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As details emerge regarding Queen Elizabeth II's funeral arrangements, one question on many minds is where she will be buried. While Westminster Abbey, the site of her wedding and coronation, as well as the final resting place for previous monarchs, would seem fitting, St George's Chapel, Windsor, has been the preferred location for royal burials. Sovereigns from several dynasties are buried there. While many historical royals are buried in the vault, it is now used as a temporary location to keep coffins until ready for burial at Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore. Or another location, such as the interment of Prince Philip's mother, Princess Andrew of Greece, who was initially interred in the royal vault in 1969 before being transferred in 1988, to the Mount of Olives convent in Jerusalem. The longest royal to stay in the vault is Prince George, Duke of Kent, who died in 1942. It wasn't until 1968, after his wife's death, that he was removed for joint burial. Some members are sent directly to the private burial ground instead. The Duke of Windsor is the only former monarch to be buried there.
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In Queen Elizabeth's case, it was very unlikely she would be buried in the private grounds. It is speculated she will be interred in the King George VI Memorial Chapel. This chapel is not specified on the official Royal Family website. As of this writing, the arrangements end with A Committal Service will then take place in St George's Chapel.' But many expect the King George VI Memorial Chapel to be her final resting place. When the Queen's father died in 1952, he was temporarily kept in the King George III vault, until a new chapel was built. The King George VI Memorial Chapel was the first new addition to the St George's Chapel since 1504.
It was designed by George Pace, with stained glass windows by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens. There were design challenges in applying a 20th century design that worked with the existing architecture. Over 200 drawings were created for the building and furnishing of the chapel. The final design was inspired by the spirit of late-Gothic. Located off the North Quire Aisle, the chapel took nine months to construct and was completed in 1969. It was designed in two parts, the outer Liturgical Chapel and the inner Mortuary Chapel. The chapel is tiny, but it also looks simple. According to the designer, this is not so. The Queen and Queen Mother took a personal interest in the planning and design, which leads me to believe it was planned as a final resting place, not only her father, mother and sister, but also the Queen and Prince Philip in time.
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The stonework of the chapel is Clipsham stone, and a polished Purbeck stone floor. The wrought iron gates are inspired by the ones at Edward IV's tomb. The chapel is entered through an arched opening, down three steps, and the ceiling is painted with a network of gold leaf tracery. A black marble ledger stone, reminiscent of the one for Henry VI, marks the entrance to the vault. The names of George VI and his consort, Elizabeth, are inscribed and bronze medallions of the King and Queen are mounted on the wall. The king's medallion was made by William Reid Dick, and the Queen Mother's by Michael Rizzello. A Caithness stone slab commemorates the interment of Princess Margaret, who had died in February 2002. Her ashes were interred at the same time as her mother's coffin in April of that year.
The chapel is furnished with a small stone altar, on top of the altar stands a modern Celtic cross donated by Princess Margaret. The altar has two silver candlesticks on each side. These were presented to the Queen by the Royal Air Force to mark the fiftieth anniversary of its foundation. As Prince Albert, King George VI was certified as a RAF pilot in 1919.
King George VI was privately transferred to the chapel in March 1969. The chapel was dedicated on Monday, March 31st 1969 with a service attended by the Queen, the Queen Mother and other extended royal family members. You can watch footage on the day of the dedication below.
The message on the gates of the entrance is from the poem, "God Knows', by Minnie Louise Haskins. The King quoted this poem during his 1939 Christmas broadcast.
'I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year;
Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.
And he replied:
Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of GOD,
That shall be you better than a light and safer than a known way.'
Prince Philip, who died in 2021, is likely, currently still in the royal vault, with preparations made to inter him with the Queen. George VI referred to himself, his wife and two daughters as 'The Firm'. If the Queen and Prince Philip are interred in the George VI chapel, they will all be together again.
Update, it has been confirmed that the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will be buried together in the King George VI Chapel.
Sources
The Royal Tombs of Great Britain by Aidan Dodson
The Royal Way of Death by Olivia Bland
St. George's Chapel Windsor, 1968 and 1969 Annual Reports
The Romance of St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle, A Thousand Years a Royal Palace
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