British police have applied for a “no-fly” zone over Windsor Castle. The officials are reviewing security arrangements at the historic landmark. The arrangement is meant to enhance security for the royal household and British citizens living nearby.
Windsor has been home to kings and queens since the 11th century. The original castle was built after William the Conqueror’s invasion of England in 1066. William had nine castles constructed in a circle around London to prevent anyone else from invading as he did.
William’s successor King Henry I first occupied Windsor Castle as a primary residence. Today, Windsor has been a royal residence longer than any palace in Europe.
Situated about 20 miles from London, Windsor Castle has withstood sieges, bombings, and fires in its nearly 1,000-year history. Princess Elizabeth was 13 years old when war broke out in 1939. Elizabeth and her sister Margaret left Buckingham Palace to avoid the intense wartime bombings of London. The sisters spent much of the war at Windsor Castle. Some royal experts say Windsor is the Queen’s favorite residence.
“This was not brought about in response to any specific threat or intelligence,” British police representatives say. But it “was intended to further enhance the security at what is an iconic location and keep the community living nearby safe.”
However, on Christmas Day, police arrested a 19-year-old man “within moments” of his entering the castle grounds. He was allegedly carrying a crossbow at the time. The Metropolitan Police say the man has been kept in a hospital under the Mental Health Act.
If the police request for a no-fly zone is granted, the restricted airspace order would prevent aircraft from flying up to 2,500 feet above and about five miles around the castle.
These days, Queen Elizabeth II spends most of her time in her spacious home. At over 590,000 square feet (more than 10 times larger than the White House!), Windsor is the largest occupied castle in the world. The Queen stayed there for much of the pandemic. She even remained at Windsor Castle instead of spending Christmas at her Sandringham estate due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. —Romans 13:1
(People walk their dogs on the Long Walk at Windsor, England, on Christmas Day, December 25, 2021. AP/Alastair Grant)
