Queen's Castle, The

For the best part of a millennium, Windsor Castle has been at the heart of the national story the awesome fortress family home treasure chest and burial ground for the Royal dynasty who went on to take its name. But, there is another, unseen side to the Castle which the tourists never see... It is the real Windsor - home, workplace, playground and paradise. This programme, written by Robert Hardman, explores this hidden world in all its glory. For the first time ever (2005), Windsor has opened its doors to an observational documentary team with the full approval of the Queen. The cameras are chronicling a year in the life of the world's largest inhabited castle to produce a spectacular landmark for BBC1. Delving behind-the-scenes the team meet, not only, the Royal family but also some of their four hundred staff at work from the Queen's housekeeper to her grooms fender smiths and flag men picture restorers military knights and priests - all of whom live and work within the Castle's nine hundred rooms... Windsor Castle's 'back garden' is the 15,000 acre Great Park together they play host to a unique collection of events - the pageantry of Garter Day, the glamour of Cartier Polo and the tradition of Royal Ascot. November sees the Castle thrown into the international spotlight when President and Madame Chirac spent two days at the Castle, attending an official State Dinner and even an abridged version of Les Miserables, organised by the Queen in the Waterloo Room (renamed the Music Room for that one night!). For all these events and activities, both big and small, the cameras were there with unique access following the people who made them happen. The Queen and Prince Philip spend most weekends of the year at Windsor. Throughout the series the programme tries to explain why the Queen loves Windsor so much, using exclusive interviews with Prince Philip to explain how a young Royal couple made Windsor a family home for their four children even installing a solar powered swimming pool in the Georgian Orangery. Watch as the young Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie support Prince Harry playing polo. Throughout the series the Ranger (the Duke of Edinburgh) of Windsor Great Park, guides viewers through the vast expanse of Windsor Castle whether on the polo field, in the private Windsor Chapel or through the vast Crown Estate. This is a sight-seeing journey that no tourist has ever been on!