Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, and has been a royal home for more than 900 years — longer than any other residence still in royal use anywhere on earth. Founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, it has since housed 40 monarchs, survived a devastating fire, and remains one of King Charles III’s three official residences today, alongside Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Unlike Buckingham Palace, Windsor is genuinely used as a private weekend home as much as a state venue, which gives a visit here a slightly different feel: less a single grand set-piece, more a working fortress that’s been added to, rebuilt and lived in for nearly a millennium.

History of Windsor Castle

William the Conqueror and the Norman Beginnings

Windsor Castle was founded by William the Conqueror around 1070, roughly four years after his victory at Hastings, as one of a ring of fortifications built to defend London and control the Thames valley. Construction of the original motte-and-bailey timber castle took around 16 years. Its position was chosen deliberately: a chalk outcrop above the river, a day’s march from the Tower of London, giving the new Norman king a defensible base within easy reach of the capital. The timber structure was gradually rebuilt in stone over the following centuries, and the castle’s basic layout — the Upper Ward, Lower Ward and Round Tower on its central mound — still follows William’s original design nearly a thousand years later.

Medieval Expansion and the Order of the Garter

Henry II rebuilt the motte’s timber keep in stone in the 1170s, creating the Round Tower still visible today, and Edward III — born at Windsor in 1312 — transformed the castle into a centre of chivalric culture in the 14th century. In 1348, Edward III founded the Order of the Garter, England’s most senior order of chivalry, at Windsor, and later commissioned St George’s Chapel as its spiritual home. The Chapel, rebuilt in its current Perpendicular Gothic form under Edward IV and Henry VII from 1475, remains the burial place of ten monarchs, including Henry VIII and Charles I, and continues to host the annual Garter Day procession.

George IV’s Gothic Transformation

By the early 19th century, Windsor had become outdated and uncomfortable by royal standards. George IV, fresh from his expensive remodelling of Buckingham Palace, commissioned the architect Jeffry Wyatville to rebuild much of Windsor in a romantic, dramatically scaled-up Gothic style between 1824 and 1840. Wyatville raised the height of the Round Tower, added grand new state apartments, and gave the castle much of the silhouette recognisable today — a deliberately theatrical version of a medieval fortress, built for 19th-century comfort behind a medieval-looking face.

Queen Victoria at Windsor

Queen Victoria spent more time at Windsor than any other royal residence, using it as her main home for much of her reign, particularly after the death of Prince Albert in 1861, after which she wore mourning and largely withdrew from public ceremonial life there for years. Victoria hosted numerous state visits and family gatherings at the castle, cementing its role as the monarchy’s principal country seat rather than simply a ceremonial backdrop.

The 1992 Fire and Restoration

On 20 November 1992, a fire broke out in the Private Chapel, reportedly started by a spotlight igniting a curtain, and spread rapidly through the Upper Ward. It burned for 15 hours, severely damaging or destroying around 115 rooms, including St George’s Hall. The restoration that followed took five years and was completed in November 1997, deliberately timed to mark the Queen and Prince Philip’s golden wedding anniversary. The rebuilt St George’s Hall, with its dramatic oak hammerbeam roof, is considered one of the finest works of late-20th-century craftsmanship in any royal building, and the fire itself became a genuine turning point in the monarchy’s approach to public funding, prompting Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms to open to paying visitors for the first time to help cover the restoration costs.

Windsor Castle Today

Windsor Castle remains a genuine working royal residence rather than a museum piece. King Charles III uses it regularly as a weekend home and for state occasions, including State Banquets in St George’s Hall for up to 160 guests. A useful visitor tip from the Royal Collection Trust: check which flag is flying from the Round Tower — if it’s the Royal Standard rather than the Union Flag, the King is in residence during your visit.

Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House

One of Windsor Castle’s most genuinely surprising exhibits has nothing to do with battles or state ceremony. Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, built between 1921 and 1924 as a gift from the nation to Queen Mary (consort of George V) following the First World War, is the largest and most famous dolls’ house in the world — and a serious work of craftsmanship rather than a toy. Designed by the leading architect Sir Edwin Lutyens at a precise 1:12 scale, it features genuinely working electric lighting, running water, and two working lifts, built with contributions from more than 1,500 of the era’s finest artists, craftspeople and manufacturers.

The detail runs remarkably deep: the wine cellar holds around 1,200 real miniature bottles, the library contains original handwritten stories contributed by authors including Arthur Conan Doyle and Thomas Hardy, and the garage houses working miniature vehicles. First shown at the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in 1924, where more than 1.5 million people came to see it, the Dolls’ House moved to Windsor Castle in 1925 and has remained on permanent display there ever since, in a room Lutyens designed specifically to house it.

Changing the Guard at Windsor Castle

Per the official Household Division calendar, the Guard at Windsor Castle changes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 11am, with daily ceremonies (except Sundays) typically added during April to July. The New Guard forms up at Victoria Barracks on Sheet Street at around 10:45am and marches with a regimental band through Windsor town centre and up to the Castle, arriving for the formal handover in the Lower Ward at 11:00am; the Old Guard marches back to barracks around 11:25am. Watching the march through town is entirely free and doesn’t require a castle ticket, though seeing the actual ceremony inside the Lower Ward does require standard Windsor Castle admission. As with the London ceremonies, the schedule is genuinely weather- and operationally-dependent and can change at short notice, so it’s worth checking the Household Division’s own calendar close to your visit date rather than relying on the general weekly pattern.

Visiting Windsor Castle: Practical Information

Verified against the official Royal Collection Trust website, checked 4 September 2026.

Opening Hours

Windsor Castle is open year-round. From March to October it runs 10am–5.15pm, last admission 4pm; from November to February it runs 10am–4.15pm, last admission 3pm. As a working royal palace, the Castle or specific State Apartments can close to visitors at short notice for official events, so it’s always worth checking the Royal Collection Trust’s live closure calendar before travelling, particularly if a specific room is the reason for your visit.

Ticket Prices & Entry

Category	Booked in advance	On the day
Adult	£32.00	£36.00
Young Person (18–24)	£21.00	£24.00
Child (5–17)	£16.00	£18.00
Disabled Person	£16.00	£18.00
Access companion	Free	Free
Under 5	Free	Free

Booking your entry into Windsor Castle in advance saves £4 per adult over paying on the day, and £1 tickets are available for visitors on Universal Credit and several other named benefits during certain months. Standard admission covers the State Apartments, St George’s Chapel (when open to visitors), Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and the Castle Precincts; optional add-on tours (Conquer the Tower, the Great Kitchen) run at extra cost on selected dates. Tickets booked directly through the Royal Collection Trust can be converted into a free 1-Year Pass for unlimited return visits within 12 months — sign and print your name on the back of your ticket before you leave.

Address & Postcode

Windsor Castle’s postal address is Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 1NJ, United Kingdom. The visitor entrance is on Castle Hill, in the centre of Windsor town, easily walkable from either of the town’s two train stations.

Getting There by Train from London

• From London Paddington: take a train to Slough, then change onto the short branch service to Windsor & Eton Central — total journey around 25–30 minutes, with the branch connection itself only about 6 minutes. Windsor & Eton Central is the closer of the two stations to the Castle, roughly a 5-minute flat walk.
• From London Waterloo: a direct South Western Railway service runs straight to Windsor & Eton Riverside, taking around 50–55 minutes with no change required. It’s a slightly longer, gently uphill walk of 8–10 minutes from Riverside to the Castle.
• Green Line coaches also run from London Victoria Coach Station, though the journey takes considerably longer than the train, at around 1 hour 40 minutes.

Windsor Castle Parking

Worth knowing before you drive: there is no visitor car parking at Windsor Castle itself. The Royal Collection Trust is explicit on this point and directs all visitors to public car parks in Windsor town centre instead, a short walk from the Castle gates. Windsor town centre has several pay-and-display car parks, including options around Alexandra Gardens, King Edward VII Avenue and the Riverside area — current locations, prices and availability are listed on the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s official site, windsor.gov.uk, which is worth checking shortly before you travel since car parks fill quickly on event days and sunny weekends. If the town centre looks full, some visitors instead park at Slough and take the short branch train in, or approach entirely by rail to skip the search for a space.

How Long to Allow

The Royal Collection Trust suggests 1½ to 2 hours for a self-guided visit, though 2–3 hours is more realistic if you want to see everything at a comfortable pace, including Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and St George’s Chapel. The Castle sits at the top of a steep hill and the visitor route covers long distances largely outdoors, so comfortable shoes are worth the mention they get on the official site.

Accessibility

Windsor Castle is described by the Royal Collection Trust as fully accessible, with concessionary tickets and a free access companion ticket available. That said, the site itself is steep and largely outdoors between buildings, so downloading the official photo journey guide in advance is genuinely useful for planning a route. An accessible café, toilets and a Changing Places facility are on site, registered assistance dogs are welcome, and the multimedia guide is available in British Sign Language with subtitles.

Managing Body

Windsor Castle is an official residence of the King and remains part of the Crown Estate. Public visits are organised and ticketed by Royal Collection Trust, the same independent charity responsible for Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms; ticket income goes toward caring for the Royal Collection rather than to the Royal Household directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hours for Windsor Castle?

March to October: 10am–5.15pm, last admission 4pm. November to February: 10am–4.15pm, last admission 3pm. As a working palace, hours and room access can change at short notice, so it’s worth checking the official closure calendar before travelling.

How much does entry into Windsor Castle cost?

Standard adult admission is £32 booked in advance or £36 on the day. Children (5–17) and disabled visitors pay £16 advance / £18 on the day, and children under 5 go free. £1 tickets are available for visitors on Universal Credit and other named benefits during certain months.

Where do I park for Windsor Castle?

Not at the Castle itself — there’s no visitor car parking on site. Use one of the public pay-and-display car parks in Windsor town centre instead, a short walk from the Castle gates; current locations and prices are listed on windsor.gov.uk.

What is Windsor Castle’s postcode?

Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 1NJ, United Kingdom. The visitor entrance is on Castle Hill in the centre of Windsor town.

How do you get to Windsor Castle by train from London?

From Paddington, change at Slough for Windsor & Eton Central (around 25–30 minutes total). From Waterloo, a direct South Western Railway service runs to Windsor & Eton Riverside in around 50–55 minutes. Both stations are within a 5–10 minute walk of the Castle.

What is the doll house at Windsor Castle?

Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, built 1921–1924 as a gift to Queen Mary. It’s the largest and most famous dolls’ house in the world, built at 1:12 scale with genuinely working electric lighting, running water and lifts, and is included in standard Windsor Castle admission.

Is Windsor Castle still lived in?

Yes. It’s a working royal residence, and King Charles III uses it regularly as a weekend home and for state occasions. If the Royal Standard is flying from the Round Tower rather than the Union Flag, the King is in residence.

Windsor Castle pairs naturally with the two other Chronicle Trails royal residence guides — Buckingham Palace for the King’s working London base, and Kensington Palace for Queen Victoria’s birthplace and the Prince and Princess of Wales’s London residence. Browse the full Royal Palaces collection, or see our England guide for the country these three residences have presided over for nearly a thousand years.