Ranger of Windsor Great Park facts for kids
The Ranger of Windsor Great Park is a special job that helps look after Windsor Great Park. This huge park is located near Windsor in England. The person who holds this job is usually someone very close to the monarch, like a family member or a trusted friend.
This role started a long time ago, around 1601. For many years, the Ranger even got to live in a special house called Cumberland Lodge inside the park! One famous Ranger was Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, who was a close friend of Queen Anne. After her, the job was given to other trusted friends and family members of the British royal family. Today, King Charles III is the Ranger of Windsor Great Park.
Rangers stopped living at Cumberland Lodge in 1917. Now, a charity called the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Foundation of St Katharine's uses the house.
What Does the Ranger Do?
The Ranger's main job is to guide how the park is run. They help decide what happens in the park every day. This includes making plans for its future.
For example, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who was the Ranger for a long time, wanted to make the park more open for everyone to enjoy. He also worked to make sure the park could last for many generations. He helped open a farm shop, managed the trees, and even brought deer into parts of the park for people to see.
Who Has Been a Ranger?
Many important people have held the job of Ranger of Windsor Great Park. Here is a list of some of them:
- Sir Charles Howard (1601–1616)
- Sir Edward Nicholas (1644–1662)
- Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke (1648–1650)
- Baptist May, a trusted friend of King Charles II (1671–1697)
- William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, a childhood friend of King William III (1697–1702)
- Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, a close friend of Queen Anne (1702–1744)
- Hon. John Spencer, her grandson (1744–1746)
- Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, a favourite son of King George II (1746–1765)
- Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn, brother of King George III (1765–1790)
- Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria (1840–1861)
- Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, son-in-law of Queen Victoria (1867–1917)
- George V (1917–1936)
- George VI (1937–1952)
- Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Queen Elizabeth II (1952–2021)
- Charles III (since 2022)
