Will St George’s Chapel at Windsor be The Final Resting Spot of Queen Elizabeth II?

On September 8, Buckingham Palace announced that the longest-reigning monarch in British history, Queen Elizabeth II, died. St George’s Chapel at Windsor is now speculated to be the final resting spot for Her Royal Highness, though the palace has yet to confirm this. After serving as the head of the royal family for 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II passed peacefully at Balmoral Castle, her estate in the Scottish Highlands, with her family by her side. Upon her death, her eldest son and heir apparent, Prince Charles, immediately ascended as the King of the United Kingdom. After her memorial service, which will likely take place within the next week and a half, the queen’s body will be moved to her final resting place. 

Where will Queen Elizabeth II be buried?

As originally reported by The Guardian in 2017, the plan for Queen Elizabeth II’s death, referred to as Operation London Bridge, has been mapped out for years. After a period of public mourning, the queen’s funeral is expected to take place at Westminster Abbey, Britain’s royal and national church. Later, according to a report in Politico from 2021, her Royal Majesty will be laid to rest in the King George VI Memorial Chapel within St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. According to the article, these plans were revealed in a series of documents the publication obtained and, at the time, were announced as the most up-to-date version of Operation London Bridge. As the The Telegraph reported in the same year, Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, who died in April of 2021, will be moved from the Royal Vault beneath St. George’s Chapel where he is temporarily interned and laid to rest with his wife. 

What other royal family members were laid to rest at St. George’s Chapel?

St. George’s Chapel was chosen in the 19th century as the burial place for the royal family. Various members of the family, including Henry VIII, Charles I, George V, and George VI have since been buried throughout the chapel. Should Operation London Bridge take place in the way Politico described, the queen and Prince Phillip will be interned with Queen Elizabeth II’s father, King George VI; mother, the Queen Mother; and sister, Princess Margaret.