Fire at Windsor Castle 1992- In November 1992, calamity engulfed Windsor Castle.
The fourth episode of the most recent season of The Crown, Season 5, introduces viewers to a really tragic event in the history of the British monarchy.
About three decades ago, a fire started in Queen Victoria’s Private Chapel room at Windsor Castle and quickly spread to the entire old royal residence. Windsor Castle is the oldest continuously occupied castle in the world, and it is over 850 years old.
At the time of the fire in 1992, Windsor castle belonged to Queen Elizabeth II. 1992 was a year she referred to as “annus horribilis,” which translated as a horrible year. It was because Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, and Princess Anne all declared the breakdown of their marriages in the same year as the fire outbreak at Windsor.
Here are the specifics of the British tragedy that took place thirty years ago, covering how the fire started and how much it cost to repair.
Windsor Castle fire cause- What started the fire at Windsor Castle?
It is thought that the fire started when a 1,000-watt spotlight used in restoration within the castle’s Queen Victoria’s Private Chapel malfunctioned. A 19-foot-long curtain caught fire as a result of it igniting a flame. The chapel was quickly damaged.
A 180-foot-long banquet space called St. George’s Hall, where an art conservator was working nearby sensed the smell and raised an alert.
The neighbouring St. George’s Hall, Brunswick Tower, and the nearby private residences all had fire damage within a few minutes.
Was the queen at Windsor Castle when it was on fire?
Although her son Prince Andrew was present when the blaze started, late Queen Elizabeth II was not inside Windsor Castle when it went up in flames.
Prince Andrew informed the reporters, “I heard the fire alarm, and when I came out of the room I could see the smoke. My reaction was shock and horror at the fact that it took hold so quickly.”
Queen Elizabeth hurried to Windsor from Buckingham Palace, London, to survey the situation. Prince Charles also reached the scene from Norfolk.
What would happen to the priceless works of art held in the castle was a major concern. Only by sheer good fortune did a large portion of the collection, which includes creations by Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Holbein, Rubens, and van Dyck, survive.
How was the fire extinguished?
A total of 36 pumps were used to put out the fire by the 225 firefighters that had arrived there from seven different countries, as per the Royal Collection Trust.
After burning for a total of 15 hours that Saturday, it was completely extinguished on November 21.
What was the fire at Windsor Castle 1992 repair cost?
It was estimated that the repair will cost £60 million. The Windsor castle fire repair cost £36.5 million. It took five years to completely repair the damage.
