After our arrival and a break for coffee, we begin our visit with a guided tour of St George’s Chapel. This magnificent chapel was built in the high medieval Gothic style in the 14th century. It is unique in that it is both a Royal Peculiar (a church under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch) and the Chapel of the Order of the Garter. It has been very much in the news recently as a venue for two royal weddings.
We will then proceed to the Castle – the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. The original structure was built by William the Conqueror in the 11th Century but has undergone many changes since then. George IV gave the State Apartments a grand new entrance and staircase, added the colossal Waterloo Chamber celebrating the defeat of Napoleon in 1815 and created the new set of private rooms known as the Semi State Rooms. These additional 5 rooms are only open to visitors during certain winter months. They are among the most richly decorated interiors in the Castle and contain priceless paintings from the Royal Collection. The Queen uses these rooms for official entertaining.
After lunch (not included) in Windsor, we board our coach for an exhilarating look at the Royal landscape, taking in the views of the Castle from the Long Walk. We round off this memorable day with a visit to the Windsor Farm Shop where HM the Queen sells produce from the Royal Farm.
We leave for home at 4.45pm.
Leaders: Sue Willis (07973 507338) and Sheila Knight (07811 085917)
Cost: £49.50