The Flag System Explained
If you are visiting Windsor Castle and want to know whether the King is at home, the answer is directly above you. The flagpole on the Round Tower, the distinctive circular tower that dominates the castle's skyline, tells you everything you need to know.
When the Royal Standard is flying, the monarch is in residence. This flag features the quartered arms of England, Scotland and Ireland, and it is never flown at half-mast because there is always a reigning monarch. When the Union Jack is flying instead, it means the King is elsewhere.
This system applies to all official royal residences, not just Windsor. Buckingham Palace uses the same convention. However, Windsor is where you are most likely to see the Royal Standard flying on a regular basis, since the King spends a significant amount of time there.
When Is the King Usually at Windsor?
The King typically spends most weekends at Windsor Castle. It has long been a favoured royal residence, and the late Queen Elizabeth II made it her permanent home during the final years of her reign, particularly after the pandemic in 2020.
King Charles III continues to use Windsor regularly, though Buckingham Palace serves as his official London base for weekday engagements, audiences, and state business. During the week, the King may travel between the two residences depending on his schedule.
Windsor also hosts certain annual events that guarantee the King's presence. The Order of the Garter ceremony in June, held at St George's Chapel, is one of the most important dates in the royal calendar. Easter services at the chapel are another occasion when the Royal Family is typically at Windsor.
Can You Visit When the King Is There?
The castle remains open to visitors even when the King is in residence, though certain areas may be restricted. The State Apartments, St George's Chapel, and the castle grounds are generally accessible regardless of who is at home.
When the Royal Standard is flying, there is sometimes an increased security presence, but this rarely affects the visitor experience in any noticeable way. The royal private apartments are in the eastern section of the Upper Ward and are never open to the public, whether the King is present or not.
A Brief History of Royal Residence
Windsor has been a royal home since William the Conqueror built the original fortification here in the 1070s. Every English and British monarch since then has used the castle, making it the longest-occupied royal residence in Europe.
Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Charles II, and George III all made significant modifications to the castle during their reigns. George III was particularly fond of Windsor and spent much of his later life there. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert used it extensively, and it was Victoria who opened parts of the State Apartments to visitors for the first time.
The castle's role as a working royal residence, rather than simply a historical monument, is part of what makes a visit here different from other heritage sites. Windsor holds the distinction of being the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, with nearly a millennium of continuous royal habitation. The flag above the Round Tower is a daily reminder that this is not just a castle from the past but a living part of the British monarchy's present.
