Sitting proudly on a lush wooded hill overlooking the River Thames, Windsor Castle covers an area of about 13 acres and is the oldest and largest residential castle in the world. Dating back to King William the Conqueror and his invasion of England in 1066, it has been a royal home to Britain's kings and queens for over nine hundred years and is often said to be Queen Elizabeth II's favourite weekend residence. About an hour or so from London by car or train, Windsor is a lovely place. The town that has grown up around the castle is itself a delightful place to visit, with shops, restaurants and cafes in abundance. Although so very close to London, Windsor has the feeling of being far away from London, with its meandering river and lush meadows. What began in Norman times as a wooden tower built on earthwork fortifications has now become one of the most sumptuous royal residences in the world. The Castle was later rebuilt in stone, and grew in importance over the years. King Henry II constructed the Round Tower and the original stone outer wall. Following the English Civil War, the Castle's main role changed from being one of defence to that of a royal palace with magnificent State Apartments, home to priceless works of art by Rembrandt and Leonardo Da Vinci. The Castle is still used by the British monarch for State occasions and Royal receptions. St George's Hall makes a spectacular setting for State Banquets, when a single table, stretching the length of the hall and seating 160 people, is decorated with porcelain and silver-gilt from the Royal Collection. Each year the Queen takes up official residence in Windsor Castle for a month at Easter. During that time she hosts occasional 'dine and sleep' events for guests, including politicians and public figures. The Queen is also in residence for a week in June, when she attends the Royal Ascot race meeting and the service of the Order of the Garter. When the Queen is in official residence at Windsor, the Changing of the Guard Ceremony provides a colourful spectacle as the Guards march up the High Street and into the Castle. Nowadays, foreign Heads of State enter the Castle in horse-drawn carriages through the George IV Gateway into a courtyard where a military guard of honour is drawn up. In former years, their first glimpse of Windsor was from the town's railway station, specially built for that purpose. Until recently, much of the station was given over to a special exhibition, Royalty and Empire, showing a scene on the platform depicting the arrival of The Royal Train during Queen Victoria's reign, complete with figures of station staff and a full size replica train. As well as being part of the royal household, many parts of the Castle are open to the public, including the precincts, the State Apartments, Queen Mary's famous dolls' house, St George's Chapel, and the Albert Memorial Chapel. The Castle itself is a pleasure to walk around. As they proceed through the various wards and terraces, visitors have excellent views of the Round Tower, of the various fortifications, and of the surrounding countryside, including Eton College and the River Thames. Home to one of the largest and most important art collections in the world, one of the highlights of any visit to Windsor is to see the treasures in the State Apartments, which include works of art by Canaletto, Holbein, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Rubens and Van Dyck, as well as the ceilings and woodwork of the rooms themselves. The magnificent and beautiful St George's Chapel has a special place in British history. It is home to the Order of the Garter, the highest Order of Chivalry, instituted by King Edward III in 1348. The Motto of the Knights, "Honi soit qui mal y pense" (shame on him who thinks ill of it) is said to have been uttered by the king when a lady at court dropped her garter. The garter Knights are now chosen personally by the Queen. The Chapel was started in 1475 by Edward IV and was completed fifty years later by Henry VIII, who lies buried there along with nine other monarchs. The present Queen's father, King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, are buried in Saint George's Chapel, as well as her sister, Princess Margaret. Muslims read in the holy Qur'an: "Surely Allah has chosen him in preference to you, and He has increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique, and Allah grants His kingdom to whom He pleases, and Allah is Amplegiving, All- Knowing." 2:247 As she celebrates sixty years as Britain's monarch, Queen Elizabeth II is an example many heads of state would do well to imitate. A model of selfless service and dedication, she has managed to stay above the sordid world of politics throughout her reign. In a rapidly changing world, where people demand things immediately and want to reap the benefits of life and of government without waiting and without having to put in any effort, the royal residence at Windsor reminds us of timeless values. The London diarist, Samuel Pepys, proclaimed Windsor Castle to be "the most romantique castle that is in the world". That was in 1666, and the same is true today.
British Muslim writer, Idris Tawfiq, teaches at Al-Azhar University and is the author of nine books about Islam. You can visit his website at www.idristawfiq.com, join him on Facebook at Idris Tawfiq Page and listen to his Radio Show, "A Life in Question," on Sundays at 11pm on Radio Cairo 95.4 FM. During Ramadan you can also listen to him on Radio Cairo every day at 6.45pm.
