Windsor Castle to display historic books for World Book Day

Historic books from the Royal Library will go on display at Windsor Castle to celebrate World Book Day.

Based at the Queen’s residence since the 1830s, the Royal Library is home to more than 200,000 works which have been collected by monarchs and librarians over hundreds of years.

The 24 works due to go on show include a leather-bound volume written by Henry VIII in 1521 as an attack on Martin Luther which bears the King’s signature.

A copy of Shakespeare’s Second Folio, annotated by Charles I and George III, will also be on display.

Charles I read the folio while imprisoned at Windsor Castle before his execution in 1649 and annotated it with the words ‘while I breathe, I hope’.

Visitors can see the collection of books in the State Apartments on Friday (Mar2) and Saturday.

Visit www.royalcollection.org.uk for details.