Windsor Castle is open to the public five days a week, remaining closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Tickets must be booked in advance. Tickets for Royal Borough Advantage Card holders are available on the day (subject to availability) or can be prebooked by telephone only (transaction fee payable). Visit Windsor Castle's Practical Information page to find out more.
No trip to Windsor could possibly be complete without a visit to amazing Windsor Castle, the family home to British kings and queens for over 1,000 years.
The size of the Castle (5.3 hectares/13 acres) is breathtaking, in fact it is the largest and oldest occupied Castle in the world and it’s where Her Majesty The Queen chooses to spend most of her private weekends.
You might even time your visit when she is in residence! Look at the flag flying from the Castle’s Round Tower; if it’s the Royal Standard The Queen will be there too.
Windsor Castle offers something for everyone, and with so many areas to explore please allow at least 2.5 to 3 hours to see it all.
The safety and wellbeing of visitors and staff are the priority and the Royal Collection Trust has introduced a number of measures to ensure that Windsor Castle can open safely and visitors can return with confidence. These include:
• The introduction of timed tickets in order to manage visitor numbers. Visitors must book tickets in advance through www.rct.uk/tickets as capacities will be limited.
• Markers and signs to help visitors maintain social distancing, with staff on hand to manage the flow of visitors in queuing areas and indoor spaces.
• The introduction of one-way routes in some areas.
• Hand sanitiser stations along the visitor routes.
• Enhanced cleaning regimes.
• Perspex screens at all till points, with payment by card only.
• All front-of-house staff fully trained in COVID-secure procedures.
With these measures in place, Royal Collection Trust has acquired the ‘We’re Good to Go’ Industry Standard mark, recognised by VisitEngland.
At Windsor Castle, the Coronation Dress and Robe of Estate worn by The Queen for her Coronation at Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953 will be on display. Designed by the British couturier Sir Norman Hartnell, the dress was created in the finest white duchesse satin, richly embroidered in a lattice-work effect with an iconographic scheme of national and Commonwealth floral emblems in gold and silver thread and pastel-coloured silks, encrusted with seed pearls, sequins and crystals.
Her Majesty’s Robe of Estate was made by the royal robe-makers Ede and Ravenscroft of purple silk velvet woven by the firm of Warner & Sons, and was embroidered at the Royal School of Needlework. The goldwork embroidery design features wheat ears and olive branches, symbolising prosperity and peace, surrounding the crowned intertwined EIIR cipher. It took 12 embroideresses, using 18 different types of gold thread, more than 3,500 hours to complete the work between March and May 1953.
Visit the magnificent State Apartments furnished with some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and Canaletto.
Take in the splendour of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, location of the wedding of Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle, the burial place of 10 monarchs including Henry VIII and Charles I, and one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England. Please note, worshippers are welcome to attend the Sunday services at St George's Chapel but the chapel is closed to general visitors on Sundays.
Imagine being entertained by royalty in the Semi-State Rooms, the spectacular private apartments open to visitors during the winter months. Richly decorated, they are used by The Queen for hosting her guests. The additional five rooms that make up the Semi-State Rooms are included in the visitor route from autumn 2022. Please note that the Semi-State Rooms are closed when the State Apartments are closed.
Stand to attention whilst watching the Changing of the Guard! A colourful spectacle of British Pageantry (see below for schedule).
Windsor Castle as it appears today is the result of almost a thousand years of development but four monarchs in particular have left their mark: William the Conqueror, who founded the castle and established its outline plan and extent; Edward III (r.1327-77), who rebuilt it in a magnificent Gothic style and established the royal apartments in the Upper Ward; Charles II (r.1660-85), who transformed the Upper Ward of the medieval castle into a baroque palace; and George IV (r. 1820-30) who restored the exterior to conform with romantic ideals of castle architecture and created sumptuous and richly furnished palace interiors within the ancient fabric of the building.
The privilege of guarding the Sovereign has been carried out since 1660. Weather permitting, the ceremony begins at 11am and lasts approximately 30 minutes. Please check the Royal Collection Trust website for latest information. There is a link to the British Army website from here too with confirmation of the full schedule.
• Free family multimedia tour (for children aged 7-11)
• Free family Activity Trail
• Family Saturdays and school holiday events and activities.
Windsor Castle offers an exciting family programme every Saturday throughout the year, linked to the amazing history of the Castle, the magnificent art on display and the royal residents past and present who have lived here.
The programme includes storytelling and dressing up in replica historic costume and armour, and art and craft workshops where families can get creative together.
The first café for visitors to Windsor Castle has opened in Edward III’s medieval Undercroft, which for centuries served as the Castle’s main wine cellar and is one of the oldest surviving spaces in the 1,000-year-old royal residence.
Visitors can now enjoy freshly prepared meals, including sandwiches, wraps and salads, served alongside an exclusive selection of teas. Sweet treats range from vanilla mille-feuille and vegan chocolate cake to fruit scones and Victoria sponge. During the summer, the Café serves ice cream produced using milk from the Jersey herd at the Royal Farms, Windsor.
The Undercroft is on the ground floor of the Castle beneath St George’s Hall, where State Banquets take place, and dates back to Edward III’s major renovations during the 1350s and 1360s.
Windsor Castle is a working royal palace so opening arrangements may change at short notice.
To avoid the disappointment of finding part or all of Windsor Castle closed, please check before planning a visit by checking the Provisional Closure Dates by visiting https://www.rct.uk/visit/windsor-castle or by telephoning the Ticket Sales and Information Office on +44 (0)30 3123 7304.
St George's Chapel closes at 16:00, although visitors are welcome to attend the evensong service at 17:15.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CASTLE CLOSES 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES AFTER LAST ENTRY TIME SHOWN UNDER OPENING TIMES.
St George’s Chapel is closed to visitors on Sundays as services are held throughout the day. Worshippers are welcome to attend the services which include Holy Communion, Mattins and Sermon, Sung Eucharist and Evensong. You can find out more about attending a service at St George's Chapel by visiting the St George's Chapel Diary.
There is a range of tours available for pre-booked groups to Windsor Castle including ‘behind-the-ropes’ private evening tours of the State Apartments and themed talks such as ‘Royal Weddings at Windsor’ and ‘Restoring Windsor: The Castle after the fire’. Find out more by contacting the Ticket Sales and Information Office at Buckingham Palace on +44 (0)30 3123 7322.
Ticket Type | Ticket Tariff |
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2022 Adult (Sat) | £28.50 per ticket |
2022 Adult (Sun-Fri) | £26.50 per ticket |
2022 Child 5-17 / Disabled (Sat) | £15.50 per ticket |
2022 Child 5-17 / Disabled (Sun-Fri) | £14.50 per ticket |
2022 Under 5 | Free |
2022 Young Person 18-24 (Sat) | £18.50 per ticket |
2022 Young Person 18-24 (Sun-Fri) | £17.50 per ticket |
Families visiting Windsor Castle can save up to £22.00 when booking with Windsor Castle directly.
The family discount is automatically applied at checkout to bookings of at least 1 adult and 2 children, up to 2 Adults and 4 children.
Groups: reduced admission charges apply to groups of 15 people or more.
Different discounted prices apply when the State Apartments are closed.
Open New Year |
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* Last admission 75 minutes before closing. Please check the 'provisional closure' dates listed on the Royal Collection website.
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