London Trip Report, 24-Hour Interval 4: Windsor Castle

Day 4, May 1, 2013, Wed:

The Queen uses the Windsor castle every bit a royal palace every bit good every bit her weekend habitation in addition to it is straight off oftentimes used for reason banquets in addition to official entertaining every bit Buckingham Palace.

Important to check the website close the Queen's watch because on those days, the reason apartments are non opened upwardly for visitors.

We were staying at Premier Inn, Hanger lane, thence nosotros didn’t direct hold to become to key London to accept a prepare for Windsor castle… We caught the prepare at Ealing Broadway, in addition to transferred at Slough to accomplish Windsor in addition to walked to the castle only every bit it was opening for visitors…

9.20 past times the clock on this tower.

This is Queen Victoria's statue.

Her hubby Prince Albert died inward the Blue Room at Windsor Castle inward 1861 in addition to was buried inward the Royal Mausoleum, inside the Home Park. The prince's rooms were maintained precisely every bit they had been at the 2nd of his decease in addition to Victoria kept the castle inward a reason of mourning for many years, becoming known every bit the "Widow of Windsor", a phrase popularised inward the famous poesy form past times Rudyard Kipling.The Queen shunned the utilization of Buckingham Palace after Albert's decease in addition to instead used Windsor Castle every bit her residence when conducting official line organisation close London.Towards the destination of her reign plays, operas in addition to other entertainments began to live held at the castle again.

HISTORY

The master castle was built inward the 11th century after the Norman invasion of England by William the Conqueror. Henry III built a luxurious royal palace inside the castle during the middle of the 13th century, in addition to Edward III rebuilt to create an fifty-fifty grander prepare of buildings

Henry VIII in addition to Elizabeth I used the castle every bit a royal courtroom for diplomatic entertainment. During English linguistic communication Civil War, it was used every bit a armed services headquarters for Parliamentary forces in addition to a prison theatre for Charles I. During the Restoration, Charles II rebuilt Windsor Castle, creating extravagant, Baroque interiors that are nonetheless admired.

After a flow of fail during the 18th century, George III in addition to George IV renovated in addition to rebuilt Charles II's palace at colossal expense, producing the electrical flow pattern of the State Apartments, total of Rococo, Gothic in addition to Baroque furnishings.

Victoria made little changes to the castle, which became the centre for royal amusement for much of her reign.

In 1917 King George V adopted the name House of Windsor , every bit the British Royal Family's official name by a announcement replacing the historic name of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (severing the High German association at the fourth dimension of WWI). It remains the family name of the electrical flow Royal Family.

Windsor Castle was used every bit a refuge for the royal household unit of measurement during the bombing campaigns of the Second World War in addition to survived a burn inward 1992. It is a pop tourist attraction, a venue for hosting reason visits, in addition to the Queen's preferred weekend home. 5 hundred people alive in addition to function inward the castle now.

The airdrome type safety screening was smooth—no questions asked close the picnic luncheon nosotros were carrying.

Our good guide wasn't likewise useful every bit nosotros had read upwardly details on our own.

DOLLS HOUSE:

We headed towards the Doll’s line solid in addition to spent almost an hr kneeling downward on all the sides in addition to enjoying the miniature marvel…..

Made to a scale of 1: 12 the line solid stands 8ft wide, 4ft deep in addition to 5ft high in addition to features all the comforts required inward a stately home. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 gift to electrical flow Queen’s grandmother, the dolls line solid includes contributions from 1,500 artists, craftsmen. The carpets, curtains in addition to furnishings are all copies of the existent thing, in addition to fifty-fifty the lite fittings are working. The bathrooms are fully plumbed, amongst a flushable can in addition to miniature lavatory paper.

Even the fine art is a miniature version past times the master painters (there are 750 industrial plant of art) in addition to amazingly the walnut paneled library’s books are existent every bit well… The library includes master industrial plant past times the move past times literary names of the day, 200 authors, including Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy. Princess Marie sent blank volumes to writers in addition to poets to fill upwardly inward in addition to got dorsum a hand-written leather-bound storey from Conan Doyle called, How Watson Learned The Trick. Kipling submitted a 4x3cm mass of handwritten poems for the walnut-panelled library, some unpublished amongst his ain illustrations. Thomas Hardy sent 7 poems piece Robert Graves penned five. Other contributors included Aldous Huxley, John Buchan in addition to Somerset Maugham, But Virginia Woolf in addition to George Bernard Shaw declined the royal invitation. The ghost-story author MR James wrote "The Haunted Dolls' House". How appropriate!

There is also a fully stocked vino cellar filled amongst 200 bottles Champagnes, wines, spirits in addition to beers. Amazing!!

And behind a gate inward the strongroom prevarication tiny copies of the Crown Jewels.

The domestic quarters in addition to the rooms below stairs are corking every bit well…

In the kitchen, a copper kettle made out of a King George V penny is on the stove in addition to at that topographic point are fifty-fifty mops, brooms in addition to a vacuum cleaner.

WOW! What a slice of work!

The thought of the dolls line solid came from the Queen's cousin, Princess Marie Louise, i of the move past times architects of the time, Sir Edwin Lutyens constructed it. The move past times artists in addition to craftsmen contributed their exceptional abilities . As a result, the dolls' line solid has an amazing collection of miniature items that truly work. It fifty-fifty has running H2O through its tiny pipes.

http://www.pics.kaybee.org:81/Vacations/Europe1997/England/WindsorCastle/QueenMarysDollHouse/

has these pics:

Queen Mary's Dolls' House is a major attraction here— nosotros spent 1 hr admiring it inward detail. it was built inward the early on 1920s for Queen Mary, the married adult woman of King George V.

Some to a greater extent than history:

Queen Mary, in addition to King George V are electrical flow Queen Elizabeth II 's grandparents

George V was a grandson of Queen Victoria in addition to Prince Albert in addition to the showtime cousin of Tsar Nicholas II of Russian Federation in addition to Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. (George's manly mortal nurture was King Edward VII, Victoria's eldest son). On 17 July 1917, George changed the advert of the British royal line solid from the German-sounding House of Saxe-Coburg in addition to Gotha to the House of Windsor. He in addition to all his British relatives relinquished their High German titles in addition to styles, in addition to adopted British-sounding surnames.

The dorsum storey is every bit follows:

From 1914 to 1918, UK of Britain in addition to Northern Republic of Ireland in addition to its allies were at state of war amongst the Central Powers, led past times the High German Empire. The High German Kaiser Wilhelm II, who for the British world came to symbolise all the horrors of the war, was the King's showtime cousin.

The King's paternal granddad was Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg in addition to Gotha; consequently, the King in addition to his children bore that High German name. Queen Mary, although British similar her mother, was the immature lady of the Duke of Teck, a descendant of the High German Dukes of Württemberg.

When H. G. Wells wrote close Britain's "alien in addition to uninspiring court", George famously replied: "I may live uninspiring, but I'll live damned if I'm alien."He changed the household unit of measurement advert every bit Windsor to appear British in addition to the tradition continues to this day.

at his decease was succeeded past times his eldest son, Edward VIII.

Before the First World War, most of Europe was ruled past times monarchs related to George, but during in addition to after the war, the monarchies of Austria, Germany, Greece, in addition to Spain, similar Russia, savage to revolution in addition to war.

When Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, George's showtime cousin (their mothers were sisters), was overthrown inward the Russian Revolution of 1917, the British authorities offered political asylum to the Tsar in addition to his family, but worsening conditions for the British people, in addition to fears that revolution mightiness come upwardly to the British Isles, led George V to intend that the presence of the Russian royals mightiness seem inappropriate inward the circumstances. The Tsar in addition to his immediate household unit of measurement remained inward Russia, where they were murdered past times Bolsheviks inward 1918. The next year, Nicholas's woman nurture (George's aunt) Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark) in addition to other members of the extended Russian majestic household unit of measurement were rescued from the Crimea past times British ships.

In 1922, a Royal Navy ship was sent to Hellenic Republic to rescue George V's cousins, Prince in addition to Princess Andrew (Their children included Prince Philip, who would afterwards conjoin George's granddaughter, Elizabeth II who is the electrical flow Queen). Prince Andrew was the boy of George's uncle King George I of Greece, (brother of George's woman nurture Queen Alexandra). Princess Andrew was a immature lady of Prince Louis of Battenberg, i of the High German princes granted a British peerage inward 1917.

To add together to the royal lineage, King of Kingdom of Denmark was the manly mortal nurture of Queen Alexandria, (wife of England's George V) in addition to King George of Hellenic Republic in addition to Empress Maria Fyodorovna, who married Alexander III of Russian Federation (Alexander III is the huge uncouth manly mortal monarch who built spilled blood church building on the spot his manly mortal nurture Alexander II was assassinated).

To meet the Russian side of things—-Nicholas II succeded to the throne when his manly mortal nurture Alexander III died at the historic flow of 49.

Nicholas II was 1st cousin to George V every bit their mothers were sisters. Nicholas II was the final tsar of Russian Federation in addition to his entire household unit of measurement amongst wife, son, four daughters, doctor, cook, maid was assassinated inward 1918 past times bolsheviks. Faberge the famed jeweller was spared though.

Nicholas was related to several monarchs inward Europe. His mother's siblings included Kings Frederik VIII of Kingdom of Denmark in addition to George I of Hellenic Republic every bit good every bit England's Queen Alexandra (consort of King Edward VII). Nicholas, his wife, Alexandra, in addition to Kaiser Wilhelm II of FRG were all showtime cousins of King George V. Nicholas was also a showtime cousin of both King Haakon VII in addition to Queen Maud of Norway, every bit good every bit King Constantine I of Greece. While non showtime cousins, Nicholas in addition to Kaiser Wilhelm II were 2nd cousins, i time removed, every bit each descended from King Frederick William III of Prussia, every bit good every bit 3rd cousins, every bit they were both great-great-grandsons of Tsar Paul I of Russia. Nicholas in addition to his wife, Alexandra, were also 2nd cousins, every bit both were descended from Wilhelmine of Baden, the married adult woman of Grand Duke Louis II of Hesse.

DOLLS HOUSE:

OK, to come upwardly dorsum to the doll’s house, dolls’ house… don’t know where the apostrophe has to become but I gauge it does non thing every bit no doll always lived inward this house…it’s only hapless to know no doll held past times a tiny mitt always walked around these magnificent rooms, sat on the chairs or lolled around inward the beds… gauge the humble cardboard dolls houses nosotros ordinary mortals used to play amongst had witnessed to a greater extent than fun, amongst our dolls striding through their length in addition to breadth, sipping out of tiny cups in addition to enjoying the lovely routine nosotros managed to exercise for them amongst little accessories!!!

The side past times side room has 2 lovely dolls presented to the electrical flow queen in addition to her sis when they visited French Republic when their manly mortal nurture was the king—those dolls amongst their extensive wardrobe are cool … promise they were played amongst in addition to had a corking life!!

Changing of the Guards:

We noticed it was nearing xi in addition to rushed close the entrance to sentinel the changing of the guards—lovely music past times the band … visiting schoolhouse kids marching in addition to dancing to the melody made the ceremony to a greater extent than enjoyable.

St George’s Chapel:

After the thoroughly entertaining show, nosotros entered the St George’s chapel in addition to admired the 15th century ornate ceiling in addition to the heraldic banners of the knights.

St George's chapel...the buttress columns existence extended higher upwardly the roof is called flight buttress in addition to is a gothic characteristic along amongst the pointed arches.

St George's Chapel dates from the belatedly 15th in addition to early on 16th century.

The ornate wooden choir stalls are decorated amongst brass plates showing the arms of the Knights of the Garter over the final half dozen centuries.

On the W side, the chapel has a grand Victorian door in addition to staircase, used on ceremonial occasions.The eastward stained drinking glass window is Victorian, in addition to the oriel window to the due north side of it was built past times Henry VIII for Catherine of Aragon.

The vault inward forepart of the altar houses the remains of Henry VIII, his favorite married adult woman Jane Seymour in addition to Charles I, amongst Edward IV buried nearby.

We thence traced our agency upwardly the loma toward the reason apartments. Saturday at i of the benches overlooking the scenic thought of the town sprawling beneath the loma in addition to had our lunch… nosotros were thankful nosotros did non direct hold to trudge all the agency downward to the town for a meal.

State apartments:

A few tidbits close the castle...as Victoria disliked gaslight, preferring candles electrical lighting was solely installed inward limited parts of the castle at the destination of her reign. Indeed, the castle was famously mutual frigidness in addition to draughty inward Victoria's reign, but it was connected to a nearby reservoir, amongst H2O reliably piped into the interior for the showtime time.

Many of the changes nether Victoria were to the surrounding parklands. When Victoria's boy Edward VII came to the throne inward 1901, rooms inward the Upper Ward were de-cluttered in addition to redecorated for the showtime fourth dimension inward many years, amongst Edward "peering into cabinets; ransacking drawers; clearing rooms formerly used his manly mortal nurture Prince Albert in addition to non touched since his death; ... destroying statues in addition to busts of John Brown (John Brown was Victoria's allegd lover in addition to retainer disliked past times her children)...

Electric lighting was added to to a greater extent than rooms, along amongst key heating; telephone lines were installed, along amongst garages for the newly invented automobiles.

The reason apartments were great, nosotros trooped through an impressive array of rooms admiring the art, tapestry in addition to royal slice of furniture in addition to accessories....

These pics are from the net.

Fire, 1992:

On xx Nov 1992, a major burn occurred at Windsor Castle, lasting for 15 hours.

The Private Chapel inward the north-east corner of the State Apartments was existence renovated in addition to i of the spotlights used inward the function prepare burn to a drapery past times the altar during the morning. The burn spread rapidly in addition to destroyed nine of the principal reason rooms, in addition to severely damaged over a hundred more. Fire-fighters applied H2O to incorporate the blaze, whilst castle staff attempted to rescue the precious artworks from the castle.

Many of the rooms closest to the burn had been emptied every bit utilization of the renovation work, in addition to this contributed to the successful evacuation of most of the collection. The burn spread through the roof voids in addition to efforts continued through the nighttime to incorporate the blaze, at corking adventure to the 200 fire-fighters involved. Water harm to the castle caused to a greater extent than complex restoration problems than the fire.

Following the burn was a political debate inward UK of Britain in addition to Northern Republic of Ireland every bit to who should pay for the repairs. Traditionally, every bit the holding of the Crown, Windsor Castle was maintained, in addition to if necessary repaired, past times the British government; furthermore, similar other reason buildings, it was non insured.

The British press strongly argued inward favor of the Queen herself existence required to pay for the repairs from her individual income. A solution was constitute inward which the restoration function would live paid for past times opening Buckingham Palace to Blue Planet at selected times of the year, in addition to past times introducing novel charges for world access to the parkland surrounding Windsor.

There is a prissy memorial inward the lantern room where the burn started. An interesting detail—it took 50 soldiers to whorl upwardly the Indian carpeting inward the Waterloo bedroom during the fire—this is the largest carpeting without seams.

We thence retraced our agency through the same rooms getting a 2nd expect in addition to thence exited.

Tapestry inward the gift store here.

We took extensive photos inward the gift store because pics are non allowed when nosotros toured the reason rooms..

We made our agency through the castle grounds in addition to past times the mall to the station,

took some pics of the replica of the royal prepare in addition to took the prepare dorsum to Slough in addition to thence onward to Ealing Broadway.

We had an early on prepare to grab the side past times side hateful solar daytime May 2nd—the 7AM Edinburgh limited for a three hateful solar daytime remain at Edinburgh.. nosotros packed i pocketbook to ship amongst us… nosotros had made arrangements amongst our hotel to concur the remainder of our bags inward their storage room till nosotros came dorsum on the nighttime of May 4th

Lulled past times the awesome spell of sunny conditions nosotros had experienced inward London for four days, I packed our umbrellas inward the bags to live left behind… the Scottish conditions Gods must direct hold chuckled at our foolishness… but nosotros did non take heed it in addition to drifted off to sleep…

Edinburgh study continues here:

http://www.kris-sapiutri.blogspot.com/search?q=uk-trip-report-day-5-edinburgh-royal