<P> On 20 November 1992, a fire broke out in Windsor Castle, the largest inhabited castle in the world and one of the official residences of Queen Elizabeth II . The castle suffered extensive damage in the fire and was fully repaired within the next few years at a cost of £ 36.5 million, in a project led by the conservation architects Donald Insall Associates . It led to the Queen paying tax on her income, and to Buckingham Palace, the Queen's other official residence, being opened to the public to help pay for the restoration work . </P> <P> The fire began in the Queen's Private Chapel at 11: 15 in the morning when a curtain was ignited by a spotlight pressed up against it . Agents of the Royal Household were in the chapel at the time inspecting works of art . A fire alarm went off in the watch room of the castle fire brigade, manned by the Chief Fire Officer, Marshall Smith . The location of the fire was shown by a light on a grid - map of the castle . Initially, the Brunswick Tower was lit up, but lights soon began to flash indicating that the fire had quickly spread to neighbouring rooms . </P>

Who paid for the repairs to windsor castle