Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for processing virtual machine control structure shadowing are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes instruction hardware, execution hardware, and control logic. The instruction hardware is to receive instructions. A first instruction is to transfer the processor from a root mode to a non-root mode. The non-root mode is for executing guest software in a virtual machine, where the processor is the return to root mode upon the detection of a virtual machine exit event. A second instruction is to access a data structure for controlling a virtual machine. The execution hardware is to execute the instructions. The control logic is to cause the processor to access a shadow data structure instead of the data structure, without returning to the root mode for the access to be performed, when the second instruction is executed in the non-root mode.