Where the Queen hangs out.
I've lived in the area for 18 months and know Windsor pretty well, but I've never been to the Castle. Today was the day.
On a very cold and miserably grey day I parked about a mile from the Castle. Windsor must have some of the most expensive parking in the UK. If you park any closer it could cost about £7 an hour!
But it's a pretty walk through Alexandra Gardens. Queen Victoria doesn't look too thrilled about the tree.
Security on entering the Castle grounds rivals any international airport. Disrobe, remove shoes and belts, bags into trays through x-ray machines, one at a time through the metal detectors - it all felt quite familiar though the staff were much friendlier than airport staff - why is that do you think? Are airport staff coached to be unfriendly and deeply suspicious of everyone or is that a personality requirement for the job?
But then you're in and light years away from modern life.
The Castle was founded by William the Conqueror at the end of the eleventh century. It's been home to 39 monarchs and is the oldest royal residence in Britain to have remained in continuous use. It's in pristine condition as you would expect and very imposing.
As with most places like this, photos only allowed on the outside - no sneak pics. There is CCTV all over the place, so better to just put the camera away and enjoy the show.
Growing up with a monarchist mother, there were always books on the royal family in our house and I remember being quite intrigued by the royal lifestyle and of course Diana was was contemporaneous with my life - wedding, children, well that's probably all it was, but she really was fascinating. So settings like Windsor Castle are as familiar as fairy tales in childhood. The state apartments are familiar from countless news reports of state banquets and events so actually walking into the magnificant rooms is quite a surreal experience.
Nobody rushes you along. You can take as much time as you like to gawk, though the route is so skillfully designed that you move along naturally, with very few bottlenecks. Each visitor gets their own multimedia guide stuffed with fascinating information, available in 10 different languages. There's even a family version, aimed at younger kids, but that's only in English.
The treasures within - paintings, furniture, armour, clocks, china - of such remarkable quality and quantity, it's difficult to be specific about anything. The advantage of having a UK postal code is that your ticket at end of the tour is converted to a year ticket so you just have to make the effort to go back, which I will.
As well as visiting the castle there is also an exhibition of the Queen's outfits - Fashioning a Reign: 90 Years of Style from The Queen's Wardrobe - arranged through the semi-State apartments and in the Green Drawing room. Dresses from designers such as Norman Hartnell, Hardy Amies, Ian Thomas and Angela Kelly- beautiful, and the stories and meanings/messages conveyed by the Queen's outfits at state occasions - enthralling.
Before you know it, a couple of hours later, you're back out in the cold.
St George's Chapel is normally open to the public, but not on a Sunday, unless you're attending a service. It's gorgeous Gothic Architecture is so fine, it makes up for not seeing the inside, almost.
The Most Noble Order of the Garter - 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' (Shame on him who thinks ill of it). Dedicated to the image and arms of England's patron saint, St George.
Last, but not least - the Queen's Guards (in winter uniform).
