This October half-term, visitors to Windsor Castle can see a display of books drawn from the Royal Library as part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth.
On public display for the first time will be a copy of Pride and Prejudice, which came from Prince Albert’s private library and was the very copy from which he read aloud to Queen Victoria. Alongside it, George IV’s specially bound copy of Emma, which was personally dedicated by Jane Austen to the king (then Prince Regent), will be on display for visitors.
The books will go on display in the Queen’s Drawing Room, which was once one of the most important reception rooms at the Castle. It originally led to the bedchamber of Catherine of Braganza, wife of Charles II, which today forms part of the Royal Library.
Family activities will be on offer at the Castle’s Pug Yard Learning Centre, which include a Georgian-themed dressing-up box and arts and craft activities. Children visiting can create their own silhouette portrait, an activity which was popular in the Georgian period, or use a trail to learn more about the Georgians as they explore the Castle.
This autumn and winter, visitors can also see the opulent Semi-State Rooms, which were the private apartments created for George IV. They are some of the most richly decorated rooms in the Castle, with a selection of furnishings and fittings taken from Carlton House.
£1 tickets are available for visitors to Windsor Castle who receive Universal Credit and other named benefits. The display and all activities are included with standard admission to the Castle, and a range of concessions are also available, including half-price entry for children aged 5 – 17, free entry for under-5s and a Young Person discount for 18 – 24-year-olds.
For visitor information and tickets for Windsor Castle, visit the Royal Collection Trust Website.
