After six months of planning and preparation, France's President and Madame Chirac arrive to mark the centenary of Entente Cordiale. In addition to an official state dinner, guests will be treated to an abridged version of "Les Miserables," to be performed in the Waterloo Chamber. But, as protesters gather outside the Castle and producer Sir Cameron Macintosh copes with last-minute delays, unexpected glitches could upset all of the hard work and planning.
Rituals and events mark the calendar year for the Castle and its staff. Two of the year's largest events take place in June, as The Queen returns for The Order of the Garter ceremony, an annual celebration of Britain's oldest and highest order of chivalry. Also in June, the biggest event in the racing calendar, the Royal Ascot, assembles high society on the Castle's impressive grounds.
The Ranger for the 15,000-acre Great Park of Windsor Castle is none other than Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Like the Castle, the grounds have a pageantry of their own. And nothing is grander than a Royal Wedding, as Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles celebrate their nuptials.