The Waterloo Ceremony takes place at 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...

 each year on June 18th.

History

Stratfield Saye

Stratfield Saye

Stratfield Saye is a village and civil parish in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire.The parish includes the hamlets of West End Green, Fair Oak Green and Fair Cross.The name means 'Street-Field of the Saye family'...

 in Hampshire was bought by the people of the UK for the first Duke of Wellington; a gift for winning the Battle of Waterloo

Battle of Waterloo

The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...

.

Every year, the current Duke of Wellington pays a symbolic rent to the reigning Monarch.

The Ceremony

A silk French tricolour, with gold embroidery, and imprinted with the year of presentation upon it, is handed to HM The Queen by the Duke on the anniversary of the victory of the battle, while the Queen is at Windsor. Therefore a new flag is produced each year.

Once the Queen is presented with the flag, it is taken by the Castle Superintendent

Master of the Household

The Master of the Household is the operational head of the "below stairs" elements of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom...

, to the Guard Chamber, and is placed above a bust of the first Duke of Wellington.