The royal family is set to have a holly-jolly Christmas now that Windsor Castle is all decorated for the holiday season. Last week, Historic Royal Palaces decked out the nearly century-old residence for the royal family’s Christmas festivities this year.
The focal point of the display is a 20-foot (6 meter) Christmas tree located in St. George’s Hall. The tree was taken from Windsor Great Park and is now donned with hundreds of beautiful twinkling lights and ornaments.
Another new feature unique to this year’s decorations is a display of costumes worn by Queen Elizabeth II and her sister, Princess Margaret when they performed their Christmas-time plays during the Second World War. The costumes will be on display at Windsor Castle from November 25 to January 31, 2022, for the public to see.
During the Second World War, Queen Elizabeth (who was then Princess Elizabeth) and Princess Margaret spent much of their time at Windsor Castle to ensure they were safely away from the bombing in London. These Christmas plays were performed at Windsor Castle between 1941 and 1944, and all money raised from the admission charge went to the Wool Fund.
The royal sisters’ first production was Cinderella, followed by Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, and finally Old Mother Red Riding Boots. Costumes from all four productions are on display in the Waterloo Chamber of Windsor Castle.
The Crimson Drawing Room also features a stunning Christmas tree. Other highlights included in the holiday season are storytelling sessions, arts-an-crafts activities on the weekend, and exclusive evening tours around the Castle.
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These tours allow visitors to experience an up-close look at the State Apartments and the Great Kitchen – which has been in use for more than 750 years, making it the oldest working kitchen in all of England! The Great Kitchen is typically closed to the public.