Windsor Castle: Behind Closed Doors

Dominating the skyline for over a thousand years, Windsor Castle holds the record for the oldest inhabited castle. The castle transformed from humble beginnings as a defensive tower to become the palace of one of the most indulgent monarchs in history - Henry VIII and then his daughter Elizabeth I.

What's it like to actually live in Windsor Castle? The inside scoop on what the royals get up to, from Charles III's military workouts to Kate's kale smoothies, is revealed. JJ Chalmers is tucks into some breakfast to find out George III’s eating habits, Raksha Dave roots out the hidden horrors in Queen Charlotte's royal hairdo and the king who really shook up the castle is uncovered.

The most in love couple in royal history move into the castle, Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert. After honeymooning at Windsor, they fall in love with the place, and Albert drags the castle into the 19th century, including updating it with a modern sewer system, and 139 flushable toilets. Xand Van Tulleken tries out the Victorian facial fashion fad that had the queen all a flutter.

Edward VII, formerly a playboy prince, transformed Windsor into his ultimate party palace. JJ Chalmers finds out all about his shindig of the century that saw 8000 revelers on the East Lawns. Just a few short years later, the castle once again protected a monarch, this time sheltering a young Princess Elizabeth during the Second World War. But what did a teenage Elizabeth get up to at Windsor?

A young family moves into the castle when Queen Elizabeth II takes to the throne. Having enjoyed a fabulous childhood at the castle, she hopes her own children will love it just as much. JJ Chalmers puts his apron on to discover what the castle kitchens were cooking up for the Queen in the 1970s. And the one-of-a-kind invite that could get you through the castle doors is revealed.

Windsor Castle enters the new millennium with a bang as Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee is celebrated. After the horrors of the 1990s, it's a fresh start for the Queen and the castle she loved. But the 21st century brings new challenges for Windsor unlike anything it had seen in its 1000-year history: the COVID 19 pandemic. Can the castle survive and what does its future look like?