A Royal Christmas at Windsor Castle

This festive season, experience Windsor Castle’s magnificent Christmas decorations and step back in time to discover how Her Majesty The Queen spent Christmas at the Castle during the Second World War.

From 25 November, visit Windsor Castle to see the State Apartments transformed with twinkling lights, garlands and shimmering Christmas trees to celebrate the festive season. A highlight of this beautiful display will be the spectacular 20ft-high Christmas tree in St George’s Hall, the largest room in the Castle. Sourced from Windsor Great Park, the tree will be dressed with thousands of lights and hundreds of iridescent ornaments.

Christmas decorations will also be spread throughout the Semi-State Rooms, the suite of private apartments created for George IV that are among the most lavishly decorated interiors at the Castle. Now used by members of the Royal Family for official entertaining, the Semi-State Rooms are only open to visitors during the winter months.

Festive Costumes

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see the special exhibition The Princesses’ Pantomimes as part of your festive day out. During the Second World War, Her Majesty The Queen (then Princess Elizabeth) and Princess Margaret took part in a series of Christmas pantomimes in the Castle’s Waterloo Chamber to raise money for the war effort. Eighty years later, costumes worn by the two teenage princesses will be brought together for the first time in a special display in the very room in which they were originally worn.

Get up close to appreciate the intricate details in these rare surviving costumes, which include the outfits worn by the princesses in their 1943 production of Aladdin, in which Princess Elizabeth played the title role. Making the experience even more special, the 16 colourful ‘pantomime pictures’ of fairytale characters that were pasted around the walls of the Waterloo Chamber to decorate the space for the wartime performances have been revealed for visitors, more than 75 years after they were covered up at the end of the war. 

After exploring the State Apartments, treat yourself to a range of festive fare in the atmospheric Undercroft Café, and enjoy a spot of Christmas shopping in one of the Castle’s gift shops. Products range from luxurious hampers and food hall favourites to traditional Christmas decorations and stocking fillers.

Plan your visit to Windsor Castle this festive season.

Image credits: Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021