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Windsor Castle was one of the Royal family鈥檚 main residences during World War One. King George V was a staunch supporter of the war effort and led by example, embracing voluntary rationing and meatless days, imposing an alcohol ban on the Royal household and encouraging staff to sign up. However, his German ancestry and name, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, started to become an issue as anti-German sentiments increased.

The eight members of the German and Austrian royal families, who were Knights of the Garter, were stripped of the garter and their banners removed from St George鈥檚 Chapel in May 1915. In 1917, British princes with German titles adopted British surnames instead, but it wasn鈥檛 until 17 July 1917 that the King agreed, by proclamation, to change his name and that of the Royal family to the House of Windsor.

King George and Queen Mary spent time in Windsor itself, attending events, supporting local charities and entertaining wounded servicemen from across the country at the castle. Queen Mary reinstated a Christmas party for children in the town during the war, which was held in the castle鈥檚 riding stables. They recorded the business of the day and their activities in diaries which they kept throughout the war.

Location: Windsor Castle, Windsor SL4 1NJ
Image: King George V and Queen Mary visiting Reading, July 1915, courtesy of Reading Library