Friday, May 10th: Windsor

Statue of Queen Victoria outside the Castle

Hello from London! Today was a spectacular day, as we got to see one of the most famous sights in England: Windsor Castle! We left from Regent's College a little after nine, and we got to Windsor just in time to see the Changing of the Guard. The Changing of the Guard is a ceremony watched by crowds of people (more famously also seen at Buckingham Palace), and it was an awesome experience to be part of the crowd. Although today, the Changing of the Guard is mostly ceremony, when the Castle was first built, it was a highly important process. Because Windsor is the home of the monarch when they are in England, the Castle must be closely watched at all times. The Changing of the Guard is done in such a way that a pair of eyes are on the castle at all times, ensuring the safety of the Monarch.

St. George's Chapel, where Jane Seymour is buried

After the changing of the guards, we were able to see Windsor Castle. The exhibits open to the public included the portrait room, the burial sight of Jane Seymour ( the fourth wife of Henry VIII), a weapons room, the Queen's Doll House (sadly no pictures could be taken here, but it was a sight to see!), and the jewelry room. The Castle was massive, and it came as no surprise that it was in construction for over 100 years before it was completed in the 15th century. The Castle is one of the most important pieces of British history, as it holds so many important artifacts of history (besides being home to the Queen herself). Seeing it was an immense privilege, and it added so much value to our course.

The Private Area of Windor Castle (aka Where the Queen Lives!) 

After we saw the Castle, Professor Wolfe and the class went to eat Cornish pasties and chips for lunch- a course tradition. Lunch was followed by a bit of free time, in which the class was able to explore the town of Windsor.

To wrap up our day, the class boarded a hop on/ hop off bus tour and saw more of the town of Windsor. We got to see a lot more of this historic town, including the royal dairy farm, a street in which several movies were filmed and the Eton school for boys. There even was Legoland! The tour was an excellent way to see more of this massive and beautiful town.

After the tour, we jumped back on the train and headed back to Regent's College. We all were exhausted from our wonderful day out, and look forward to see what adventures tomorrow holds!

                                                                Top Sights (Click for More Info!) 

                                                                1. Windsor Castle

2. The Changing of the Guard

                                                                2. The town of Windsor