Where will Queen Elizabeth II be buried?

On Monday, after a day packed with processions, ceremonies, and services, the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II will end with her burial at St. George’s Chapel, which sits on the grounds of Windsor Castle.

More specifically, the Queen will be buried at King George VI Memorial Chapel, which forms part of St. George’s. The chapel was built for Queen Elizabeth II’s father, King George VI, and is the resting place of many within the royal family, including the late King, his wife, Queen Elizabeth (Queen mum), and their daughter Princess Margaret.

Although Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh, passed away in April 2021, his remains have been kept in the chapel’s royal vault and will be placed in King George VI Memorial Chapel with his wife on Monday.

When was King George VI Memorial Chapel commissioned?

The King Charles VI Memorial Chapel was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II ten years after she took over the thrown in 1962. When the project was completed, the body of King George VI was exhumed and moved into the chapel in 1969.

Along with being one of the most famous royal burial grounds, St. George’s Chapel has also been the place of many more happy memories. In 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were married at the chapel before they would leave royal life just a few years later. In 2005, the then-controversial marriage between now King Charles III, then a prince, and his second wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, took place at St. George’s. In the more than fifteen years since their wedding, the perception of the couple has improved dramatically. One of the Queen’s final wishes was that Camilia become queen consort when Charles became king.

When was the St. George’s Chapel constructed?

The church’s origins can be traced to the 1300s when King Edward III founded two religious colleges: St Stephen’s at Westminster and St George’s at Windsor. The college at Windsor was attached to a chapel, which pails in comparison to what later would be built in its place.

In 1475 under the reign of King Edward IV, reconstruction began, only to be completed in 1528, well after the king’s death. The chapel was enlarged, which ushered in a new era for the church and made it a centerpiece of royal life. King Edward IV was the first king to be buried at St. George’s, followed by King Henry II and King Henry III, who ensured that the chapel’s construction continued under their reign.

Now, Queen Elizabeth II joins these and other monarchs as her supporters bid her farewell after more than seventy years on the throne.