Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. It is the official Residence of Her Majesty The Queen and its rich history spans almost 1000 years. The Castle covers an area of about 5 hectares and contains:-

• Magnificent State Apartments furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection
• St George's Chapel (one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings in England and the burial place of 10 monarchs)
• Queen Mary's Dolls House, a masterpiece in miniature
• The Drawings Gallery Exhibition

During the winter months an additional five rooms, known collectively as the Semi-State Rooms, are included in the visitor route.

THE DRAWINGS GALLERY EXHIBITION

The Portraits of a Monarch - 23 November 2012 to 09 June 2013
Queen Elizabeth II is one of the most depicted women in the world. She has sat to numerous artists, from Cecil Beaton and Pietro Annigoni to Lucian Freud. Her portrait likeness, so widely circulated, has also inspired artists such as Andy Warhol, whose screenprint portraits of Her Majesty have been recently acquired for the Royal Collection and are displayed for the first time at Windsor Castle.

Portraits of The Queen are made for a number of official purposes, ranging from photographs distributed at the time of a State Visit, to those that mark a particular anniversary. Portraits bearing a clear and recognisable image of the sovereign are required for use on coins, banknotes and stamps. Many of the works on display were created with one of these purposes in mind. This exhibition presents a selection of official, commissioned and formal portraits of The Queen, gathered here from the different Royal residences

Visit their website for more information, opening time and online booking

To get there from the Americana: take the Bakerloo Line northbound from Baker Street to Paddington. Take the exit to the railways station and take any train to Slough. At Slough you change to a local service that runs betweem Slough and Windsor. The Castle is right outside the station. You will need to buy a railways ticket when you get to Paddington, you will not be able to use a Travel Card or Oyster Card on the train.