30 Facts About Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire.

Originally designed to project Norman dominance around the outskirts of London and oversee a strategically important part of the River Thames, Windsor Castle was built as a motte-and-bailey, with three wards surrounding a central mound.

Windsor Castle was used as a refuge by the royal family during the Luftwaffe bombing campaigns of the Second World War and survived a fire in 1992.

Windsor Castle grounds cover 13 acres and combines the features of a fortification, a palace, and a small town.

At the heart of Windsor Castle is the Middle Ward, a bailey formed around the motte or artificial hill in the centre of the ward.

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Windsor Castle was originally built by William the Conqueror in the decade after the Norman conquest of 1066.

Windsor Castle was one of Henry's three favourite residences and he invested heavily in the royal accommodation, spending more money at Windsor than in any other of his properties.

Windsor Castle was already a substantial building before Edward began expanding it, making the investment all the more impressive, and much of the expenditure was lavished on rich furnishings.

Windsor Castle continued to be favoured by monarchs in the 15th century, despite increasing political violence.

Castles such as Windsor did not play a decisive role during the resulting Wars of the Roses, which were fought primarily in the form of pitched battles between the rival factions.

Windsor Castle built a three-storied tower on the west end of the palace, which he used for his personal apartments.

The tradition of the Garter Feasts was maintained and became more extravagant; the size of the royal retinue visiting Windsor Castle had to be restricted because of the growing numbers.

Windsor Castle built a long terrace, called the North Wharf, along the outside wall of the Upper Ward; constructed of wood, it was designed to provide a commanding view of the River Thames below.

Windsor Castle's conducted some modest building works at Windsor, including a wide range of repairs to the existing structures.

Windsor Castle's converted the North Wharf into a permanent, huge stone terrace, complete with statues, carvings and an octagonal, outdoor banqueting house, raising the western end of the terrace to provide more privacy.

The absence of space at Windsor Castle continued to prove problematic, with James' English and Scottish retinues often quarrelling over rooms.

Windsor Castle was the only royal palace to be successfully fully modernised by Charles II in the Restoration years.

At Windsor Castle, Charles created "the most extravagantly Baroque interiors ever executed in England".

In 1788 the king first became ill during a dinner at Windsor Castle; diagnosed as suffering from madness, he was removed for a period to the White House at Kew, where he temporarily recovered.

Indeed, it has been argued that Windsor reached its social peak during the Victorian era, seeing the introduction of invitations to numerous prominent figures to "dine and sleep" at the castle.

Victoria took a close interest in the details of how Windsor Castle was run, including the minutiae of the social events.

Windsor Castle did not benefit from many of the minor improvements of the era as Victoria disliked gaslight, preferring candles; electric lighting was only installed in limited parts of the castle at the end of her reign.

Queen Mary was a lover of all things miniature, and a famous dolls' house was created for her at Windsor Castle, designed by the architect Edwin Lutyens and furnished by leading craftsmen and designers of the 1930s.

George V was committed to maintaining a high standard of court life at Windsor Castle, adopting the motto that everything was to be "of the best".

Windsor Castle continued to spend most of his time at Fort Belvedere in the Great Park, where he had lived whilst Prince of Wales.

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The king and queen drove daily to London, returning to Windsor Castle to sleep, although at the time this was a well-kept secret, as for propaganda and morale purposes it was reported that the king was still residing full-time at Buckingham Palace.

On 20 November 1992, a major fire occurred at Windsor Castle, lasting for 15 hours and causing widespread damage to the Upper Ward.

Traditionally, as the property of the Crown, Windsor Castle was maintained, and if necessary repaired, by the British government in exchange for the profits made by the Crown Estate.

In terms of population, Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world and the longest-occupied palace in Europe, but it remains a functioning royal home.

Windsor Castle had posted a video on the internet threatening to assassinate the Queen.