Today we went to Windsor Castle. This is the most beautiful castle we have seen to date in our travels!!! Windsor looks like a proper castle - like what you imagine a castle should look like. The reason for this is because it is and has been the home of the royals and it is also home to many people who work there. The Castle was begun being built about 1000 years ago and has been added onto many times. The castle grounds actually have several buildings that are used for the Queen's business, state dinners, and receiving heads of state from around the world. It was at Windsor Castle that President and Mrs. Obama met the Queen and a dinner was held in their honor in the huge dining hall.
We were able to tour the state rooms (residences) and St. George's Chapel which is a church where people still attend worship services. St. George's chapel is where Prince Charles' and Camilla's wedding was blessed. It is also where King Henry VIII, Jane Seymour (one of his wives), King Charles I and the present Queen Elizabeth's grandparents George V and Mary are buried.
The Castle is also the home of the order of the Garter - the oldest British order of chivalry. It was established in 1348 by Edward III, and all the Knights and Ladies and Monarchs that have been appointed to the order are listed in one of the rooms of the castle. There are over 800 listed over the 650 years. Every king or queen that has been a monarch in England since 1348 has been appointed to the order not to mention all the knights and ladies appointed to the order. We specifically looked up James I (commissioner of the KJV of the Bible) and found his name and the fact that he was appointed to the order as a knight about 13 years before he became king of England. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip and Prince Charles are all current members of the order. Every year there is a big procession from the castle to the chapel where the Queen and the other members of the order dress in royal garb and walk in a "parade" on Garter day. A big ceremony ensues in the chapel.
Surrounding the castle grounds is the small town of Windsor. On our way out of town we stopped at McDonald's as we hadn't eaten since breakfast and it was now 3:30 in the afternoon.
The trains were much busier with commuters today, so things were a little more confusing in changing trains, etc. But we made it home to Brasted and we're getting rested up for tomorrow.