Who lives at Windsor Castle and can I visit?

WINDSOR Castle has been the epicenter of royal history for over 1000 years.

The castle is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. But can the public visit? Read on to find out.

Windsor Castle is home to around 150 people and was the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II until her death in 2022.

After the Queen’s death, ownership of Windsor Castle passed to King Charles, although he does not currently reside there.

The Sunday Times reported that Prince William and Kate could be moving there and taking on new roles with their new status change.

As long as King Charles is sovereign, he will be the rightful owner of the Windsor Estate.

The Queen lived at Windsor Castle for much of her reign.

Buckingham Palace was her main residence, but she normally resided at Windsor Castle on weekends.

Following Prince Phillip’s death in 2021, the Queen announced that she would be moving to Windsor Castle as her more permanent home.

When was Windsor Castle built?

Windsor Castle was built by William the Conqueror. He started construction in 1070. It took 16 years to complete.

Since Windsor Castle was built, it has been the official residence of 40 monarchs and their families.

William the Conqueror chose to build the castle on this site for its views of the River Thames and its proximity to Saxton Hunting Grounds.

Henry I was the first monarch to use Windsor Castle as his home in 1110.

Later, his grandson Henry II liked the castle so much that he renovated it to make it more stable.

The Queen grew up at Windsor Castle with her sister Princess Margaret.

The castle has 188 staff rooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms.

Windsor Castle is open to the public every day except Tuesday and Wednesday.

St. George’s Chapel is not open to visitors on Sundays as it is only open for services.

You can book tickets to visit the castle.

Although Windsor Castle is a working royal palace, it sometimes has to close at short notice.

The semi-state rooms are closed until autumn 2023.