Latest news with #RoyalCollectionTrust
Spectator
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Fascinating royal clutter: The Edwardians, at The King's Gallery, reviewed
The Royal Collection Trust has had a rummage in the attic and produced a fascinating show. Displayed in the palatial gallery adjacent to Buckingham Palace, and described on headsets in the reassuring tones of Hugh Bonneville, are public tokens and personal treasures of two generations: Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and George V and Queen Mary. Frocks, clocks and diplomatic gifts; purchases and mementoes that give the illusion that the royal family might be, after all, not so unlike us. There's an unusual tea set, with odd, red photos: as princess, Alexandra took family snaps and had them printed on to these porcelain teacups in 1892, more than 100 years before Moonpig. It's all here, the strange presents one feels obliged to keep (a snuff bottle given by a Chinese diplomat, engraved with Queen Mary's face), the hardware one just had to have (Cartier pencil case in smoky quartz), the Meissen monkey orchestra that seemed so charming at the time. Alexandra was a watercolourist and photographer (see below) and her time as an invalid was spent creating lovely pictures. But the royal couple had a problem with a surfeit of stuff. The show's curators mention that the rooms of Sandringham were 'cluttered' – a photograph looks borderline hoarder. 'Off the Irish coast', c.1902, by Queen Alexandra. © ROYAL COLLECTION ENTERPRISES LIMITED 2025 | ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST We all have special posters that we put up at uni, trying to establish our taste; Edward VII had a Lord Leighton hottie he picked up in Rome, from the studio of the artist, and hung it in his rooms at Frewin Hall, Oxford, while he was an undergrad at Christ Church. It's also fun to see his fan-boy collectible from Sarah Bernhardt, a bronze copy of a bust of her as a dragon-winged chimera that she gave out to special admirers.
Cosmopolitan
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
A guide to 24 of the Royal Family's priceless tiaras – from 1,333 diamonds in one design to 93 carat emeralds
There's nothing quite like a tiara to signify a princess. Sure, ball gowns and glass slippers are also crucial style elements to looking like royalty, but only a select few members of the British monarchy (think Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana and Catherine, Princess of Wales, AKA Kate Middleton) have been lucky enough to wear some of the diamond-encrusted crowns from the Royal family's vault. And there are a few from them, to the point where some of these bejewelled headpieces have only been worn a few times. So, here's a comprehensive list of the most priceless tiaras in the family's vast collection, their origin stories, and who gets to wear them. Otherwise known as the glittery diamond tiara that Kate Middleton chose to wear during her wedding to Prince William in 2011. This piece was originally commissioned by King George VI for The Queen Mother in 1936, and was made by Cartier (ooookay, fancy). Per Tatler, The Queen Mother ended up giving the tiara to Queen Elizabeth II as an 18th birthday present in 1944 (can confirm this is not a universal British tradition, unfortunately for me). While the late monarch never wore it publicly, her sister Princess Margaret stepped out in it at least once: The tiara is made up of 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 149 baguette diamonds and is reportedly worth £1 million. This tiara is most closely associated with Princess Diana, but it was originally made for Queen Mary in 1914 by official royal jewellers, Garrard. It was modelled on a similar tiara owned by her grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse, Duchess of Cambridge and features interlocking diamond circles with large drop pearls. Queen Elizabeth II inherited the pearl-festooned headpiece from her grandmother, before Princess Diana started taking it out for the occasional spin. The Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara is now a personal favourite of Kate Middleton's. This is another of Kate Middleton's favourite tiaras, and was made from a necklace that The Queen Mother (Queen Elizabeth II's mother) received in 1923 from her husband, George VI, hence its alternative moniker, 'The Queen Mother's Papyrus Tiara.' Per Garrard, who were again trusted to create this design inspired by Egyptian iconography and featuring floral motifs framed by diamond arches and accented with lustrous white pearls. Princess Margaret received the tiara from her mother in 1959 and went on to wear it frequently from the 1960s all the way through to the early 1990s. She loaned it to her daughter-in-law Serena Stanhope for her wedding to the Princess' son. It then went back into the royal collection and wasn't seen again until Kate attended her first State Banquet in 2015, choosing to wear the tiara for the occasion. It was added into her personal tiara rotation with the Princess of Wales opting to wear the design again in December 2022 to host a diplomatic reception at the palace: According to the Royal Collection Trust, this diadem was made for George IV to use at his coronation in 1820. It was then inherited by Queen Victoria in 1837, 'who was frequently painted and photographed wearing it, including on several early postage stamps such as the Penny Black.' Passed down to subsequent queens regnant and consorts since, Queen Elizabeth II wore it on the day of her Coronation and literally countless times throughout her reign. Queen Camilla dusted it off to wear to her husband King Charles' coronation in 2023: Set with 1,333 brilliant-cut diamonds along with a pale yellow stone in the front cross, the base of the tiara consists of two rows of pearls on either side of a row of diamonds forming a narrow band. Above this, diamonds are set in the form of a rose, a thistle and two shamrocks – the national emblems of England, Scotland and Ireland – in between four crosses. This lovely tiara was given to The Queen Mother as a wedding gift from her father when she married future King George VI in 1923. She wore it low down on her forehead in true 1920s fashion, a style I think we can all agree should be brought back. The tiara was passed through the royal family and was most recently worn by Kate Middleton, firmly atop her head: Designed to look like a garland of wild roses, it features a briolette diamond at the centre, with four surrounding diamond flower brooches. This is the gorgeous and surprisingly modern tiara that Meghan Markle wore during her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. Per the Royal Collection Trust, the tiara was made in 1932 for Queen Mary and was designed around a detachable centre brooch which dates to 1893 – a gift to Mary on her wedding day. The tiara was passed on to Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, who lent it to Duchess Meghan. Set with large and small brilliant pavé diamonds, the detachable brooch alone features ten brilliant diamonds. Princess Eugenie wore this unusual tiara on her wedding day, lent to her by her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. Per the royal family's official website, the tiara was made in 1919 by Boucheron for Dame Margaret Greville, a friend of Queen Mary's. It was later given to The Queen Mother in 1942, before being passed down to Queen Elizabeth II. It is instantly recognisable by its central 93.70-carat emerald, with six additional emeralds featuring along the band either side. Another notable piece from Dame Margaret's collection, also made by Boucheron. This tiara features a distinctive geometric honeycomb pattern. The tiara ended up being one of The Queen Mother's favourites and most-worn, and has since become a go-to for Queen Camilla. Queen Elizabeth II reportedly commissioned the Burmese Ruby Tiara for herself in the 1970s. It was made from another dismantled tiara by royal jeweller Garrard, using rubies from Burma. The tiara was a favourite of Her Majesty and has also been worn by Queen Camilla. Garrard created this piece for Queen Mary over a century ago, featuring 47 tapering bars of brilliant-cut and rose-cut diamonds, alternating with 46 smaller spikes of lozenge-set diamonds. It was famously worn by Queen Elizabeth II on her wedding day. The moment was so iconic that Princess Anne also opted to wear the tiara on her wedding day... As did Princess Beatrice: Per the Royal Collection Trust, this tiara was made for Grand Duchess Vladimir of Russia and was sold by her daughter to Queen Mary in 1921, a year after the Grand Duchess' death. It was eventually passed on to Queen Elizabeth II. Tatler reports that the Grand Duchess was the last Romanov to escape Russia following the assassination of Tsar Nicholas II. Dubbed the 'grandest of Grand Duchesses,' a number of her jewels were smuggled out of the country by British antiques and art dealer, Albert Stopford, who was also a friend of the family. The tiara was one of the 224 jewels he was able to retrieve from the Duchess's safe in the Palace and take to England. While the original tiara featured pearl drops, Queen Mary had royal jewellers Garrard alter the design to make it possible to swap the pearls for 15 of her own emeralds. It was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth II, who frequently wore it with pearls, emeralds, and without any additional adornments. Princess Diana and Queen Camilla have both also reportedly worn the Vladimir tiara. This tiara was created by Garrard in 1893 as a wedding gift to Queen Mary from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland. Originally topped with nine large pearl finials, Queen Mary had these replaced with diamond collets for an entirely diamond scroll and festoon design. She also had the bandeau removed from the base, preferring to wear this as a separate headband instead. In 1947, Queen Mary gifted the tiara to her granddaughter, the then Princess Elizabeth, as a wedding present. It went on to become one of the late Queen's favourites, with Elizabeth II wearing it for her first official royal portraits. The tiara has also been worn by Queen Camilla: Per Garrard, this tiara was given to Queen Alexandra back when she was Princess of Wales, and was a gift from the 'Ladies of Society' for her 25th wedding anniversary in 1888. It was inspired by a tiara that was owned by Alexandra's sister, Empress Maria Feodorovna. The piece was passed to her daughter-in-law Queen Mary, who wore it for her official birthday portrait: And then to Queen Elizabeth II: The tiara is made of 61 platinum bars, each graduated in size and set with diamonds. Featuring more than 400 diamonds in total, with the two largest measuring 3.25 carats each, the design can be worn as a tiara or a necklace. Princess Anne inherited this tiara from her father, Prince Philip's side of the family, per Tatler. It has a Greek-inspired pattern and belonged to Anne's grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, who got it as a wedding gift. This one was also worn by Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Phillips, when she married Mike Tindall. Another favourite of Princess Anne's, this colourful tiara originally belonged to The Queen Mother, believed to be an anniversary gift from King George VI. Made by Cartier, the platinum design features diamond pinecone-inspired elements interspersed with large aquamarine stones. This tiara was reportedly gifted to Anne by her grandmother as a wedding present when she married Captain Mark Phillips. The Princess Royal made a few adjustments to the design, including repurposing the large central diamond and aquamarine arrangement into a brooch and moving one of the aquamarine stones from the side into its place. Gerrard describes this as one of 'the most important Victorian-era jewels in the Royal Collection,' not to mention one of the oldest pieces made by the jewellery house. This tiara was created for Queen Victoria as a gift from Prince Albert in 1853, and set with 2,600 diamonds. The piece also originally included opals, but after Queen Victoria's death, her daughter-in-law and next in line to the throne, Queen Alexandra, had the stones replaced with rubies, believing opals to be bad luck. The tiara was never photographed on Queen Alexandra or her successor, Queen Mary. The next royal to inherit the piece was The Queen Mother, who wore it throughout her husband's reign: It eventually went to Queen Elizabeth II, who wore it just once in Malta: Queen Elizabeth II reportedly commissioned this tiara to go with a sapphire necklace and matching earrings given to her by her father as a wedding present in 1947. After wearing the jewellery set repeatedly with various different tiaras, the monarch decided she needed a matching headpiece. The tiara was made in 1963 from a nineteenth-century sapphire necklace the Queen purchased, believed to have once belonged to Princess Louise of Belgium – hence its other name, the 'Belgian Sapphire Tiara.' Elizabeth went on to wear the tiara, necklace and earrings together repeatedly throughout the following decades. It's since been worn by Queen Camilla, becoming the first piece of heirloom jewellery Camilla wore after the Queen's death in 2022: While Camilla wore the tiara and necklace together, she does not have her ears pierced, so she paired the jewellery with her own pair of sapphire clip-on earrings. Another commission by Queen Elizabeth II, Garrard made this tiara in 1957 to match an aquamarine necklace and earrings set gifted by Brazil in honour of her coronation. Made from a coronation necklace gifted to her in 1953 from Brazil, this tiara was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II in 1957. The tiara became bigger and bigger over time as the Queen got more and more aquamarines, becoming one of her boldest pieces. Further aquamarines were gifted to the Queen by Brazil in the following years in the form of a bracelet, brooch and hair ornament. It is believed that stones from the hair ornament were used to add to the tiara in 1971, along with a large central pendant from the necklace that was positioned at the front, topping the diamond and aquamarine bandeau base. It is one of the tallest and most elaborate diadems in the royal collection. The jewels for this tiara were reportedly bought by Queen Mary from Garrard and included a matching necklace, earrings and brooch. It was given to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (the future Queen Mother) as a wedding present, and she opted to remove a row of diamonds from the top of the design, changing the silhouette. The full set was then gifted to Princess Margaret as a 21st birthday present: The tiara hasn't been worn since Princess Margaret's death in 2002. This tiara was reportedly made for Princess Mary Adelaide, aka Queen Mary's mother. It was then worn by the Queen Mother, and eventually passed to Queen Elizabeth. The origin story of this tiara is a little murky, but we know Queen Elizabeth wore it to Canada in 1970. The tiara seems to have been passed to the Countess of Wessex, who has worn in on at least two occasions. This is a relatively 'new' tiara, in that it was reportedly given directly to Princess Anne by the World-Wide Shipping Group when she married her first husband, Mark Phillips, in 1973. She loaned the piece to her daughter in law, Autumn Phillips, on her wedding day in 2008. According to the Royal Collection Trust, this tiara was made for Queen Mary to wear to the Delhi Durbar in 1911. It's not exactly subtle, and appears to be a favorite of Queen Camilla's. Princess Margaret wore the Poltimore Tiara on her wedding day. Interestingly, she purchased the piece at auction herself. Per Garrard, it was originally made for Lady Poltimore, the wife of Queen Victoria's treasurer. Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm, She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.
Cosmopolitan
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
A Guide to 24 of the Royal Family's Tiaras
The royals are some of the wealthiest people in England, but if all else fails, pretty sure they could stay rich from their casual fleet of tiaras. Turns out this family has more diamond encrusted crowns than they know what to do with—to the point where some of these bejeweled headpieces have only been worn a few times. Here's a comprehensive list of the most priceless tiaras in the family's vast collection, their origin stories, and who gets to wear them. Otherwise known as the glittery diamond tiara Kate Middleton chose to wear during her wedding to Prince William! This piece was commissioned by King George VI for the Queen Mother in 1936, and was made by Cartier (ooookay, fancy). Per Tatler, The Queen Mother ended up giving the tiara to Queen Elizabeth II as an 18th birthday present in 1944 (I WILL be speaking with my parents), and while she never wore it publicly, her sister Princess Margaret stepped out in it at least once: This tiara is most closely associated with Princess Diana, but was made for Queen Mary (modeled on her grandmother's tiara) in 1914 by official royal jewelers, Garrard. The pearl-festooned headpiece was passed to Queen Elizabeth II, before Princess Diana started taking it out for the occasional spin. Of course, the Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara is now a personal favorite of Kate Middleton's. This is another of Kate Middleton's favorite tiaras, and was made from a necklace that the Queen Mother (Queen Elizabeth II's mom) received in 1923 from her husband, George VI. Princess Margaret was said to be a fan of the tiara, and lent it to her daughter-in-law Serena Stanhope for her wedding. It then went back into the royal collection, where Kate put it into her personal tiara rotation. According to the Royal Collection Trust, this diadem was made for George IV to use at his coronation in 1820. It's been worn by "subsequent queens regnant and consorts from Queen Adelaide onwards" including Queen Elizabeth II who wore it literally all the time. Meanwhile, Queen Camilla dusted it off to wear to her husband King Charles' coronation: This lovely tiara was given to The Queen Mother as a wedding gift from her father when she married future King George VI in 1923. She wore it low down on her forehead in true 1920s fashion, a style I think we can all agree should be brought back. The tiara was passed through the royal family, and was most recently worn by Kate Middleton—firmly atop her head: This is the gorgeous and surprisingly modern tiara that Meghan Markle wore during her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. Per the Royal Collection Trust, the tiara was made in 1932 for Queen Mary and was designed around a detachable center brooch which dates to 1893—a gift to Mary on her wedding day. The tiara was passed onto Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, who lent it to Duchess Meghan. Princess Eugenie wore this unusual tiara on her wedding day—and it was lent to her by her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. Per the royal family's official website, the tiara was made for Dame Margaret Greville in 1919 by Boucheron, and was given to The Queen Mother in 1942. Another notable piece from Dame Margaret's collection, also made by Boucheron. This tiara ended up being one of the Queen Mother's favorite and most-worn, and has since become a go-to for Queen Camilla. Due to simply not having enough tiaras, Queen Elizabeth II reportedly went ahead and commissioned the Burmese Ruby Tiara for herself in the 1970s. It was made from another dismantled tiara by royal jewelry Garrard, using rubies from Burma. The tiara was a favorite of Her Majesty, and has also been worn by Queen Camilla. Garrard created this piece for Queen Mary over a century ago, and it was famously worn by Queen Elizabeth II on her wedding day. The moment was so iconic that Princess Anne also opted to wear the tiara on her wedding day... As did Princess Beatrice: Per the Royal Collection Trust, this tiara was made for Grand Duchess Vladimir of Russia, and then sold by her daughter to Queen Mary back in 1921. It was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth II (she liked to switch things up and wear it with pearls, emeralds, or just diamonds). Can't wait to see who wears this one next! This tiara was created by Garrard in 1893 as a wedding gift to Queen Mary from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland, and was another favorite of Queen Elizabeth II. The tiara has also been worn by Queen Camilla! Per Garrard, this tiara was given to Queen Alexandra back when she was Princess of Wales, and was a gift from the "Ladies of Society" for her 25th wedding anniversary in 1888. It was inspired by a tiara that was owned by Alexandra's sister, Empress Maria Feodorovna. The piece was passed to Queen Mary, who wore it for her official birthday portrait... And then to Queen Elizabeth II: Princess Anne inherited this tiara from Prince Phillip's side of the family, per Tatler. It has a Greek inspired pattern, and belonged to Anne's grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, who got it as a wedding gift. This one was also worn by Princess Anne's daughter Zara Phillips, when she married Mike Tindall! Another favorite of Princess Anne's, though it originally belonged to the Queen Mother—who got it as an anniversary gift from King George VI. This tiara was reportedly gifted it to Anne on her wedding to Captain Mark Phillips. Gerrard describes this as one of "the most important Victorian-era jewels in the Royal Collection," not to mention one of the oldest pieces made by the jewelry house. This tiara was created for Queen Victoria as a gift from Prince Albert in 1853, and set with 2,600 diamonds. It was then passed to Victoria's daughter-in-law, Queen Alexandra, who gave it to The Queen Mother: It eventually went to Queen Elizabeth II who wore it just once in Malta: Queen Elizabeth II reportedly commissioned this tiara to go with a suite of sapphires given to her by her father. The tiara was made in 1963 from a sapphire necklace the Queen purchased... And it's since been worn by Queen Camilla! This tiara was also commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II, and was made from a coronation necklace gifted to her in 1953 from Brazil. The tiara became bigger and bigger over time as the Queen got more and more aquamarines (relatable!), and it was one of her boldest pieces. The jewels for this tiara were reportedly bought by Queen Mary from Garrard, and eventually given to Princess Margaret on her 21st birthday. They also included a stunning necklace and earrings: No one has worn the set recently, but keep an eye out. This tiara was reportedly made for Princess Mary Adelaide, aka Queen Mary's mother. It was then worn by the Queen Mother, and eventually passed to Queen Elizabeth. The origin story of this tiara is a little murky, but we know Queen Elizabeth wore it to Canada in 1970. The tiara seems to have been passed to the Countess of Wessex, who has worn in on at least two occasions! This is a relatively "new" tiara, in that it was reportedly given directly to Princess Anne by the World-Wide Shipping Group when she married her first husband Mark Phillips in 1973. She loaned the piece to her daughter in law, Autumn Phillips, on her wedding day in 2008. According to the Royal Collection Trust, this tiara was made for Queen Mary to wear to the Delhi Durbar in 1911. It's not exactly subtle, and appears to be a favorite of Queen Camilla's. Princess Margaret wore the Poltimore Tiara on her wedding day. Interestingly, she purchased the piece at auction herself—per Garrard, it was originally made for Lady Poltimore, the wife Queen Victoria's treasurer.
The Herald Scotland
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Royal Yacht Britannia's new visitor centre ready to welcome visitors
Two years in development, the visitor centre and retail experience "incorporate the latest in advanced technology" with hand-crafted furniture and fittings. Designed by 442 Design, with collaboration from the Royal Collection Trust, author/historian Richard Johnstone-Bryden, and former Royal Yachtsmen, the "highly engaging" exhibition tells the story of Britannia's launch from John Brown & Company Shipyard in Clydebank in 1953, to the ship's new life as a five-star visitor attraction in Leith, voted Tripadvisor's No.1 Attraction 2023-2024. READ MORE: Major Scottish industry heading for 'choppier waters' Housebuilder acquires land for 99 new homes overlooking city park Scottish city shopping park brought to market for sale Highlights of the new exhibition include: the No.1 uniform of Prince Philip, previously gifted to The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust by Queen Elizabeth II; a cascade of historical photographs storytelling life on board the Royal Yacht; and a 11-foot-long LEGO Britannia model. Several new and exciting product lines have been created by Director of Retail, Kerry Burns and her team, including a range of fine bone china called the 'Admiral's Collection', inspired by the gold rings insignia worn on the cuffs by Admirals in the Royal Navy. Chief Executive Franck Bruyère said: 'This is a momentous event for The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust and I'm incredibly proud of the enormous collaborative effort behind the project and the Britannia team who have been integral in ensuring our new space is world-class and enhances our existing five-star visitor experience. "An additional bonus for us is this month marks the anniversary of Britannia arriving in Leith to start her new life as a visitor attraction 27 years ago in 1998.' The Royal Yacht Britannia Mr Bruyere added: 'It has been a pleasure working closely with the Royal Collection Trust to source never-before-seen images of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip relaxing and enjoying life at sea on board this iconic ship.' Director of Visitor Experience, Robert Gill, who led the project on behalf of the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, commented: 'Through this new exhibition we can amplify the history and heritage of this iconic vessel and spark imaginations before our visitors step on board the Yacht itself. Exhibition designers, 442 Design, have told Britannia's story so magnificently, and specialist interior fit-out company, Hugh Stirling Ltd, have brought our vision to life. We are so proud of the final result.' Spring also brings a new delivery to The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust's fleet of vintage cars; The British Motor Museum have loaned the original 1966 Land Rover used by Queen Elizabeth II for rural transport and Royal pursuits. Used by the Royal Family for 17 years, the classic green station wagon is on display alongside the Rolls-Royce in recognition of the vehicles Britannia used to carry on board when in Royal Service.
Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
World's largest and oldest occupied castle has over 1,000 rooms and is in the UK
Windsor Castle, situated in Berkshire, has been home to British kings and queens for nearly 1,000 years - it's the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world While it's tricky to pin down the exact number of castles worldwide, estimates suggest there are at least a million still standing. This doesn't account for ruins or lost castles. However, identifying the world's oldest and largest inhabited castle is straightforward - and it's just a stone's throw from London. Windsor Castle, nestled in Berkshire, has been the residence of British monarchs for nearly a millennium. The Royal Collection Trust confirms it as the world's oldest and largest occupied castle, still functioning as a Royal residence today. Its construction began around 1070, shortly after the Norman conquest, under the reign of William the Conqueror. By 1086, the fortress was complete. Over the centuries, it evolved into a Royal palace and is now one of the globe's most iconic castles, reports the Express. Authentic Vacations experts reveal that it boasts over 1,000 rooms, including state apartments, a chapel, a Royal library, and more than 300 fireplaces. Currently, it houses over 500 residents and staff, ranging from chefs and gardeners to butlers and librarians. At least 40 monarchs have resided there, and many significant Royal events have occurred within its walls, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding at St George's Chapel. Delving into its earlier history, Edward III transformed Windsor into a grand Gothic palace in the 14th century. In the 1800s, George IV instigated significant alterations to the castle, including elevating the Round Tower and crafting the Grand Staircase. The Royal Collection Trust reveals that these renovations alone cost nearly £300,000 - a staggering amount for the era. The castle was hit by a devastating fire in 1992, causing damage to several rooms, including St George's Hall and the Grand Reception Room. Restoration efforts took five years, concluding in 1997, with further work carried out in subsequent years. In 2020, the Inner Hall was reopened as part of a new visitor route. Nowadays, Windsor Castle attracts approximately 1.5 million visitors annually. As per the Royal Collection Trust, entry fees are £31 for adults, £20 for young people aged 18–24, and £15.50 for children when booked in advance. These tickets grant access to the State Apartments, St George's Chapel, and The Semi-State Rooms when they are open. Windsor Castle remains open to visitors all year round.
