Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Royal vault: Inside the burial chamber that houses 25 royals - who is buried there?

PA

Queen Elizabeth II is making the journey to her final resting place after a celebration of her life at her state funeral at Westminster Hall.

Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, who was on the throne for 70 years, will be laid to rest at the King George VI memorial chapel at Windsor Castle.

She will not be buried in the royal vault, which is currently home to 25 members of the royal family.

The late Duke of Edinburgh will soon be relocated from the royal vault to King George VI chapel to lie with the late Queen, as well as her mother and father, King George VI, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret.

The Queen’s funeral was held at Westminster Abbey (PA Wire)

The royal vault lies beneath St George’s Chapel in the Windsor grounds and has housed royals in their final place of rest since the 15th century.

Royals are traditionally lowered into the vault through an opening in the floor of St George’s Chapel.

The royal vault lies beneath St George’s Chapel in the Windsor ground (PA)
The late Queen will be buried in the George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel, Windsor (PA)

The royals who are still buried in the royal vault are:

  • Princess Amelia, daughter of George III (d.1810)
  • Princess Augusta, Duchess of Brunswick, sister of George III (d.1813)
  • Stillborn son of Princess Charlotte (d. 1817)
  • Princess Charlotte (daughter of George IV) (d.1817)
  • Queen Charlotte, wife of George III (d.1818)
  • Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, father of Queen Victoria (d.1820)
  • King George III (d.1820)
  • Prince Alfred, son of George III (d.1782, placed in vault 1820)
  • Prince Octavius, son of George III (d.1783, placed in vault 1820)
  • Princess Elizabeth, daughter of William IV (d.1821)
  • Prince Frederick, Duke of York (d.1827)
  • King George IV (d.1830)
  • Still-born daughter of Prince Ernest Augustus, son of George III (d.1818)
  • King William IV (d.1837)
  • Princess Sophia, daughter of George III (d.1840)
  • Queen Adelaide, wife of William IV (d.1849)
  • Prince Frederick of Schleswig-Holstein, son of Princess Christian (d.1876)
  • King George V of Hanover (d.1878)
  • Victoria von Pawel Rammingen, daughter of Princess Frederica of Hanover (d.1881)
  • Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck, mother of Queen Mary (d.1897)
  • Prince Francis, Duke of Teck, father of Queen Mary (d.1900)
  • Princess Frederika of Hanover (d.1926)
  • Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, grandfather of Queen Mary (d.1850, placed in vault 1930)
  • Princess Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge, grandmother of Queen Mary (d.1889, placed in vault 1930).

Meanwhile, thousands of mourners lined the streets on Monday to bid farewell to the only Queen they have ever known following a service attended by 2,000 world leaders and members of royal families from across the world.

Members of the royal family pay their respects to the Queen. (REUTERS)

King Charles III led members of the royal family in a procession behind the coffin before the funeral and then again afterwards as her coffin was led to Wellington Arch.

The route was lined by members of the armed forces from Westminster Abbey to the top of Constitution Hill at the Commonwealth Memorial Gates before the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery witnessed the departure of the coffin to Windsor.

The State Gun Carriage carries the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's orb and sceptre, in the Ceremonial Procession following her State Funeral at Westminster Abbey, London. (PA)

A separate committal service will be held at St George’s Chapel in Windsor at 4pm followed by a private burial, conducted by the Dean of Windsor, and attended by the royal family at 7.30pm.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.