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Windsor Castle

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Architecture; Geography
of Great Britain

   Windsor castle. A thousand year old fortress transformed to a royal
   palace. This well known silhouette of a seemingly medieval castle was
   not created, however, until the 1820s by Jeffry Wyatville
   Enlarge
   Windsor castle. A thousand year old fortress transformed to a royal
   palace. This well known silhouette of a seemingly medieval castle was
   not created, however, until the 1820s by Jeffry Wyatville
   Aerial view of the castle
   Enlarge
   Aerial view of the castle

   Windsor Castle ( 51°29′02″N, 0°36′16″W), at Windsor in the English
   county of Berkshire, is the largest inhabited castle in the world and,
   dating back to the time of William the Conqueror, it is the oldest in
   continuous occupation.

   Together with Buckingham Palace in London and Holyrood Palace in
   Edinburgh, it is one of the principal official residences of the
   British monarch. Queen Elizabeth II spends many weekends of the year at
   the castle, using it for both state and private entertaining.

   Most of the kings and queens of England have had a direct influence on
   the construction and evolution of the castle, which has been their
   garrison fortress, home, official palace, and sometimes their prison.
   The castle's history and that of the British monarchy are inextricably
   linked. Chronologically the history of the castle can be traced through
   the reigns of the monarchs who have occupied it. When the country has
   been at peace the castle has been expanded by the additions of large
   and grand apartments; when the country has been at war the castle has
   been more heavily fortified. This pattern has continued to the present
   day.

Plan of the castle

   Over its 1,000-year history, the design of Windsor Castle has changed
   and evolved according to the times, tastes, requirements and finances
   of successive Monarchs. Nevertheless, the positions of the main
   features have remained largely fixed and the modern plan below is a
   useful guide to locations. The castle today, for example, remains
   centred on the motte or artificial hill ("A" on the plan) on which
   William the Conqueror built the first wooden castle.
   Plan of Windsor Castle. Throughout this article the letters marked in
   red on this plan will be used to reference locations discussed.
   Enlarge
   Plan of Windsor Castle. Throughout this article the letters marked in
   red on this plan will be used to reference locations discussed.

   Key to plan (right)
     * A: The Round Tower
     * B: The Upper Ward, The Quadrangle (as this courtyard is known)
     * C: The State Apartments
     * D: Private Apartments, overlooking the East terrace
     * E: South Wing, overlooking The Long Walk
     * F: Lower Ward
     * G: St. George's Chapel
     * H: Horseshoe Cloister
     * L: The Long Walk
     * K: King Henry VIII Gate (principal entrance)
     * M: Norman Gate
     * N: North Terrace
     * O: Edward III Tower
     * T: The Curfew Tower

   The highly visible landmark of the castle, the Round Tower ("A") is in
   reality far from cylindrical, its shape dictated by the irregular, but
   seemingly round, man-made hill on which it sits. The castle's layout
   dates back to the mediaeval fortifications. The Round Tower divides the
   castle into two distinct sections known as wards. The Lower Ward ("F")
   is home to St. George's Chapel ("G"), while the upper ward ("B")
   contains the private Royal Apartments ("D") and the more formal state
   rooms ("C"), which include St. George's Hall, a vast room which has a
   ceiling decorated with the coats of arms of past and present knights of
   the garter.

Early history (1070–1350)

   Windsor Castle was originally built by William the Conqueror, who
   reigned from 1066 until his death in 1087. His original wooden castle
   stood on the site of the present Round Tower ("A"). The castle formed
   part of his defensive ring of castles surrounding London, the site
   chosen in part because of its easily defendable position.

   Early in William's reign he had taken possession of a manor in what
   today is Old Windsor, probably a Saxon royal residence. A short time
   later between 1070 and 1086, he leased the site of the present castle
   from the Manor of Clewer and built the first motte-and-bailey castle.
   The motte is fifty feet high and consists of chalk excavated from a
   surrounding ditch, which then became a moat.

   At this time the castle was defended by a wooden palisade rather than
   the thick stone walls seen today. The original plan of William the
   Conqueror's castle is unknown, but it was purely a military base and
   nothing structural survives from this early period. From that time
   onwards the castle has remained in continuous use and has undergone
   numerous additions and improvements. His successor William II is
   thought to have improved and enlarged the structure, but the
   Conqueror's youngest son King Henry I was the first sovereign to live
   within the castle.

   Concerned for his own safety due to the instabilities of his reign, he
   took up residence there and celebrated Whitsuntide at the castle in
   1110^ . His marriage to Adela, the daughter of Godfrey of Louvain, took
   place in the castle in 1121.

   The earliest surviving buildings at Windsor date from the reign of
   Henry II who came to the throne in 1154. He replaced the wooden
   palisade surrounding the old fortress with a stone wall interspersed
   with square towers; a much altered part of this defensive wall can be
   seen on what is today the east terrace. Henry II also built the first
   stone keep on the irregular mound at the centre of the castle.
   An early 18th-century view of Windsor Castle by Kip and Knyff.
   Enlarge
   An early 18th-century view of Windsor Castle by Kip and Knyff.

   In 1189, the castle was besieged during the revolt of the English
   barons against Prince John. The King's Welsh troops (little more than
   private mercenaries) took flight, and the Prince escaped to France.
   Later in 1215 at Runnymede, close to the castle, the Prince, now King,
   was forced to sign Magna Carta. In 1216, again during the First Barons'
   War, the castle was again besieged, but this time withheld, despite
   severe damage to the structure of the lower ward.

   This damage was immediately repaired in 1216 by King John's successor
   Henry III, who further strengthened the defences with the construction
   of the western curtain wall, much of which survives today. The oldest
   existing parts of the castle include the curfew tower ("T"),
   constructed in 1227. The interior of the tower contains the former
   castle prison, and also the remnants of a " Sally port", a secret exit
   for the occupants in a time of siege. The upper storey contains the
   castle bells placed there in 1478, and the castle clock of 1689. The
   French style conical roof is however a 19th-century addition. Henry III
   died in 1272, and there seems to have been little further building
   carried out at the castle until the reign of King Edward III
   (1327–1377).

Windsor Castle from 1350

   King Edward III was born in the castle on November 13, 1312, and was
   often referred to as "Edward of Windsor". Beginning in 1350, he
   initiated a 24-year rebuilding program by demolishing the existing
   castle with the exception of the Curfew Tower ("T") and some other
   minor outworks. In overall charge of the rebuilding and design of the
   new castle he placed William of Wykeham. Henry II's keep (the Round
   Tower) was replaced by the present keep, although it was not raised to
   its present height until the 19th century. The fortifications too were
   further increased. The castle's chapel was substantially enlarged, but
   plans to build a new church were not executed, probably due to the
   scarcity of manpower and resources following the Black Death. Also
   dating from this time is the Norman Gate ("M"). This large and imposing
   gate at the foot of the Round Tower is the last bastion of defence
   before the Upper Ward ("B") where the Royal Apartments are situated.

   In 1348 Edward III established the Order of the Garter, whose annual
   ceremony still takes place in St George's Chapel, the principal chapel
   of the castle. In 1353–1354, he had the Aerary Porch built.
   The lower ward in the 1840s. St George's Chapel is on the left and the
   Round Tower is centre right.
   Enlarge
   The lower ward in the 1840s. St George's Chapel is on the left and the
   Round Tower is centre right.

   In 1390, during the reign of Richard II, it was found that St George's
   chapel was close to collapse, and a restoration process was undertaken.
   The clerk of the works was one of King Richard's favourites, Geoffrey
   Chaucer, who served as a diplomat and Clerk of The King's Works. Their
   relationship encompassed all of Richard's reign. In the decade before
   Chaucer's death, Richard granted him several gifts and annuities,
   including twenty pounds a year for life in 1394, and 252 gallons of
   wine per year in 1397. Chaucer died on October 25, 1400. Whatever his
   skills as a surveyor and builder were, within 50 years of his
   restoration the chapel was again ruinous.

   King Edward IV (1461–1483), the first Yorkist King, who was said to be
   addicted to "the advauncement of vaine pompe" (sic), began the
   construction of the present St. George's Chapel. In reality the chapel,
   begun in 1475, is more a miniature cathedral and royal mausoleum than a
   chapel. Its architecture is an exercise in the Perpendicular Gothic
   style. During the reign of Henry VII, some of the original chapel of
   St. George was demolished to make way for the Lady Chapel, which the
   King then abandoned. The building was one of the first truly grand
   pieces of architecture within the castle precincts.

   The construction of the chapel marked a turning point in the
   architecture of the castle. The more stable political climate following
   the end of the Wars of the Roses meant that future building tended to
   be more considerate of comfort and style than fortification. In this
   way the castle's role changed from that of royal bastion to that of a
   royal palace. One example of this is the "Horseshoe Cloister" ("H")
   from 1480, built near the chapel to house its clergy. This curved brick
   building is said to be in the shape of a fetlock: one of the badges
   used by Edward IV. Restoration work in 1871 was heavy, and little of
   the original building materials remain.

Big Royal Dig

   Windsor Castle was one of three royal sites excavated over four days by
   the Time Team of archaeologists led by Tony Robinson, on 25th–28th
   August 2006. In the United Kingdom, Channel 4 devoted an evening
   program to each day's findings and also followed the dig live on More4,
   together with a simulcast on the internet.

   Timed to help celebrate the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, along
   with many other events ongoing throughout 2006, this marked the 150th
   dig conducted by Time Team. For the first time, the Queen gave
   permission for trenches to be dug in Buckingham Palace Gardens, Windsor
   Castle, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh. The Big Royal Dig
   is an example of the Queen opening up her homes for greater access to
   the public, as she did during her Golden Jubilee Weekend in 2002 and
   throughout 2006 for her birthday.

   The archaeologists had an unprecedented opportunity to probe the
   geophysics and history of three royal residences over a four-day
   period, with teams working concurrently in the three locations.

   Windsor Castle was the scene of two remarkable finds:
     * In the Upper Ward, the foundations of the Round Table building
       erected in 1344 by Edward III were discovered, and also, among
       other finds, a spectacular decorated mediaeval tile in situ. In
       Edward's day the Round Table building, 200 feet in diameter, was
       used for feasting, festivals, and theatrical re-enactments of the
       Knights of the Round Table of Arthurian legend.

     * In the Lower Ward, the Great Hall of Henry III's palace was located
       and one of its walls, still standing, was found. This has assisted
       archaeologists in assessing where Windsor's first palace actually
       stood.

   These finds have added to knowledge of the location, history, and uses
   of the Round Table and the Great Hall.

Fortress to palace

   While it is accepted that Edward III was the monarch who began the
   transformation of the castle from a fortress to a comfortable
   residence, compared to the other royal palaces at Whitehall and
   Nonsuch, Windsor remained a very bleak residence ^. Henry VIII (who
   reigned from 1509– 1547) rebuilt the principal castle gateway in about
   1510, siting it in such a place that, should the gateway fall in an
   attack, further invasion into the castle would involve an uphill
   battle. The coat of arms above the arch and portcullis bears the
   pomegranate badge of the king's first queen, Catherine of Aragon.

   Henry VIII's successor and son, the boy King Edward VI (who reigned
   from 1547– 1553), wrote while staying in the castle "Methink I am in a
   prison, here are no galleries, nor no gardens to walk in." ^

   Edward VI's sister Queen Elizabeth I (who reigned 1558– 1603) spent
   much of her time at Windsor and regarded it as the safest place in her
   realm and would retire here in moments of anxiety, as she described it:
   "knowing it could stand a siege if need be" ^. While her statement
   suggests the castle was still very much a fortress, she too contributed
   to the transformation by constructing the north terrace ("N") as a
   place to exercise and over it she built a covered gallery, a very early
   example of what was later to be known as a conservatory. This building
   has survived relatively unaltered. Still containing an enormous Tudor
   fireplace, it today houses the Royal Library.

The Civil War

   Elizabeth I was followed by James I, and he by his son Charles I,
   neither of whom made significant changes to the castle. However,
   following the deposition of Charles I, the castle became the
   headquarters of Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army. Windsor Castle fell
   to Cromwell's Parliamentarians early in the hostilities due to the
   cunning of Colonel John Venn. Prince Rupert of the Rhine arrived to
   retake the town and castle a few days later, but though he severely
   battered the town, he was unable to retake the castle. Venn remained
   Governor of the castle until 1645.

   Under Parliamentarian jurisdiction the castle suffered, but not as
   badly as such an iconic symbol of monarchy could have been expected to.
   However, the garrison stationed there was underpaid and allowed to loot
   the castle's treasures.^ For the duration of the commonwealth period
   the castle remained a military headquarters, and a prison for more
   important Royalists captured. For a short time prior to his execution
   in 1649, Charles I was imprisoned in the castle, although in today's
   terminology house arrest would be a more accurate term. Following the
   King's execution, Britain was ruled by Cromwell until the restoration
   of the monarchy in 1660. Charles I's body was smuggled back to Windsor
   in the dead of night through a snow storm to be interred without
   ceremony in the vault beneath the choir in St George's Chapel, next to
   the coffins of Henry VIII and his wife.

The restoration of the monarchy 1660

   Drawing by Wyatville showing his Gothic transformation to the buildings
   of the upper ward of Windsor Castle.
   Enlarge
   Drawing by Wyatville showing his Gothic transformation to the buildings
   of the upper ward of Windsor Castle.
   Wyatville's drawing showing the intended changes to the Prince of Wales
   Tower at Windsor castle.
   Enlarge
   Wyatville's drawing showing the intended changes to the Prince of Wales
   Tower at Windsor castle.

   The restoration of the monarchy in 1660 was to prove the first period
   of significant change to Windsor castle for many years. Charles II did
   much to restore and refurnish the castle from the damage suffered
   during the civil war. At this time Versailles was being constructed in
   France, and with this in mind Charles II laid out the avenue known as
   the Long Walk ("L"). (see illustration right) Running south from the
   castle this avenue runs for three miles and is 240 feet wide. The
   original elms the King planted have since been replaced with chestnuts
   and planes. The Long walk was not the only part of Windsor to be
   inspired by Versailles. Charles II commissioned the architect Hugh May
   to rebuild the Royal Apartments and St George's Hall. May replaced the
   original Plantagenet apartments on the north terrace with the cube-like
   Star Building. The interiors of these new apartments were decorated
   with ceilings by Antonio Verrio and carving by Grinling Gibbons. The
   King also acquired tapestries and paintings to furnish the rooms. These
   art works were to form the core of what was to become known as the
   Royal Collection. Three of these rooms survive relatively unchanged:
   the Queen's Presence Chamber, the Queen's Audience Chamber, both
   designed for Charles II's wife Catherine of Braganza, and the King's
   Dining Room. These retain both their Verrio ceilings and Gibbons'
   panelling. Originally there were twenty rooms in this style. Some of
   Gibbons' carvings were rescued at various times when alterations were
   being made in the name of change or restoration, and in the 19th
   century these carvings were incorporated into new interior design
   themes in the Garter Throne Room and the Waterloo Chamber.

The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries

   Following the death of Charles II in 1685, the Castle fell slowly into
   a state of neglect. While the precincts and park remained a complex of
   inhabited royal mansions, the sovereigns themselves preferred to live
   elsewhere. During the reign of William and Mary (1689–1702) Hampton
   Court Palace was enlarged and transformed into a huge modern palace.
   Later Queen Anne preferred to live in a small house close to the walls
   of the castle. It was not until 1804 when King George III, the father
   of 13 children, needed a larger residence than could be found elsewhere
   that the castle was once again fully inhabited. The work carried out by
   Charles II had been on the contemporary more classical style of
   architecture popular at the time. Inigo Jones had introduced
   Palladianism to England during the time of Charles I. George III felt
   this style was not in keeping with an ancient castle and had many of
   Charles II's windows redesigned and given a pointed Gothic arch, and
   thus the castle began once again to acquire its original medieval
   appearance. During this period Windsor Castle was once again to become
   a place of royal confinement. In 1811 King George III became
   permanently deranged and was confined to the castle for his own safety.
   During the last 9 years of his life he seldom left his apartments at
   Windsor.

   It was during the reign of King George IV between 1820–1830 that the
   castle was to undergo the greatest single transformation in its
   history. George IV, known for his extravagant building at both Carlton
   House and the Royal Pavilion during his regency, now persuaded
   parliament to vote him £300,000 for restoration. The architect Jeffry
   Wyatville was selected and work commenced in 1824.

   The work took twelve years to complete and included a complete
   remodelling of the Upper Ward ("B"), private apartments ("D"), Round
   Tower ("A"), and the exterior facade of the South Wing ("D") which gave
   the castle its near symmetrical facade seen from the Long Walk.
   St George's Hall Windsor from W.H. Pyne's Royal Residences (1819). This
   shows the baroque style of the work carried out at Windsor for Charles
   II by architect Hugh May, painter Antonio Verrio, carver Grinling
   Gibbons and others. St George's Hall was redecorated in the early 19th
   century, but several smaller interiors from this period survive.
   Enlarge
   St George's Hall Windsor from W.H. Pyne's Royal Residences (1819). This
   shows the baroque style of the work carried out at Windsor for Charles
   II by architect Hugh May, painter Antonio Verrio, carver Grinling
   Gibbons and others. St George's Hall was redecorated in the early 19th
   century, but several smaller interiors from this period survive.
   St George's Hall in 1848 by Joseph Nash, showing the alterations made
   for George IV by Sir Jeffry Wyatville.
   Enlarge
   St George's Hall in 1848 by Joseph Nash, showing the alterations made
   for George IV by Sir Jeffry Wyatville.

   Wyatville was the first architect to view the castle as one
   composition, rather than a collection of buildings of various ages and
   in differing styles. As an architect he had a preference for imposing
   symmetry, whereas the castle which had evolved piecemeal over the
   previous centuries had no symmetry at all. Wyatville imposed a symmetry
   of sorts on the existing buildings of the Upper Ward, by raising the
   heights of certain towers to match others, and refacing the Upper Ward
   in a Gothic style complete with castelated battlements to match the
   mediæval buildings, including St George's Chapel in the Lower Ward. The
   Round Tower had always been a squat structure, and now this was further
   accentuated by the new height of the buildings in the Upper Ward.
   Wyatville surmounted this problem by building on top of the Round Tower
   a hollow stone crown, basically a false upper storey. Some 33 feet
   high, this crown gives the entire castle its dramatic silhouette from
   many miles away.

   Much of the interior of the Castle was given the same makeover
   treatment as the exterior. Many of the Charles II state rooms which
   remained after George III's redecorations were redesigned in the Gothic
   style, most notably St George's Hall, (see illustration right) which
   was doubled in length. Wyatville also roofed over a courtyard to create
   the Waterloo Chamber. This vast hall lit by a clerestory was designed
   to celebrate the victors of the Battle of Waterloo and was hung with
   portraits of the allied sovereigns and commanders who vanquished
   Napoleon I. The large dining table at the centre of the chamber seats
   150 people.

   The work was unfinished at the time of George IV's death in 1830, but
   was virtually completed by Wyatville's death in 1840.

The Victorian era

   Queen Victoria's retreat into the privacy of the castle after the death
   of Prince Albert acquired her the soubriquet "The Widow of Windsor"
   Enlarge
   Queen Victoria's retreat into the privacy of the castle after the death
   of Prince Albert acquired her the soubriquet "The Widow of Windsor"

   Queen Victoria and Prince Albert made Windsor castle their principal
   royal residence. Many of their changes were to the surrounding
   parklands rather than the buildings. In particular, the "Windsor Castle
   and Town Approaches Act", passed by Parliament in 1848, permitted the
   closing and re-routing of the old roads which previously ran through
   the park from Windsor to Datchet and Old Windsor. These changes allowed
   the Royal Family to undertake the enclosure of a large area of parkland
   to form the private "Home Park" with no public roads passing through
   it.

   Queen Victoria had retreated to the castle for privacy following the
   death, in 1861, of Prince Albert, who had in fact died at the castle.
   Albert was buried in a Mausoleum built at Frogmore, within the Home
   Park of the Castle (and eventually Victoria was buried beside him.)

   From Albert's death until her own death in 1901, Windsor Castle was
   Victoria's principal home, and she seldom visited Buckingham Palace
   again. The prince's rooms were maintained exactly as they had been at
   the moment of his death, and although an air of melancholy was allowed
   to settle on the castle for the remainder of the 19th century, this did
   not prevent improvements and restoration from taking place. In 1866
   Anthony Salvin created the Grand Staircase in the State Apartments
   ("C"). This great stone staircase in the Gothic style rises to a double
   height hall lit by a vaulted lantern tower. The hall is decorated with
   arms and armour, including the suit of armour worn by King Henry VIII
   made in 1540. The top of the stairs are flanked by life size equestrain
   statues mounted by knights in armour. This theme of decoration
   continues into the Queen's Guard Chamber, and the Grand Vestibule.
   Salvin also added the château-style conical roof to the Curfew Tower
   ("T") at this time.

20th century

   Following the accession of King Edward VII in 1901, the castle often
   remained empty for long periods, the new King preferring his other
   homes elsewhere. The King visited for Ascot week and Easter. One of the
   few alterations he made was to lay out the castle's golf course.

   Edward VII's successor George V who was King from 1910 until 1936 also
   preferred his other country homes. However, his wife Queen Mary was a
   great connoisseur of the arts, and not only sought out and re-acquired
   long dispersed items of furniture from the castle, but also acquired
   many new works of art to furnish the state rooms. She also rearranged
   the fashion in which the castle was used, abandoning the baroque idea
   of a large suite of state rooms reserved just for important guests on
   the principal floor. New, more comfortable bedrooms with modern
   bathrooms were installed on the upper floors allowing the formerly
   reserved state rooms below to be used for entertaining and court
   functions. The state bedroom itself was retained, but more as a
   historical curiosity. It has not been used as a bedroom since 1909.

   During the First World War, when the members of the Royal Family felt
   the need to change its dynastic name from the German "House of Saxe
   Coburg-Gotha", they took their new name from the castle, becoming the "
   House of Windsor".

   Queen Mary was a lover of all things miniature, and had created a large
   dolls' house, based on a large aristocratic mansion—it was designed by
   the architect Lutyens. Its furniture and picture were created by the
   great craftsmen and designers of the 1930s. The dolls' house today is
   one of the castle's many tourist attractions.
   George VI and Queen Elizabeth, lead the processions of Knights of the
   Garter from the castle's Upper Ward to St George's Chapel.
   Enlarge
   George VI and Queen Elizabeth, lead the processions of Knights of the
   Garter from the castle's Upper Ward to St George's Chapel.

   George VI came to the throne in 1936 following his brother's
   abdication. Edward VIII had broadcast his abdication speech to the
   British Empire from the castle, but had preferred during his short
   reign to live at his home Fort Belvedere in Windsor Great Park. George
   VI (and his wife Queen Elizabeth too) preferred their original Windsor
   home, Royal Lodge. On the outbreak of war in 1939 the castle resumed
   its role as a royal fortress and the King and Queen and their children
   Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen) and Princess Margaret lived, for
   safety, in the castle. The King and Queen drove daily to London,
   returning to Windsor to sleep, although at the time this was a well
   kept secret, as for propaganda and morale purposes it was reported that
   the king was still residing full-time at Buckingham Palace. Following
   the cessation of hostilities in 1945, the Royal Family left Windsor
   Castle and returned to Royal Lodge.
   During the latter half of the 20th century Windsor castle became one of
   Britain's major tourist attractions
   Enlarge
   During the latter half of the 20th century Windsor castle became one of
   Britain's major tourist attractions

   Queen Elizabeth II decided in 1952 to make Windsor her principal
   weekend retreat. The private apartments ("D") which had not been
   properly occupied since the era of Queen Mary were renovated and
   further modernised, and the Queen, Prince Philip and their two children
   took up residence. This arrangement has continued to the present day.

   On 20 November 1992 a fire which began in the Queen's private chapel
   (between "C" and "D" on plan) quickly spread. The fire raged for 15
   hours until it had destroyed nine of the principal state rooms, and
   severely damaged over 100 more—in all the larger part of the upper
   ward. One fifth of the floor space of the castle was damaged—an area of
   9,000 square metres. The restoration programme took five years to
   complete, 70% of it funded by the decision to open to the public for
   the first time the state rooms of Buckingham Palace. The total cost of
   repairing the damage was £37 million (US $59.2 million). The
   restoration was undertaken at no additional cost to the British
   taxpayer. So successful was the restoration and faithfulness to the
   original plans and decorations that the distinction between old and new
   is hard to detect. Although some of the rooms that had been gutted by
   the fire were completely redesigned in a modern interpretation that is
   very organic, of the gothic style, it has been called "Downesian
   Gothic", as the architect of these rooms is Giles Downes, of Sidell
   Gibson Partnership. They include the new Private Chapel, the new
   Lantern Lobby and the new ceiling of St George's Hall. The latter is
   made of green-oak, a technique used in mediæval times. However, what is
   less obvious to the eye is that the restoration work resulted in
   significant improvements, particularly to the arrangements of the
   public rooms and the service quarters.

   In latter years, the Queen has increasingly used the castle as a royal
   palace as well as her weekend home. It is as often used for state
   banquets and official entertaining as Buckingham Palace. When during
   the great fire in 1992 Prince Andrew was interviewed for television, he
   stated that Windsor castle was the one place the royal family regarded
   as home.

   During the Queen's tenure of the Castle much has been done, not only to
   restore and maintain the fabric of the building, but also to transform
   it into a major British tourist attraction. This has had to be achieved
   in co-ordination with the castle's role as a working royal palace.

   In a June 1999 story, the BBC reported that Prince Charles was
   considering moving the royal court to Windsor Castle instead of
   Buckingham Palace when he ascends the throne. The story speculated the
   Prince may be attempting to gain more independence from the traditional
   court at Buckingham Palace. So far, the Palace has not commented on the
   story, but Prince Charles, along with the rest of the royal family, is
   said to be fond of Windsor Castle.

21st century

   The Round Tower of Windsor Castle behind part of its garden
   Enlarge
   The Round Tower of Windsor Castle behind part of its garden

   On 30 September 2006 it was reported that the Queen, as part of the
   equal opportunities policy at Windsor, has allowed an office in the
   Castle to be used as a Muslim prayer room when required, as requested
   by an employee.

The park and gardens

   The immediate environs of the castle known as "The Home Park" comprise
   parkland and two working farms along with many estate cottages mainly
   occupied by employees. The estate of Frogmore also lies within the Home
   Park: Frogmore House and Gardens are open to the public on certain days
   of the year (the remainder of the Home Park is private). The Home Park
   forms the northern part of the more extensive—though now sadly
   depleted— Windsor Great Park.

   In the town of Windsor at the foot of the castle stands a private
   school ("St.George's, Windsor Castle") which provides choristers to the
   Chapel.

   Eton College is located about a mile to its north.

Security

   Although this has been less well publicised than Buckingham Palace,
   security at Windsor Castle has occasionally been breached, most
   recently when an intruder (the self-styled "comedy terrorist", Aaron
   Barschak) "gate-crashed" the birthday party for Prince William. Police
   from the Thames Valley Police and from the Royalty and Diplomatic
   Protection Department of the London Metropolitan Police provide the
   main element of physical security. The Windsor Castle Guard of the Foot
   Guards of the Household Division, provided by a public duties battalion
   in London, or by the battalion at Victoria Barracks, Windsor,
   contributes to this.

   The Foot Guards battalion at Victoria Barracks, a quarter of a mile
   from the Castle, is supported by the armoured reconnaissance squadron
   of the Household Cavalry based at Combermere Barracks, Windsor, one
   mile from the Castle.
   Windsor Castle's Upper Ward—The Quadrangle—not open to tourists.
   Enlarge
   Windsor Castle's Upper Ward—The Quadrangle—not open to tourists.
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