My royal stay opposite King Charles’s English castle home felt like a fairytale

EVERY girl dreams of being whisked away to a castle by a handsome prince.

So when an opportunity came for a one-night stay at the boutique Castle Hotel in the centre of Windsor, I jumped at the chance.

But I took my own dashing husband in place of royalty. However, the prospect of a rare evening away from our three kids — along with a peaceful, uninterrupted meal — was a fairytale enough.

The hotel sits in a prime spot on Windsor High Street opposite the historic Guildhall, where King Charles and Queen Camilla tied the knot in 2005, and right across the street from Windsor Castle.

Queen Elizabeth II famously loved escaping her Buckingham Palace “office” for the tranquillity of Windsor in Berkshire every weekend. And I can see why.

Steeped in centuries of royal history and lying on the banks of the River Thames, Windsor is a charming place, with cobbled streets, old pubs and quaint shops.

The hotel makes a great impression too, with an imposing, creamy white stucco Georgian facade and intricate wrought-iron balcony.

Inside, the 500-year-old historic royal coaching inn has recently had a multi-million-pound refurbishment that has stripped away stuffy decor in favour of a fresh, modern feel.

While here, it would have been a wasted opportunity not to visit our hotel’s namesake, so we strolled across the street to join a free walking tour of Windsor Castle.

Our guide told us how the castle, built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror, remains the longest-occupied palace in Europe.

It is the only one of eight castles he built — all a day’s ride out from the Tower of London — that is still standing.

We then used brilliant audio guides to tour the impressive St George’s Chapel, familiar to me as the setting for Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018.

We then spent over an hour exploring the castle’s network of exquisite State Apartments which are still used by royals for ceremonies such as investitures.

The castle shuts at 5pm, but Evensong is held daily at 5.15pm inside St George’s Chapel and is open to the public.

We joined for the service and occupied the famous quire seats where the Royal Family and Knights Companions are usually seated.

Or in the case of Meghan and Harry’s wedding, Serena Williams, George Clooney and Oprah Winfrey.

The service, which is entirely sung, was both memorable and haunting thanks to the exquisite voices of the choir — one of Britain’s oldest musical ensembles. The young choristers are all drawn from St George’s College school which lies in the shadow of the castle.

Feeling spiritually uplifted, it was back across the road for some down time before dinner.

The Castle Hotel is luxurious and classy throughout. Our room had a separate sitting room and swish marble bathroom with freestanding bath.

The coffee machine and complimentary mini bar drinks and snacks were nice touches, too.

The smart bar, buzzy on a Friday night, was perfect for a pre-dinner glass of bubbles.

We then moved through to the newly opened Pennington’s brasserie where we were well taken care of by friendly staff. The menu is seasonal and British, the food beautifully cooked and plentiful.

I enjoyed scallops with smoked coral butter to start, followed by pollock on a bed of white beans and rapeseed aioli, both cooked to perfection.

My husband opted for heartier fare with venison tartare and an ox cheek pie.

The meal was rounded off with a wonderful piece of theatre in the form of a carved, wooden sweet trolley that was wheeled tableside, laden with cakes and sweet treats.

Well fed, we slept like kings in a very comfy bed and then it was back down to Pennington’s in the morning to enjoy a late breakfast.

Thanks to the hotel’s fantastic location, we stepped outside the restaurant and found ourselves in the perfect spot for the 11am changing of the guard at Windsor Castle, which happens on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

It was a rousing spectacle you could hear coming through Windsor before you spotted the scarlet jackets of the brass marching band.

With the festive season on the way, Windsor Illuminated has now transformed the greater Windsor Great Park into a dazzling after-dark trail of light and colour.

And after our wonderful mini-break, I am sorely tempted to book another to go and see it.