If you have queries relating to family history or general historical research, please consult the pages within this section. Answers to frequently asked questions are found here, which may provide the information you are looking for.
Family history
Historical research
Other frequently asked questions
I want to trace my ancestry. Can you provide information?
The Royal Archives does not include general records of the sort which might be useful for genealogy. Enquiries should be directed to The Royal Archives, Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1NJ. However, there are records available in the Royal Archives relating to individuals who served in the Royal Household, many of which are now available to search online at www.findmypast.co.uk/content/royal-archives
My relative worked in the Royal Household. Do you have details about them?
The Royal Archives has references to people employed in the Royal Household from the 18th century, indexes to names of people employed from 1660 onwards and few records relating to the Royal Household in the sixteenth century. Please visit the Royal Archives Collection on Find My Past at www.findmypast.co.uk/content/royal-archives to search these records, otherwise please write to us with your enquiry, including as much detail as possible, and send it to: The Royal Archives, Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1NJ. For earlier periods, contact the National Archives at Ruskin Avenue, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU.
My relative was a guard who attended Queen Victoria. How do I find out about his history?
Records of soldiers in the regiments of Foot Guards and the Household Cavalry, which guard the Royal Palaces, are in the National Archives.
The policemen who provide personal security for the Royal Family are members of the Metropolitan Police, the historic records for which are also in the National Archives.
My relative was a Court dressmaker. Can you provide information about her?
Court dressmakers were the people who made clothes for members of the general public who attended functions at Court, rather than specifically for the Queen and other members of the Royal Family. Consequently, the Royal Archives does not have information about these individuals.
My ancestor is said to have been a pall bearer at the funeral of Queen Victoria. Can you confirm this?
Whilst records in the Royal Archives do show which military units provided the pall bearers at Royal funerals, they do not give the names of the individuals concerned.
My ancestor carried out building work on one of the Royal Palaces. Can you supply information about this?
Building work, both external and internal, on Royal Palaces was, until the 1990s, carried out by a Government Department, the Office (later Ministry) of Works. It is that department's records which should record the firms employed to carry out such work, and these records are in the National Archives.
What documents do you hold from the Middle Ages and Renaissance?
The Royal Archives has few documents dating before the reign of King George III (1760-1820). Papers from earlier periods and important documents such as Magna Carta and the Domesday Book are now in national collections such as the National Archives, the British Library and the National Library of Scotland.
I want to consult the papers of Queen Victoria. Can I do so?
Papers from the reign of Queen Victoria or any other member of the Royal Family, past and present, are not available for general public consultation. Special arrangements may be made for bona fide researchers and academics to consult the papers, and the staff of the Royal Archives endeavour to answer other enquiries where possible. In both cases, please put your enquiry in writing, including as much detail as you can about what you are looking for, and send it to: The Royal Archives, Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1NJ.
I have a query about events or people in the reign of the present Queen. Can you help?
General public information enquiries, including anything related to the reign of the present Queen, are handled by the Public Information Office at Buckingham Palace. You should put your enquiry in writing to: The Public Information Office, Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA.
Other frequently asked questions
I have bought an item which was supposedly formerly owned by a member of the Royal Family. How do I find out whether this is true?
The Royal Archives can sometimes help with such queries, but would need to have as much information as possible concerning the item and the story of how it left the Royal Family's possession - for instance, was it a gift to a particular person? Please enquire in writing, giving as many details as possible, to: The Royal Archives, Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1NJ.
