Windsor – Queen Elizabeth II's Favourite Castle

A symbol and pillar of British national identity, Windsor is the oldest and largest castle in  Great Britain and, with its 1,000 rooms, the largest inhabited castle in the world. Windsor Castle is one of the most visited historic sights in England. It’s no accident that historians call it the most majestic castle in Europe. You can also watch the Changing of the Guard here, which takes place even when the monarch isn’t in residence. During her lifetime and reign, Queen Elizabeth II loved the castle and spent her weekends there, and she also preferred to receive diplomats and heads of state at Windsor.

I won’t even try to tell you how excited I get every time I’m about to visit a palace or castle, anywhere in the world – after all, it was once the most prestigious building in the land, and in this case it still is. As I’ve already mentioned, the castle is still lived in – it was the official residence of Britain’s previous monarch, Elizabeth II. It’s no secret that this was her favourite of all the royal family’s palaces, perhaps because she spent much of her childhood here.

When you visit Windsor Castle, look out for the royal flag. If it’s flying above the Round Tower, the King is in residence. And don’t miss the Changing of the Guard – it happens even on days when no members of the royal family are at the castle. To make sure you catch the ceremony, I’d recommend buying your tickets online in advance to save yourself the queuing (on sunny days the wait is long), and getting there before 11 a.m.

Inside the castle grounds stands St George’s Chapel, where King Henry VIII and his third wife, Jane Seymour, are buried. Since the 18th century all English monarchs have been buried in the chapel, including Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip. Before that, burials took place at Westminster Abbey. The chapel also hosts the ceremonies for those knighted into the Order of the Garter.

On 19 May 2018 the wedding of Prince Harry and the American actress Meghan Markle took place in the castle’s imposing St George’s Chapel. If you follow celebrity news, you’ll surely remember how the whole world was glued to the event at Windsor Castle. Sadly, I wasn’t on the guest list – but then I’d already been, so I’d probably have turned the invitation down anyway. 😄

I visited Windsor on one of my trips to London. It’s only 30 km from the English capital and very easy to get to. You can go by Uber, hire car or coach (the cheapest option – but again, buy your tickets online). The coach to the little town of Windsor leaves from London’s central coach station – Victoria Station.

A day will be plenty. Bear in mind that the castle is really rather lavish and there’s lots to see, so allow at least 3 hours. You can visit the magnificent State Apartments, furnished with some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt and Rubens.

The castle is also home to Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, an extraordinary miniature palace designed in 1923 by the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. It’s the largest, most beautiful and most famous dolls’ house in the world, so if you’ve got children with you, they’re sure to love it. It’s filled with thousands of miniature objects made by leading craftsmen, artists and designers at the start of the last century. Unfortunately, photography is strictly forbidden inside the castle. There are guards literally every 2 metres, so I wouldn’t advise chancing it.

Once you’ve worn yourself out exploring the royal residence, you can happily go shopping in Windsor. The town’s high street starts right by the castle’s main visitor entrance. There are also lots of nice places to eat. Our day ended over a cup of hot tea because, in true English fashion, it started pouring out of nowhere and within 5 minutes we were soaked to the skin. Which reminds me – always carry an umbrella!