The 'Shakespeare in the Royal Collection' team commissioned Martin Blazeby to create digital reconstructions of three spaces at Windsor as they appeared for important performances in royal history. Martin made hundreds of measurements and took numerous photographs at Windsor Castle to create digital versions of the rooms as they are today.

Taking these models back in time relied on close attention to the images and archival documents that survive from the period. In one case, all the paintings in the room had been replaced. In another, the entire roof had been replaced after a devastating fire in 1992.

The Victorian stage and seating do not survive, so these were based on close attention to watercolours and drawings, as well as the letters and diaries of those who were there at the time. Backstage spaces have not been recorded at all. These rely on a combination of research into Victorian stagecraft and practical concerns: for example, there must have been a way for the actors to move from their dressing rooms to the stage.

These digital models represent our best guess about the arrangement of the rooms, and they give a fascinating insight into the atmosphere of these private events.