The non-metropolitan district of Windsor and Maidenhead and its council were created in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972.

[3] The district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.

The county council was abolished in 1998 and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead took on county-level services, making it a unitary authority.

Much of the borough is covered by civil parishes, which form an additional tier of local government for their areas, although the two largest towns of Maidenhead and Windsor are unparished.

The leaders since 2007 have been: Following the 2023 election and changes of allegiance up to August 2024, the composition of the council was:[23][24] The Borough First, Old Windsor Residents' Association and other Independents sit together as the 'Local Independents' group; two of its members sit in the council's cabinet.