Visiting Windsor Castle: Tips & Important Tourist Info
When visiting London, you may ask yourself, “Is Windsor Castle Worth Visiting?” With so much to do in London, you are probably trying to figure out what you can fit into your trip. If you are considering visiting Windsor Castle, there are some things you should know before you go.
What You Should Know About Visiting Windsor Castle
The castle is open year-round, Thursday through Monday, even when the King is in residence.
The King is at home if the Royal Standard is flying at Windsor Castle. If the Union Flag is up, he’s not.
St. George’s Chapel is not available to tour on Sundays.
You should book your Windsor Castle tour in advance and plan to spend about 2.5 hours seeing both the interior and the castle grounds.
What You Will Get to See on a Windsor Castle Tour
During your tour of Windsor Castle, you will be able to learn many things about the Castle, including:
- Windsor Castle is the official residence of The King
- It is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world!
- Dating back to 1070 AD, William the Conqueror had Windsor Castle built as a way to provide fortification for those coming to London from the west.
- The castle took 16 years to build but underwent construction through the centuries.
- The wooden walls of the castle were replaced with stone in the late 12th century by Henry II and then the entire facade of the castle underwent a Gothic transformation with more stone & masonry added after George IV came to the throne in 1820.
Before you enter the castle complex, be sure to take time to see the statue of Queen Victoria.
It was erected in 1887 in celebration of the queen’s Golden Jubilee, marking the 50th year of her reign.
Castle Grounds
When you first arrive at the Castle, you will be able to take a free 30-minute tour of the castle grounds that the Wardens lead.
The Wardens will explain the history of Windsor Castle and share information that you might not otherwise know.
At the Quadrangle of the Upper Ward, you will be able to see an equestrian statue of King Charles II, who was responsible for restoring the monarchy after the English Civil War.
Changing of the Guard
If you visit Windsor Castle at the right time, you might get to see the Changing of the Guard.
While not as elaborate as Buckingham Palace, it does occur on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, weather permitting.
State Apartments (NO PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED)
When you take a Windsor Castle tour, you will see the State Apartments that were built for Charles II and his Queen, Catherine of Braganza during the late 17th century.
They are considered some of the grandest Baroque State Apartments in England. Not only are the rooms exquisite, but so are the decorations.
You will see rooms such as the Grand Reception room, where the King hosts official visits by Heads of State and awards ceremonies and see paintings by notable artists.
The Waterloo Chamber is dedicated to the military defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte by British & Allied forces under the command of the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo.
The Semi-State Rooms are open from autumn until spring each year. Your ticket price will reflect whether or not these rooms are open to the public.
As you walk through these private apartments created for George IV, you will find some of the richestly decorated interiors in the Castle.
Today, the King uses them to entertain guests.
One of the neatest things to see is Queen Mary’s Doll House, which is ridiculously intricate.
Inside the doll house is a wine cellar, garden, and even hot & cold running water.
St George’s Chapel
Included in your Windsor Castle tour ticket is St. George’s Chapel. This is where Prince Harry married Meghan Markle.
Within St. George’s Chapel are the tombs of ten sovereigns, including Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour.
It is also the final resting place of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The Chapel does close at 16:15 (last entry 16:00 Monday-Saturday in order to prepare for the Evensong at 17:15.
Evensong at St. George’s Chapel
Evensong at St. George’s Chapel begins at 17:15, is free, and lasts about 45 min.
Choral Evensong is a choral tradition that dates back nearly 500 years and is done at a time between day & night to give the listeners a time for restful contemplation.
If you don’t intend to visit Windsor Castle, you can still attend Evensong. It is the only way to access St. George’s Chapel without a ticket.
Simply line up at the main gate about 20 minutes before Evensong begins.
Overall, visiting Windsor Castle should be on your list of things to do in Windsor or a day trip to make from London. It certainly is one of the most important castles in England.
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