Treasures from The Royal Archives

Since 1914 the famous Round Tower of Windsor Castle has been the secure and honoured home to the Royal Archives - an extraordinary collection of many millions of documents dating back hundreds of years. Now, for the first time, highlights from this fascinating and internationally significant collection are to be published as part of the celebrations to mark the centenary of the founding of the Royal Archives in a permanent home. The treasures discussed and illustrated here include records of affairs of state to letters, diaries and domestic jottings. Here is an account book of Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth I), the list of Jacobite prisoners taken at the Battle of Culloden, President Lincoln commiserating with Queen Victoria on the death of Prince Albert, and original evidence from the trial of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. Here are letters from Bonnie Prince Charlie, William Pitt, Disraeli and Churchill. The contents range from a terrifyingly vivid first-hand description of the defence of Rorke's Drift, to the telegram sent by The Queen to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother on the occasion of her 100th birthday. This exceptional publication is further enhanced by a free augmented reality cross-platform app, bringing Rorke's Drift to life before the reader's eyes, in an extraordinary union of historical document and cutting-edge technology.