The castle had a tragic fire event in 1992 when many treasured rooms were damaged but now all of them are fully restored. The photography inside the castle is limited however I can show you some pictures I took during my different trips to Windsor.
During your tout you will be able to visit the ceremonial rooms including Grand Reception Room still used today by the members of the Royal Family for the official visits; state apartments created for Charles II and his wife Catherine of Braganza and now decorated with stunning painted ceilings and pieces of art; and the Semi-State Rooms built for George IV. Don’t miss the change of the guards too!
One of the gems of Windsor is St George chapel, a magnificent church whose construction began in 1475. Many British kings are buried there including Henry VI, Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour who gave him a male heir, then George II, George III, George V, and George VI with his wife (Queen mother), the parents of Elizabeth II. We’ve been very fortunate to visit it during the Platinum Jubilee celebration for a special concert – the tickets were sold out in minutes!
Make sure you have a stroll along the Long Walk. It’s a an avenue of a bit over 4km long lined with trees that goes from the Castle gates to King George III statue, also called The Copper Horse.
Royal Windsor Horse Show
A few years ago we were also lucky to attend the Royal Windsor Horse Show dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Queen (the celebrations were held on the weekend of 10-12 June 2016). It takes place in the private grounds of Windsor Castle. Before the horse show we were able to watch horses train, taste sove essential british food like strawberry and cream and enjoy the uplifted atmosphere of the celebrations. There was also a special shopping area with mainly equestrian goods.
The Royal Windsor Horse Show is the only one in the United Kingdom to host international competition for dressage, show jumping, carriage driving and endurance riding. In addition, there are over 130 showing classes. That year part of the demonstrations was dedicated to the jubilee of the Queen and members of the Royal Family attended them. Most of all I enjoyed performances of British troops and Canadian mounted police as well as the equine performances from Chile, Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, Azerbaijan, Fiji, and Bahrein.
Platinum Jubilee in Windsor
It was a delight to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee in Windsor: see it for yourself!
More blogs about England:
- Oxford
- Bath
- Eastbourne
- York: guide
- York: museums
- Durham
- Top-ten British cities
- Bibury
- Lewes Castle
- Wimpole Hall
- Cottesbrooke Estate
- Waverley Abbey
- English Lavender
- The Grove Hotel
- Rushton Hotel and Spa
- Christmas holidays in British countryside
Hope you enjoyed my blog,
Yours,
Anna
xxxx