Windsor Castle

6-4-13
A rare sunny Saturday allowed Tracy and I to do something fun and indulge our interest in history (and my love of castles), so we took the train to Windsor to say "Hi" to the Queen. She is normally at Buckingham Palace during the week, but Windsor Castle is her frequent weekend choice of various castles and palaces. She was "in residence" during our visit. She was unavailable to come say "Hi' though. Pity, maybe next time.

The Queen's Standard...the indication she's in residence.

Continuously inhabited for nearly 1,000 years, it's the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world. Built by William the Conqueror in the 1070's, it has been modified many times. Never conquered by a foreign army, it was however conquered by Oliver Cromwell during their civil war.

The walls are impressive.

Ten British monarch's are buried in St. George's Chapel, including Henry VIII. The Order of the Garter meets in this chapel, named for their patron saint. The Order is Britain's highest order of chivalry, founded by Edward III in 1348 during the Hundred Years War. The recently deceased Lady Margaret Thatcher belonged to the Order of the Garter, as did Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, who is considered to be the returned Messiah by the Rastafarian religion. Ummm, OK.The chapel was maybe the most impressive part of the castle. The ceiling was beautiful. No pictures were allowed inside any of the building, by the way.

St. George's Chapel

This was a very impressive castle and a fun day, and an easy trip from London. Tracy was here with her mother many years ago and was happy to find that more was open to the public now, including St. George's Chapel.

Round Tower to the left. That's the moat in the lower right. It was never filled with water.

The guards looked soooo young.

My standard pose.