The Queen and Prince Philip isolated at Windsor Castle for the first four months of the coronavirus pandemic, before moving to their home in Scotland, Balmoral Castle, this week. Now that the monarch is no longer there, the gardens of Windsor Castle have opened to the public for the first time since the 1970s, and the brains behind the Queen's official Instagram account @theroyalfamily shared a video tour of the space.
SEE: The Queen unveils incredible room inside home at Windsor Castle
WATCH: The Queen films stunning gardens inside Windsor Castle
The clip (as well as a series of photos) was originally shared by the Royal Collection Trust, showing a breathtaking view of the East Terrace Garden, with various bushes, fountains and statues. It also unveiled a side of the building which has remained inaccessible to the public until now.
MORE: The Queen and Prince Philip leave England for foreseeable future: but will they return?
© Photo: InstagramOther photos shared by the Trust showed the East Terrace steps, as seen in a past portrait of the Queen with her Corgis and Dorgis, and a shot of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shortly after tying the knot in May 2018.
The compilation of videos and images were captioned, "Visitors to Windsor castle can explore the East Terrace Garden as part of a visit for the first time in more than 40 years. The garden was first designed for George IV in the 1820s."
RELATED: Inside the Queen and Prince Philip's official Scottish home, the Palace of Holyroodhouse
© Photo: InstagramRichard Williams, Learning Curator at the Royal Collection Trust, which oversees public access to the castle, told HELLO!, "This is the first time visitors can enter or walk through the garden for more than 40 years. It's the least known part of the castle, on the most private side and it's important because of the historical stories associated with it and its significance to the Queen and her family."
The garden as it is now was designed by Prince Phillip in 1971, complete with over 3,500 perfumed rose bushes of eight different English varieties.
During World War II, the Queen and her sister Princess Margaret installed flowerbeds to grow fruit and vegetables.
Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox.
