Windsor Castle | Royal residences: secrets and scandals

In the eighth episode of Royal Residences: Secrets and Scandals, Professor Kate Williams explores the history of Windsor Castle – a site of imprisonment, civil war, royal marriages, and tragic deaths

Published: November 19, 2025 at 12:21 PM

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How did a Norman fortress become the world’s most iconic royal residence?

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King John retreated here before signing Magna Carta; Henry VIII dismissed Catherine of Aragon from Windsor as he began his break with Rome; and Queen Elizabeth I hid out from plague and political threats.

Join Professor Kate Williams, historian and broadcaster, as she explores Windsor’s significance through the ages. A site of imprisonment, civil war, royal marriages, and tragic deaths, it housed the crown jewels in a biscuit tin during WWII, and served as a safe haven for princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, who once even used George IV’s sedan chair as a prop in their production of a pantomime.

Windsor Castle isn't just a building; it is the setting for a thousand stories of British royalty, power, pride, tragedy, and reinvention.

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Find all episodes with Professor Kate Williams

Authors

Professor Kate Williams

Professor Kate Williams is a historian, author, and broadcaster, and professor of Modern History at Reading University

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