St George Choir at Windsor Castle

We visited Windsor Castle some years back. I had toured  the castle years before but somehow this trip effected me more deeply.   I think it called to my Anglo Saxon roots having me feel surprisingly at home in this stunning setting.  

After wandering the Castle marvelling at the art and artefacts, then delighting in the immediate grounds we were about to leave when the guard at the gate asked if we were going to the chapel for evensong.  We asked when that was happening and were told it was in about 40 minutes.

So, we decided to go to the nearly falling down Tudor tea shop across from the Castle to wait.  We settled in and had a lovely cuppa and scone then crossed the road and reentered the Castle grounds.

Entering the Chapel (which was rarely open to visitors) we walked past the roped-off red velvet elevated seating area on the right where HRH Elizabeth II sat when in attendance and found seats near the front of the chapel.

The choir filed silently into the chapel dressed in their red choir gowns with crisp white overlay. They sat on the straight backed wooden choir stalls on both the left and right side of the chapel.  The older men's choir sat to the right with the adorable angelic looking boys sitting in the left choir stall right in front of us.  

The event was to honour the good works in the community with the Chaplin speaking briefly about how important community is and the choir singing several hymns with those darling angelic faces looking at their music sheets as their crystal tones fluttered in the chapel. 

It was extraordinary to have been part of this event.  We left the chapel feeling quite giddy and rushed to the castle gate as they were about to close it.  As we approached the car I realised I had left my phone on the chapel bench.  I rushed back as the gate just as the guard locked it and explained that my phone was in the chapel.  He told me with a knowing smile and twinkle in his eye to go on in and find it.  

Entering the chapel the angelic looking boys in their red choir gowns and crisp white overlay were running about like young boys.  Several nodded to me as I walked to the pugh we'd sat in.  My phone was not there so I asked if I might go behind the nave.  Yes they said. 

Going  in back of the serine chapel nave there was a delight of chaos with boys running every which way searching for sweeties and jackets to change into to go home. As much as I enjoyed the singing and service seeing the aftermath of boys (who had seemed like otherworldly angles) now being boys - was the highlight of the experience.

Oh, and by the way I found my phone.  It was in a pocket of my oversized coat rather than my purse where I had expected to see it. 

Lucky mistake.