London Day 7: Windsor Castle

Long before our visit to the UK, I knew in my heart that Windsor Castle would be one of the highlights of our trip. To me, its long-standing history seemed much more interesting than the more recent Buckingham Palace. However, including Windsor Castle in our itinerary meant an entire day out from London. Though it was a relatively easy train journey from London Waterloo Station, navigating to and around the station was not. This place was one of the busiest I had seen in the entirety of my stay in the UK — people gushing out of tunnels from the subway, hurrying as they went up the escalators. The pace of people who walked was extremely rushed. Even the station’s main concourse was busy with people, a lot more than King’s Cross. Even checking the train schedule and platform assignments was a bit confusing (which was a shame because I easily navigated through Osaka’s and Kyoto’s main lines). In any case, off we went to one amazing day trip.

The town of Windsor

Entry to Windsor

Passageway

A short walk from Windsor and Eton Riverside, we managed to arrived at the gates shortly before eleven. The lines to the entry were quite long, so we hurried to get close to the Lower Ward where the Changing the Guards Ceremony took place. The crowd here was a lot more manageable than that in Central London, allowing us to view the ceremony from a much closer distance. The same program followed — the band came, followed by the incoming guards, then the handover of the responsibilities transpired, up until the band left with outgoing regiment while the incoming guards marched on to their posts.

The band

Changing the Guards Ceremony at Windsor Castle

Handover

Off they go

After the spectacle, the crowd dispersed, mainly towards St. George’s Chapel as it was the closest attraction. Meanwhile, we chose to proceed to the State Apartments. The visitor’s entry wasn’t as remarkable as that of Buckingham Palace, but I was surely wowed when I entered the Waterloo Chamber. The ceiling was high, and it dwarfed me. Even with a lot of people around, the space felt massive. Portraits of former kings were displayed all over its walls, seemingly a reminder to this aristocratic affair. Next, we entered the St. George’s Hall, which was another humongous space. I could not help but strain my neck as I stare at the ceiling, which was decorated with various coats of arms. Though empty, it was easy to imagine the State Banquets that transpired here.

Round Tower

A garden below the Round Tower

We proceeded to the chapel at the State Apartments, followed by a visit to the various State Rooms. Though these rooms were very opulent, I couldn’t help but wonder how life could be in such insulated world. Nevertheless, taking a peek into this royal world was an opportunity I was grateful for. Upon exiting the State Rooms, we caught a glimpse of the Upper Ward, along with seeing the George IV Gateway that was often featured when a footage of the castle was shown on TV. I had to go back to visit Queen Mary’s Dollhouse, while the folks rested and enjoyed the view by the benches. On the way back, I saw a small group of guards were marching to their next post. The Queen’s dollhouse was truly magnificent, not only in scale but also in the details of the rooms. As a kid, it surely was a delight to play with.

Autumn colors

Some guards changing posts

Finally, we visited St. George’s Chapel. Though it didn’t match the grandeur of the Westminster Abbey in scale, it had a beauty of its own. The Gothic windows and ornately carved exterior walls were superb, and the interiors were nothing short of extravagant. We headed to quire, then onto the altar where King Henry VIII’s grave was located. Around the entire chapel, more tombs and graves of the royalty stood.

Lower Ward and St. George’s Chapel

St. George’s Chapel

Before exiting the castle grounds, I felt the need to have a photo taken with a Grenadier Guard. It was like standing next to a mannequin! I wondered how they do it all day long.

With a Queen’s Guard

The sun has already set by the time we arrived in London. From Waterloo Station, we headed to Jubilee Gardens to see the London Eye and the River Thames at night.

London Eye

London Eye from Jubilee Gardens

Westminster Palace and Big Ben at night

It had been another great day in London. Happy travels!