London Tickets
Windsor Castle

State Apartments

Included with Windsor Castle tickets

Timings

RECOMMENDED DURATION

2 hours

Windsor Castle view with visitors walking along the Long Walk, England.

Quick overview

  • Access: Included with every valid Windsor Castle admission ticket
  • Separate ticket: Not required
  • When you’ll see it: Midway stop on the castle route
  • Visit duration: 45–60 mins self-guided/60–75 mins with guide
  • Best time: First entry slot on a weekday morning
  • Restrictions: Photography and filming are strictly prohibited. No large bags

The Windsor Castle State Apartments are included with all standard Windsor Castle admission tickets. No separate ticket exists to access them. Located centrally within the Upper Ward precinct near the Round Tower, the apartments form the core indoor sequence of the standard visitor route. Book a standard entry ticket online in advance to bypass the main ticketing line queues and guarantee your preferred time slot.

How to best experience the State Apartments

Where it fits in your itinerary

The route through the castle grounds leads you directly to the entrance of the indoor apartments in the Upper Ward precinct. Plan your pace across the lower courtyards so you arrive with enough energy and focus to fully appreciate the extensive sequence of historic rooms and ceilings.

Best time to visit

The first morning entry slot on a weekday is always the quietest time to visit. Avoid midday slots and weekends when large tour groups peak, which limits your visibility and reduces the grand, quiet atmosphere of the historic palace spaces.

How long to spend

Self-guided: allow 45 to 60 minutes minimum to follow the official route. With a multimedia guide, budget 60 to 75 minutes to truly examine the historic art collections and ceiling details. Most of the intricate historic details are missed if you walk through at a fast pace.

Crowd patterns

Crowds peak sharply between 11:30am and 2pm when standard tour groups arrive from London. Choosing an early morning slot or a late afternoon slot means fewer people per room, significantly lower ambient noise, and a better view of the artwork.

What to prioritize if time is short

Prioritise St. George's Hall and the Grand Reception Room. Stand in the centre of the Grand Reception Room to view the massive French chandeliers and gilded decor, which showcase the absolute peak of 19th-century royal opulence and design.

Common mistakes to avoid

Most visitors walk through the rooms looking straight ahead and miss the spectacular 17th-century ceiling frescoes directly above them. Also, remember that photography is completely banned; attempting it disrupts others and risks sudden security intervention.

Best tickets to experience the State Apartments

Ticket typeWhy choose it

Standard entry

Guarantees entry to the castle grounds and the State Apartments with a multimedia guide included.

Guided tour

Provides additional historical context from an expert guide on the grounds before exploring the rooms inside.

London day trip

Combines your apartment entry ticket with seamless return transportation directly from central London.

Why it’s worth seeing

The Windsor Castle State Apartments represent the grandest sequence of working royal rooms in the world, acting as the primary setting for contemporary state visits, investitures, and official banquets. Visitors often don't realise that many rooms retain their original 17th-century ceilings, hiding subtle political allegories from the Restoration era directly above your head. This makes treating the route as a historic masterpiece centrepiece essential rather than a series of rooms to rush through.

Grand Reception Room

Adorned with massive glass chandeliers and gilded walls, this room was once the castle's main ballroom. Look for the large Malachite Vase presented to Queen Victoria by Tsar Nicholas I.

St. George's Hall

A vast, spectacular hall dedicated to the Order of the Garter. Look up at the ceiling to see hundreds of shields displaying the coats of arms of every knight since the order's foundation.

Waterloo Chamber

Commemorating the defeat of Napoleon, this grand dining room is lined with portraits painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence, seamlessly set directly into the wooden panelling.

Find out more

What can you see inside the State Apartments?

windsor castle state apartments
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Queen Victoria's guard chamber

  • This room served as a waiting area for those with audiences with the monarch, and has an admirable decorative display of swords, muskets and pistols along with portraits of military figures and members of the royal family.
  • Unique fact: The practice of arranging weaponry in geometric patterns was a decorative style organized in the 1830s by Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick.

Presence Chamber

  • This room was where the monarch received important guests and officials. Marvel at the tapestries depicting historical or mythological scenes and the throne canopy.
  • Unique fact: This is one of a few rooms at Windsor that retain their original late 17th-century ceilings and decoration, showcasing Restoration-era artwork.

Audience Chamber

  • Used for more formal audiences with the Queen, this room features a state portrait of the reigning monarch or a significant historical portrait. In the 1830s, it was remodeled by Jeffry Wyatville as the Ante-Throne Room.
  • Unique fact: The room was specifically redesigned to create a more formal and ceremonial atmosphere for royal audiences.

King’s Drawing Room

  • The King used this room to withdraw after formal occasions and entertain select guests. Walk in and look for the plasterwork on the ceilings with symbolic motifs, originally painted by Antonio Verrio and replaced by Jeffry Wyatville during his remodelling.
  • Unique fact: The ceiling artwork reflects changing royal tastes and the influence of different architects across centuries.

King's Bedchamber

  • While not a modern royal bedroom, this bedchamber highlights the elaborate state bed, portraits of the monarch and consort, and personal items associated with the room's historical occupants.
  • Unique fact: The state bed was acquired by George IV and is attributed to the master French furniture maker Georges Jacob. 

King's Dressing Room

  • Adjacent to the bedchamber, this smaller room was used by the King for dressing and private audiences. Notice furniture such as writing desks and mirrors and don’t miss the smaller personal artworks around the room.
  • Unique fact: The original ceiling painting by Antonio Verrio depicted Jupiter and Danae, adding mythological grandeur to the space.

Grand Reception Room

  • The largest room in the State Apartments, this room features chandeliers, tapestries, and a beautiful view of the Long Walk. This room hosts large-scale formal events, including state banquets.
  • Unique fact: The room was once the main ballroom of Windsor Castle but now hosts receptions and other large-scale events.

St. George's Hall

  • Rebuilt after the 1992 fire, the hall’s most striking feature is the hammerbeam roof, adorned with the coats of arms of the Knights and Ladies of the Garter throughout history.
  • Unique fact: The musicians' gallery at one end of the hall is a rare feature in British ceremonial halls, allowing live music during banquets.

Waterloo Chamber

  • This room commemorates the victory at the Battle of Waterloo, with numerous portraits of allied commanders, including monarchs and statesmen involved in Napoleon Bonaparte’s defeat.
  • Unique fact: The room was specifically commissioned to honor the military triumphs of Wellington and his allies after 1815.
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Queen Mary's Dolls' House

  • This incredibly detailed miniature house features working electricity, plumbing, and even tiny bottles of real wine. It contains works by over 1,500 of the finest artists, craftspeople, and manufacturers of the early 20th century!
  • Unique fact: The dolls’ house includes miniature books that are actual readable works, some authored by famous writers of the period.

Crimson Drawing Room

  • Known for its crimson damask wall hangings, this room was used for intimate gatherings and entertaining smaller groups. Notice the furniture upholstered in coordinating fabrics, paintings, decorative porcelain, and other objets d'art. 
  • Unique fact: The crimson damask was chosen to create a warm, inviting atmosphere suitable for private royal gatherings.

Green Drawing Room

  • Similar to the Crimson Drawing Room, this space features green silk damask wall hangings and 18th-century French furniture. It provided a setting for informal royal interactions and entertainment.
  • Unique fact: The green silk and French furniture reflect 18th-century tastes for elegance and comfort in private royal spaces.

State Dining Room

  • Designed for royal and formal dining occasions, this room features a long polished dining table set with elaborate silverware and porcelain along with portraits of past monarchs lining the walls.
  • Unique fact: The State Dining Room has hosted banquets for visiting heads of state, with seating arrangements following centuries-old royal protocol.

Historical & cultural significance

Built sequentially over centuries and dramatically remodelled under Charles II and George IV, the State Apartments represent the continuous evolution of the British monarchy. They have served as the prestigious backdrop for international diplomacy and formal court ceremonies for over 900 years. Today, they remain fully operational for live royal events, including official state banquets and investitures hosted by the King, proving their ongoing role as a living monument of state ritual.

👉 Explore the full history of Windsor Castle

Notable figures

Hugh May

The 17th-century architect who reconstructed the Upper Ward for Charles II, introducing the grand classical style to the apartments.

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Sir Thomas Lawrence

The renowned portrait painter commissioned to capture the allied leaders for the spectacular collection inside the Waterloo Chamber.

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Morel & Seddon

The master furniture makers who designed the lavish, gilded French-style furnishings specifically for George IV's extensive refurbishment.

Know more

Know before you go

  • Open Thursday to Monday throughout the year.
  • Closed completely on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
  • March to October: 10am to 5:15pm (Last admission at 4pm).
  • November to February: 10am to 4:15pm (Last admission at 3pm).
  • The State Apartments close exactly 30 minutes after the final castle admission slot.

​Castle hours

Address: Windsor Castle, Windsor SL4 1NJ, United Kingdom

Situated inside the Upper Ward of the castle complex near the Round Tower.

  • Nearest train stations: Windsor & Eton Central and Windsor & Eton Riverside (both within a 10-minute walk).
  • Entry point: Main visitor entrance security checkpoint only; there is no standalone entry route to the apartments.

​Get directions

  • The apartments are normally accessed via a grand staircase, but step-free access routes are fully available.
  • Accessible lifts can be utilised to bypass stairs; visitors requiring step-free access must pre-book.
  • Multilingual multimedia guides are provided at the ticket desk, with options including descriptive audio.

​Plan your visit

  • Photography and filming are strictly prohibited inside the rooms. This includes phones and wearable cameras.
  • Large backpacks, luggage, and pushchairs are not permitted inside the apartments.
  • Outside food and drinks cannot be consumed inside any of the palace buildings.

​Plan your visit

Frequently asked questions about the Windsor Castle State Apartments

Yes. Access to the State Apartments is fully included with every standard admission ticket to Windsor Castle. No separate ticket exists.

More reads

Windsor Castle tickets, visitor route, and booking guide

St George’s Chapel at Windsor: tombs, services, and access

What else is inside Windsor Castle

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