King Charles is more than an eco warrior; he’s an eco pioneer who has long championed environmentally friendly changes and talked openly about our need to respect Mother Nature. Since becoming the monarch, he has spearheaded a number of projects, ensuring practices are as green as possible in all royal households. He has an ambitious mission to get royal homes to net zero by 2030, and to do that, he can’t leave any stone unturned – so he’s even bringing 955-year-old Windsor Castle into the 21st century. Discover what changes His Majesty has made at this iconic royal residence, and take a look around the stunning interiors. Keep scrolling for more.
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The inner lawn at Windsor Castle
Eco changes
There have been a number of changes made at the castle to boost its eco efforts. Solar panels have been installed on the roof for the first time as part of a drive to reach net zero in future. Thousands of new saplings have been planted across the estate, encouraging more wildlife to the area. Plus, His Majesty has had electric car charging ports added to the historic building.
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The castle suffered a fire in 1992
A fascinating history
It is one of the largest occupied castles in the world, with around 1,000 rooms and 484,000 square feet of space, and the 955-year-old property has an incredible history. Constructed by William the Conqueror, it has since been home to around 40 different monarchs. It has been remodelled many times over the years, with George IV notably making the towers taller for it to appear more grand. On 20 November 1992, a fire ripped through the castle, sadly destroying 115 rooms when a faulty light sparked the inferno.
© Photo: PA
The late monarch loved the castle
An isolation bubble
In 2020, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, stayed at the castle and formed a ‘HMS bubble’ with a limited number of around 20 staff members amid the coronavirus pandemic. After the pandemic was over, the Queen decided to remain living at the castle instead of returning to Buckingham Palace.
© Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021
The wonderful views from the State Apartments
The East Terrace Garden
The East Terrace Garden, which was first designed for George IV to provide a lovely view for his new royal apartments, was open to visitors in 2020, which was the first time in 40 years. The garden is visually impressive, and it has a rich history, too. During World War Two, Queen Elizabeth II, who was then Princess Elizabeth, was assigned a small plot in the garden to grow vegetables as she hunkered down there.
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The Green Drawing Room had to be restored after it was destroyed
The Green Drawing Room
The Green Drawing Room was one of the rooms that was completely destroyed in the great fire of 1992, so it needed restoring. Today, it is an impressive space with striking green wall panels and matching chairs, contrasted by the red, patterned floor. It wouldn’t be a royal residence without a chandelier or two, would it?
Prince Archie’s christening photos were taken in this room
Special occasions
The Green Drawing Room is often used for royal portraits, and it played host to Prince Harry’s son Prince Archie’s official christening shots, featuring family members such as King Charles and Queen Camilla, as well as Prince William and Princess Kate. Meghan Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, also featured in the shots.
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Another space for special photos is The White Drawing Room
The White Drawing Room
Another space, The White Drawing Room is also used for meaningful family events. Here, the then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana are pictured with their sons William and Harry at William’s confirmation in March 1997. As the name suggests, the main colour scheme of the room is white – although we do spot a fair amount of gold too – so grand!
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A room that’s perfect for Christmas decor
The Crimson Drawing Room
The castle also has The Crimson Drawing Room, which is where a giant tree is erected for Christmas. The large velvet curtains, rich red carpet and plush sofas all add to the drama of this statement room.
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A stunning room used for banquets
The Waterloo Chamber
A peek inside the impressive Waterloo Chamber shows that is filled with paintings and boasts a large central dining table. This dining table extends to a whopping 50 metres long, but when it does, it’s even too big for the room, and needs to be relocated into the Great Hall.
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The chapel hosted Prince Harry’s wedding
St George’s Chapel
Attached to Windsor Castle is St George’s Chapel, which has been the home of several royal weddings, including that of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (pictured above), the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank. The chapel, which was built in 1475 and took 53 years to complete, has a capacity of around 800 guests.
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Prince Harry presents his son to the world
St George’s Hall
St George’s Hall was where newlyweds Harry and Meghan held their daytime wedding reception, and they were back in the same room for another special occasion – showing their son off to the world’s media. The space is incredibly breathtaking with an arched ceiling, a red carpet and lots of decoration on the walls.