A few years ago, my family and I attended a small, exclusive evening tour after hours at Windsor Castle. After hours tours are still available today, although you definitely need to book early to get a place (more details at the end of the post). Taken by experienced guides, after hours tours offer by The Royal Collection allow you to enjoy the wonders of the castle without the crowds. Our tour was a wonderful experience, and I’d like to share it with you once again.
Windsor Castle is one of the oldest complete castles in England, and one of the largest inhabited castles in the world. Begun in 1066, it has evolved over the centuries into a veritable fortress. Said to be HM The Queen’s favourite castle, she spends much of her time there.
Visiting Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is open to the public most days of the year, but there are also a few exclusive after hours at Windsor Castle tours. These allow you to go round the castle in a smaller group (usually of less than 25 people) after it has been closed to the public in the evening. Experienced warders take the group round, and the velvet ropes usually come down, so you can get right up close to the amazing furniture and artwork. Of course, you must not touch anything, but there is something about being able to study the detail on George IV’s desk as he would have seen it and walk right up to Queen Elizabeth II’s throne that really does invoke awe.
Heightened Security
Security is always tight at Windsor Castle but I really noticed it that evening. Photographs were not allowed, and as the Queen was in residence during our tour, the police outside were armed with very large guns. As we arrived at the ancient gates not normally used for entry by the public, the phone in the gatehouse rang. The guard answered the call and said, “No, no, it’s all right, stand down, they’re on a tour”. from an armed colleague situated on one of the balconies of the castle. I looked up to see him pointing his (very large) gun directly at us. “No, no, it’s all right, stand down, they’re on a tour”, the policeman at the gates explained.
Features of Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is grand, with massive rooms, high ornate ceilings and gorgeous crystal chandeliers, but some of the rooms are cozy as well. There’s the small dressing room that Charles 2 preferred to sleep in instead of his bedroom because it was warmer – and perhaps also because of the secret door carved into the wall that allowed him to slip downstairs to the rooms where his mistresses slept! The room Charles IV used as his office is huge, the walls lined with large paintings by Rubens and his school, but its dark green silk walls make it feel warm and inviting.
No one can forget the harrowing scenes of Windsor Castle alight in November 1992, the flames visible for miles as fire destroyed a large part of the castle. St George’s Hall, the spiritual home of the famous Order of the Garter was virtually completely destroyed, along with a large section of State Rooms. However all has now been beautifully restored. Huge care was taken – some rooms were even decorated from the notes left by nineteenth century interior designers to ensure authenticity. St George’s Hall has been rebuilt in oak, and looks much as it must have done when it was first constructed hundreds of years ago. Looked over by a massive statue of the King’s Champion at the far end, the ceiling is decorated with the crests of every Knight of the Garter all through history.
After Hours Tours
If you can tour Windsor Castle around Christmas time, some of the rooms are decorated for the season. In 2011 the theme was a Victorian Christmas. A beautiful painting of an aging Queen Victoria over the fireplace in the dining room looked down on to a real-life table laid as she would have seen it in her youth. Her own china, in beautiful blues, pinks and golds, graced the table setting, and huge silver bowls overflowed with fruit. In the next room, the chandelier had been removed to allow a fully lit Christmas tree to be hung from the ceiling, and the side tables laid with gifts as they would have been in the days when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert celebrated the season with their children.
The tour ended in the last room to be refurbished after the fire. In the centre of the beautiful marble floor, made up of stone from all around the UK, Prince Charles laid a commemorative coin to mark the occasion. We were told he ‘stuck it down with superglue’ to prevent children trying to prise it out!
As our tour left each room, the yeoman warder turned the lights off and switched on the laser security system in each room before he shut the doors behind us. As we left the last room, I turned back to see the grand staircase we had walked up at the beginning of the tour in darkness, and felt like I had seen part of this wonderful castle asleep. We were then invited to enjoy a glass of champagne in the gift shop, where I treated myself to a Christmas ornament and a beautiful teacup from the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee china range. It’s hard to believe that 11 years have passed since our after hours tour, and that the Queen has now celebrated her Platinum Jubilee!
Visiting Windsor Castle in 2022
From 7th July until 26th September 2022, the Queen’s Coronation Dress and Robe of Estate will be on display at Windsor Castle. You can tour the castle five days a week – the castle is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Hours are subject to change as Windsor Castle is a working royal castle. There are often long queues, so do book your tickets in advance on the Royal Collection Trust website.
It’s always a pleasure to visit Windsor Castle, but if you do get a chance to take one of the exclusive after hours at Windsor Castle tours, it is very special indeed. They book up very quickly, so it’s essential to subscribe to the Royal Collection Trust mailing list and keep an eye on your email.
I am still working on finding a tour to attend while the Coronation Exhibit is on. I have received emails twice about after hours at Windsor Castle tours and even though I clicked through literally on receipt, all the tours were full. After hours group tours are also available from time to time, sometimes for groups as small as 15 people. So, if you have a few friends who are interested, you could always book one of those if you miss the chance to book individual tickets. At time of writing there are none available, but do watch the Royal Collection Trust Website.
Comments & Reviews
I can’t imagine what a thrill it would be to go on this tour. It’s now on my dream list!
I do hope you are able to do the tour one day, Judith. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post, thank you!