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Windsor Castle has been home to the British royal family for nearly 1000 years and is the oldest inhabited castle in the world. Queen Elizabeth II used the castle as one of her official residences during her 70-year reign as Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. Outside of its residential quarters, Windsor Castle has also been used for ceremonial purposes, such as welcoming heads of state.
After the Queen’s funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday, her coffin was moved to St George’s Chapel in Windsor. The funeral was attended by members of the royal family, including King Charles III and Prince William. The Queen’s coffin was lowered into the Royal Her Vault and was enshrined with her late husband Prince Philip, her father George the 6th, and her mother.
As children, the Queen and her sister, Princess Margaret, spent much of World War II in Windsor, which was under British military guard. The castle has more than 1,000 rooms of hers and was frequented by the Queen on weekends.
What is the history of the castle?
The castle was first built during the reign of William the Conqueror, who chose the site of a fortress on the edge of a Saxon hunting ground. Construction of Windsor began in 1070 after the Norman conquest, but was not completed until 1086. According to the Royal Collection Trust, the king originally intended the castle to serve as a defensive mechanism against attacks on London.
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Over the years, other monarchs added residences to the castle, eventually transforming it from a military outpost into another royal base. Henry I removed the timberwork of Windsor in his 1110 and replaced it with stone. However, Henry III made most of the additions by rebuilding and designing the royal apartments. About 100 years later, during the reign of Edward III, the castle was officially transferred from a military garrison to a Gothic palace with pointed arches.
Windsor Castle suffered the most damage since it was built more than 900 years ago in a fire on November 20, 1992. The fire started in Queen Victoria’s Chapel and spread to the roof of the palace, destroying the ceiling of St George’s Hall. The state dining room and crimson drawing room were also destroyed. The repair reportedly cost him over £37 million and took him five years to complete.
Who owns Windsor Castle?
After the Queen’s death, Charles III soon became the reigning monarch of England and inherited Windsor Castle under royal ownership.
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As sovereign, Charles holds title to Windsor as well as all other lands, which are administered by the monarchy under the reign of Her Majesty the Late Queen.
Moreover, under English law, King Charles do not have to pay inheritance tax or his inherited 45,000-acre estate in the Principality of Lancaster for $750. Crown Estate’s total assets are estimated to exceed his $30 billion.
Can you go to Windsor?
Windsor Castle is open to the public five days a week during normal business hours, except Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
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However, following the Queen’s death, the castle will remain closed until the end of September 2022.