The security of Windsor Castle has been an important issue since Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...

's foundation in the 11th century.

Medieval and Tudor periods

Windsor Castle originally became a royal residence because of the protection it could afford to Henry I

Henry I of England

Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...

. Successive medieval and Tudor monarchs made use of the castle during revolts, plagues and other crises, including Henry VIII

Henry VIII of England

Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...

 and Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I of England

Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...

.

Georgian and Victorian periods

By the 1740s, security at Windsor Castle had diminished markedly and the site had become an early tourist attraction; wealthy visitors who could afford to pay the castle keeper could enter and stroll around the castle. As the condition of the State Apartments continued to deteriorate, even the general public were able to regularly visit the property, with children and others playing in the castle yards. George III gradually reversed this trend when he came to the throne in 1760. This trend continued during the reign of Queen Victoria, when the Windsor Castle and Town Approaches Act

Windsor Castle Act 1848

The Windsor Castle Act was a piece of UK legislation that attempted to reform the land use and rights surrounding Windsor Castle, in Berkshire, notable for its role in creating the Home Park around the modern castle.-Details:...

 was passed by Parliament, permitting the closing and re-routing of the old roads which previously ran through the park from Windsor to Datchet

Datchet

Datchet is an English Thameside village and civil parish situated in the unitary authority of Windsor and Maidenhead in the county of Berkshire. It was transferred to Berkshire from Buckinghamshire in 1974....

 and Old Windsor

Old Windsor

Old Windsor is a large village and civil parish in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the English county of Berkshire.-Location:...

. These changes allowed the Royal Family to undertake the enclosure of a large area of parkland to form the private "Home Park" with no public roads passing through it, creating a much more private and secure royal palace than had previously been the case.

Modern day

Although this has been less well publicised than Buckingham Palace, security at Windsor Castle has occasionally been breached, most recently when an intruder (the self-styled "comedy terrorist", Aaron Barschak

Aaron Barschak

Aaron Alexander Barschak styles himself as a "comedy terrorist" and fringe UK politician. In 2003, he attracted media attention by surreptitiously joining Prince William's 21st birthday party.-Background:...

) "gate-crashed" the birthday party for Prince William. Police from the Thames Valley Police

Thames Valley Police

Thames Valley Police, formerly known as Thames Valley Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the Thames Valley area covered by the ceremonial counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire....

 and from the Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department of the London Metropolitan Police

Metropolitan Police Service

The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...

 provide the main element of physical security. The Windsor Castle Guard of the Foot Guards

Foot Guards

-British Army:The Foot Guards are the Regular Infantry regiments of the Household Division of the British Army. There have been six regiments of foot guards, five of which still exist. The Royal Guards Reserve Regiment was a reserve formation of the Household Brigade in existence from 1900-1901...

 of the Household Division

Household Division

Household Division is a term used principally in the Commonwealth of Nations to describe a country’s most elite or historically senior military units, or those military units that provide ceremonial or protective functions associated directly with the head of state.-Historical Development:In...

, provided by a public duties

Public duties

Public duties are performed by military personnel, and usually have a ceremonial or historic significance rather than an overtly operational role.-Germany:...

 battalion

Battalion

A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...

 in London, or by the battalion at Victoria Barracks

Victoria Barracks, Windsor Castle

The Foot Guards Battalion stationed at Windsor generally provide the Windsor Castle Guard. The Windsor battalion is at Victoria Barracks, a quarter of a mile south of the Castle. It is Victoria Barracks where troops set off from to change the guard at Windsor Castle. Victoria Barracks is currently...

, Windsor

Windsor, Berkshire

Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....

, contributes to this.

The Foot Guards battalion at Victoria Barracks, a quarter of a mile from the Castle, is supported by the armoured reconnaissance

Formation reconnaissance regiment

The Formation Reconnaissance Regiment is one of two organisations currently provided by cavalry regiments of the British Army. Until recently, it was known as the Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment....

 squadron of the Household Cavalry

Household Cavalry

The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country’s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state.Canada's Governor General's...

 based at Combermere Barracks

Combermere Barracks

Combermere Barracks, Windsor, is a British military installation one mile from Windsor Castle. It is the home of the Household Cavalry Regiment....

, Windsor, one mile (1.6 km) from the Castle. In times of emergency at the castle, several hundred soldiers, as well as the FV107 Scimitar

FV107 Scimitar

FV107 Scimitar is an armoured reconnaissance vehicle used by the British Army. It is very similar to the FV101 Scorpion but mounts a high velocity 30 mm L21 RARDEN cannon instead of a 76 mm gun. It was issued to Royal Armoured Corps, Armoured Regiments in the Reconnaissance role...

 Light Tanks of the Household Cavalry

Household Cavalry

The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country’s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state.Canada's Governor General's...

, would be able to respond quickly to protect the castle and its occupants.