This is Windsor Castle the oldest and
largest inhabited castle in the world.
Built in the 11th century it has been
the family home to British kings and
queens for over 1,000 years.
39 British monarchs have resided here
including the present monarch Queen
Elizabeth II. Located roughly 22
miles from Buckingham Palace the
monarch's official London residence the
Queen spends most of the year here with
her husband Prince Philip. It is a
popular tourist attraction and a venue
for hosting state visits. It will also be
where Prince Harry will marry Meghan
Markle on May 19th. In this video we
are going to take you around the world
famous home of the British royal family.
We are now in the middle ward, the heart
of Windsor Castle. Up above on the mound
is the Round Tower originally built in
1170 by King Henry II, it has been
rebuilt several times throughout the
centuries. It is currently used to store
the Royal archives.To the east of the
Round Tower is the Norman gatehouse
which was built in the 14th century. This
is the upper ward on the north side of
the state apartments while the private
rooms of the royal family are on the
south side. During the reign of King Charles II in the 17th century the state
apartments were renovated to rival the
rooms of Versailles in France. The
opulent interiors are furnished with
some of the finest works of art from the
Royal Collection including paintings by
Holbein van Dyck and Rubens. Visitors to
the castle can take a look inside the
state apartments throughout the year
except when official state events are
taking place.
We are now in the lower ward. In the
northern section resides the college of
St. George, whilst on the southern section is the historic
St. George's Chapel. Completed in the
16th century, it is considered the
spiritual home of the order of the
Knights of the Garter.The chapel houses
the tombs of 10 sovereigns including
Henry VIII and Charles I.
It has also hosted royal weddings
for centuries and will soon be where
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will tie
the knot. The venue holds significance
for Harry as it was where he was
christened as an infant and where his
father Prince Charles and the Duchess of
Cornwall, Camilla Parker-Bowles
had their prayer and dedication service
in 2005. Only royals knights, residents of
Windsor Castle and residents of the
college of St. George can seek
permission to marry at the chapel. It can
accommodate 800 guests and is considered
one of the finest examples of Gothic
architecture in England. On the day of
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding more than 100,000 visitors are expected
to line these streets outside of Windsor
Castle. Fans will be hoping to catch a
glimpse of the newlyweds as they embark
on a carriage procession through the
town following the ceremony in St.
George's Chapel. It is estimated that the
wedding could provide a 680 million
dollar boost to Britain's economy as
tourists flock to the country and
Britons celebrate. But if you're not
lucky enough to be there in person don't
worry the wedding will also be televised
and broadcast around the world.
