Windsor Castle

This is Emmy standing just outside Windsor Castle in her bright pink rain poncho. When we took our daughters to England, Windsor Castle was one of the places we knew we wanted them to experience. We quickly discovered that England’s reputation for rainy weather was well deserved, but a little rain did nothing to dampen our excitement.  This photograph captures so much more than a visit to one of England’s most famous landmarks.  It reminds me of traveling together as a family and seeing history through the eyes of our children.

Windsor Castle is more than a castle. It is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. For nearly one thousand years, it has been home to British monarchs, beginning with William the Conqueror, who established the original fortress around 1070 to help secure Norman rule over England. What began as a wooden stronghold gradually evolved into the magnificent stone castle that still dominates the landscape today.

One of the castle’s most fascinating stories belongs to King Edward III, who was born at Windsor in 1312. During his reign, he transformed the medieval fortress into a grand Gothic palace and established the Order of the Garter, Britain’s highest order of chivalry. More than 675 years later, members of the Order still gather each June at St. George’s Chapel within the castle grounds, making it one of the oldest continuous ceremonies in the world.

Windsor has witnessed some of England’s most important moments. Henry VIII is buried in St. George’s Chapel alongside his third wife, Jane Seymour. King Charles I, executed after the English Civil War, was quietly buried there in 1649. More recently, Queen Elizabeth II made Windsor one of her favorite homes, spending countless weekends here throughout her reign and choosing it as her primary residence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following her death in 2022, she was laid to rest in the King George VI Memorial Chapel within St. George’s Chapel beside Prince Philip.

One of Windsor’s greatest tests came in 1992 when a devastating fire swept through the castle. Burning for more than fifteen hours, it damaged over one hundred rooms, including several magnificent State Apartments. Thousands of priceless works of art and historic furnishings were carried to safety by staff, firefighters, and volunteers. The restoration that followed was so meticulous that visitors today often cannot tell where the original castle ends and the restored sections begin.

As we explored Windsor Castle that rainy day, our daughters were experiencing one of England’s most important historic sites. They weren’t focused on the castle’s nearly one thousand years of history or the generations of monarchs who had lived there. They were simply enjoying the adventure of discovering a remarkable place with their family. Looking back at this photograph today, I see more than Windsor Castle. I see Emily in her bright pink rain poncho and a reminder that some of our family’s most meaningful travel memories were made by visiting historic places together, regardless of the weather.