With December fast approaching, people are getting festive by decorating their homes with Christmas lights – Windsor Castle is no exception.
Berkshire Royal Residence has been transformed using twinkling lights, Christmas garlands, and 20ft tall Christmas trees with angels.
Meanwhile costumes made for a teenage Princess Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret when they took to the stage in an Old Mother Red Riding Boots pantomime are on display for the first time.
The State Apartments, which are located separately from Queen Elizabeth’s private quarters, will allow visitors to see the amazing decorations and costumes from now.
Windsor Castle, Berkshire was transformed by twinkling lights and festive garlands. The towering Christmas trees of 20ft height were topped off with angels.
The first public display of costumes that were made by Princess Elizabeth, a teenage girl, and Princess Margaret (pictured) are now up.
When Princess Margaret, a teenage princess, and Princess Elizabeth, took the stage as Old Mother Red Riding Boots pantomime performers and Aladdin (pictured), they wore these costumes.
Elizabeth was just 18 years old when she wore a pink satin and lace long-sleeved dress as Lady Christina Sherwood during World War II.
For a scene at the seaside, she wore a chintz shirt and trousers, as well as a sunhat. Margaret also wore blue taffeta with cream lace bloomers, a blue dress made of taffeta, to portray The Honourable Lucinda.
The carefully preserved outfits will be on public view for the first time as part of a special Christmas at Windsor Castle display at the Berkshire royal residence from today to January 31.
These are shown with the costumes worn by the princesses for the wartime Aladdin pantomime. They have also been previously exhibited.
Berkshire’s royal residence was transformed by twinkling lights and festive garlands, as well as towering 20ft Christmas tree topped with angels.
The staff were seen hanging delicate Christmas decorations from huge trees to decorate the castle’s exhibition, which will open this morning.
They were involved with every detail of Old Mother Red Riding Boots’ arrangements and worked alongside the Windsor Castle children and Royal Windsor School students.
Hubert Tanner was the headmaster at the school and created this show.
The performance was given three times during December 1944. Tickets were available to audiences of 300-600 people for every performance.
Members of the Armed Forces received special discounts on tickets. Dress rehearsals were attended and assisted by the Ministry of Works and Planning staff who helped with technical arrangements.
Beautiful and bright: The twinkling Christmas tree adds festive joy to the Grand Hall at Windsor Castle
Amazing decorations: The staff finished one of the Christmas trees. Visitors can view the decorations starting today
Each pantomime was attended by the princesses’ parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
All profits from productions went to Royal Household Wool Fund, which provided wool to create comforters for Front soldiers.
The couturier of the surviving costumes is unknown, but many of those worn in the royal pantomimes between 1941 and 1944 were supplied by two theatrical costumier firms, H&M Rayne and L&H Nathan.
For certain scenes the princesses wore their own clothing, such as day- and night ensembles designed by Sir Norman Hartnell in Britain.
Costumes, including a hat worn by the Queen in a performance of Aladdin, will be on display at Windsor Castle until January (pictured)
Stunning! One of the costumes was worn by Princess Margaret in a performance of Aladdin (left), while another striking red and gold embroidered tunic worn by a fellow cast member to play ‘The King’ is also on display (right)
They will display the costumes in Windsor Castle’s Waterloo Chamber where pantomimes first appeared 80 years ago
A blue taffeta dress with cream lace overlaid and matching cream cream lace flowerers was worn by Princess Margaret in her role as The Hon. Lucinda Fairfax (pictured)
They are displayed in Windsor Castle’s Waterloo Chamber, where they were first performed 80 years back.
You can also see 16 colorful, large-scale pictures of fairy tale characters, which were hung around the walls as decoration at that time.
The State Apartments at Windsor Castle are transformed by Christmas decorations, as is the 20-foot high tree in St George’s Hall.
From November 25 through January 3rd 2022, Christmas at Windsor Castle will be celebrated. From November 25 through January 31, 2022, the Princesses’ Pantomimes show will be on display.
The Queen wore a chintz-coordinated jacket with bloomers and a jacket during the seaside scene of the play.
These garments will be exhibited alongside outfits worn by princesses for wartime Aladdin pantomime.
After spending a week in hospital, the queen has now returned to Sandringham and is fully committed to the hosting of Christmas.
Earlier this month, Her Majesty underwent medical tests and spent a night at London´s King Edward VII´s Hospital, her first such stay in in eight years and she has cancelled all working visits for the next two weeks.
Although the 95 year-old was injured when he used his walking stick in the two royal visits earlier this month, he is still recovering at Windsor Castle. He is eager to get back on the road as soon as possible so that he can enjoy the holidays.
After a year filled with cancelled engagements, the monarch feels that hosting a party at her Norfolk residence will provide ‘the perfect tonic.
This exhibition is coming as the Queen has revealed that she is “totally committed” to Sandringham hosting Christmas after having rested for a week following her hospitalization on advice from royal doctors
Mirror was informed by an insider who knew the truth about royal life: “This year it is more important than ever for Her Majesty that she be surrounded with her loved ones.
“The Queen is completely committed to hosting all as she hopes that it will make her back in full health within the next weeks.
After being forced to cancel several engagements the family gets-together will prove to be the ideal tonic.
It will mark the Queen’s first Christmas since Prince Philip’s death in April. A source said the queen will enjoy the festive occasion with her family after having to cancel several events due to pandemic.