St George's Chapel at

Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history. The original cast ...

in England is a

castle chapel Castle chapels (german: Burgkapellen) in European architecture are chapels that were built within a castle. They fulfilled the religious requirements of the castle lord and his retinue, while also sometimes serving as a burial site. Because the ...

built in the late-medieval

Perpendicular Gothic Perpendicular Gothic (also Perpendicular, Rectilinear, or Third Pointed) architecture was the third and final style of English Gothic architecture developed in the Kingdom of England during the Late Middle Ages, typified by large windows, four-c ...

style. It is both a

Royal Peculiar A royal peculiar is a Church of England parish or church exempt from the jurisdiction of the diocese and the province in which it lies, and subject to the direct jurisdiction of the monarch, or in Cornwall by the duke. Definition The church par ...

(a church under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch) and the Chapel of the

Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George C ...

. St George's Chapel was founded in the 14th century by

King Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ro ...

and extensively enlarged in the late 15th century. It is located in the

Lower Ward An outer bailey or outer ward is the defended outer enclosure of a castle.Friar, Stephen (2003). ''The Sutton Companion to Castles'', Sutton Publishing, Stroud, 2003, p. 22. It protects the inner bailey and usually contains those ancillary bui ...

of the castle. The castle has belonged to the monarchy for almost 1,000 years and was a principal residence of

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

before her death. The chapel has been the scene of many royal services, weddings and burials – in the 19th century, St George's Chapel and the nearby

Frogmore Gardens Frogmore is an estate within the Home Park, adjoining Windsor Castle, in Berkshire, England. It comprises , of primarily private gardens managed by the Crown Estate. It is the location of Frogmore House, a royal retreat, and Frogmore Cottage. T ...

superseded

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

as the chosen burial place for the British royal family. The running of the chapel is the responsibility of the

dean and Canons of Windsor The Dean and Canons of Windsor are the ecclesiastical body of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Foundation The college of canons was established in 1348 by Letters Patent of King Edward III. It was formally constituted on the feast of ...

who make up the

College A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering ...

Saint George Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier ...

. They are assisted by a

clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keeping, filing, staffing service ...

verger A verger (or virger, so called after the staff of the office, or wandsman (British)) is a person, usually a layperson, who assists in the ordering of religious services, particularly in Anglican churches. Etymology The title of ''verger'' a ...

and other staff.

The Society of the Friends of St George's and Descendants of the Knights of the Garter ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

, a registered charity, was established in 1931 to assist the college in maintaining the chapel.

History

Development of the building

In 1348,

founded two religious colleges: St Stephen's at

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...

and St George's at Windsor. The new college at Windsor was attached to the Chapel of

St Edward the Confessor Edward the Confessor ; la, Eduardus Confessor , ; ( 1003 – 5 January 1066) was one of the last Anglo-Saxon English kings. Usually considered the last king of the House of Wessex, he ruled from 1042 to 1066. Edward was the son of Æth ...

which had been constructed by Henry III in the early thirteenth century. The chapel was then re-dedicated to the

Blessed Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...

, George the Martyr and

Edward the Confessor Edward the Confessor ; la, Eduardus Confessor , ; ( 1003 – 5 January 1066) was one of the last Anglo-Saxon English kings. Usually considered the last king of the House of Wessex, he ruled from 1042 to 1066. Edward was the son of Æth ...

, but soon became known only by its dedication to St George. Edward III also built the Aerary Porch in 1353–54. The period 1475–1528 saw a radical redevelopment of St George's Chapel set in motion by

Edward IV Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...

and continued by Henry VII under the supervision of his most esteemed counsellor, Sir

Reginald Bray Sir Reginald Bray (c. 1440 – 5 August 1503) was an English administrator and statesman. He was the Chancellor of the Duchy and County Palatine of Lancaster under Henry VII, briefly Treasurer of the Exchequer, and one of the most influenti ...

, and by

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

. The thirteenth-century Chapel of St Edward the Confessor was enlarged into a cathedral-like space under the direction of Richard Beauchamp,

Bishop of Salisbury The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset. The see is in the City of Salisbury where the bishop's seat ...

, and the master mason, Henry Janyns. The Chapel suffered a great deal of destruction during the

English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...

Parliamentary A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democracy, democratic government, governance of a sovereign state, state (or subordinate entity) where the Executive (government), executive derives its democratic legitimacy ...

forces broke into and plundered the chapel and treasury on 23 October 1642. Further pillage occurred in 1643 when the fifteenth-century

chapter house A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room that is part of a cathedral, monastery or collegiate church in which meetings are held. When attached to a cathedral, the cathedral chapter meets there. In monasteries, the whole communi ...

was destroyed, lead was stripped off the chapel roofs, and elements of Henry VIII's unfinished funeral monument were stolen. Following his execution in 1649,

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

was buried in a small vault in the centre of the choir at St George's Chapel, which also contained the coffins of Henry VIII and Queen Jane (née Seymour). During his life and reign,

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...

was responsible for reigniting royal interest in Windsor Castle, which had been much overlooked after the

House of Hanover The House of Hanover (german: Haus Hannover), whose members are known as Hanoverians, is a European royal house of German origin that ruled Hanover, Great Britain, and Ireland at various times during the 17th to 20th centuries. The house orig ...

came to the throne of the Great Britain in 1714. On 12 August 1776 the royal family first attended the Sunday morning service at St George's Chapel – which they called "the Cathedral". George III was committed to St George's Chapel; he inspired and in large part funded an extensive restoration of the chapel from 1780 to 1790. The reign of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

saw further changes made to the structure of the chapel. The east end of the choir was reworked in memory of Prince Albert. The Lady Chapel, which had been abandoned by Henry VII, was completed and renamed the Albert Memorial Chapel. By the early twentieth century, the bowing walls, cracked vaulting, decayed stone and stripped lead required urgent attention. In 1920 a much needed ten-year restoration project began at George's Chapel, overseen by the consulting architect Sir

Harold Brakspear Sir Harold Brakspear KCVO (10 March 1870 – 20 November 1934) was an English restoration architect and archaeologist. He restored a number of ancient and notable buildings, including Bath Abbey, Windsor Castle, Brownston House in Devizes and ...

. As part of this programme,

Mahomet Thomas Phillips Mahomet Thomas Phillips (1 June 1876 – 7 June 1943) was an English-Congolese sculptor and stone carver. His work features in cathedrals and churches in England and beyond, including in a memorial to Edith Cavell in Peterborough Cathedral, and a ...

- an Anglo-Congolese sculptor - produced a falcon and a unicorn in 1923. The

King George VI Memorial Chapel The King George VI Memorial Chapel is part of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. The chapel was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II in 1962 as a burial place for her father, King George VI, and was completed in 1969. It contains the final r ...

was constructed in 1969 between the Rutland Chapel and the north choir of St George's Chapel to a design by

George Pace George Gaze Pace, (31 December 1915 – 23 August 1975) was an English architect who specialised in ecclesiastical works. He was trained in London, and served in the army, before being appointed as surveyor to a number of cathedrals. Mo ...

The Queen's Beasts

On the roof of the chapel, standing on the pinnacles, and also on pinnacles at the sides, are seventy-six heraldic statues representing the

Queen's Beasts The Queen's Beasts are ten heraldic statues representing the genealogy of Queen Elizabeth II, depicted as the Royal supporters of England. They stood in front of the temporary western annexe to Westminster Abbey for the Queen's coronation in 1 ...

, showing the

Royal supporters of England The royal supporters of England are the heraldic supporter creatures appearing on each side of the royal arms of England. The royal supporters of the monarchs of England displayed a variety, or even a menagerie, of real and imaginary heraldic beas ...

. They represent fourteen of the heraldic animals: the

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, the red dragon of

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

, the

panther Panther may refer to: Large cats *Pantherinae, the cat subfamily that contains the genera ''Panthera'' and ''Neofelis'' **''Panthera'', the cat genus that contains tigers, lions, jaguars and leopards. ***Jaguar (''Panthera onca''), found in Sout ...

Jane Seymour Jane Seymour (c. 150824 October 1537) was List of English consorts, Queen of England as the third wife of King Henry VIII of England from their Wives of Henry VIII, marriage on 30 May 1536 until her death the next year. She became queen followi ...

, the

falcon Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica, though closely related raptors did occur there in the Eocene. Adult falcons ...

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

, the black bull of

Clarence Clarence may refer to: Places Australia * Clarence County, New South Wales, a Cadastral division * Clarence, New South Wales, a place near Lithgow * Clarence River (New South Wales) * Clarence Strait (Northern Territory) * City of Clarence, a l ...

, the

yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...

Beaufort Beaufort may refer to: People and titles * Beaufort (surname) * House of Beaufort, English nobility * Duke of Beaufort (England), a title in the peerage of England * Duke of Beaufort (France), a title in the French nobility Places Polar regions ...

, the white lion of

Mortimer Mortimer () is an English surname, and occasionally a given name. Norman origins The surname Mortimer has a Norman origin, deriving from the village of Mortemer, Seine-Maritime, Normandy. A Norman castle existed at Mortemer from an early point; ...

, the greyhound of Richmond, the white

hart Hart often refers to: * Hart (deer) Hart may also refer to: Organizations * Hart Racing Engines, a former Formula One engine manufacturer * Hart Skis, US ski manufacturer * Hart Stores, a Canadian chain of department stores * Hart's Reptile W ...

Richard II Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father died ...

, the collared silver

antelope The term antelope is used to refer to many species of even-toed ruminant that are indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelope comprise a wastebasket taxon defined as any of numerous Old World grazing and browsing hoofed mammals ...

of Bohun, the black dragon of

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...

, the

white swan White Swan (18501904), or Mee-nah-tsee-us in the Crow language, was one of six Crow Scouts for George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry Regiment during the 1876 campaign against the Sioux and Northern Cheyenne. At the Battle of the Little Bighorn ...

Hereford Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. With a population ...

, the

unicorn The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead. In European literature and art, the unicorn has for the last thousand years o ...

of Edward III and the golden

hind A hind is a female deer, especially a red deer. Places * Hind (Sasanian province, 262-484) * Hind and al-Hind, a Persian and Arabic name for the Indian subcontinent * Hind (crater), a lunar impact crater * 1897 Hind, an asteroid Military ...

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

. The original beasts dated from the sixteenth century, but were removed in 1682 on the advice of Sir

Christopher Wren Sir Christopher Wren PRS FRS (; – ) was one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history, as well as an anatomist, astronomer, geometer, and mathematician-physicist. He was accorded responsibility for rebuilding 52 churches ...

. Wren had criticised the

Reigate Stone Reigate Stone is a freestone that was mined from the Upper Greensand in north east Surrey. It was used in building work throughout the middle ages and early modern period. It is sometimes classified as a calcareous sandstone, although very lit ...

, the calcareous sandstone from which they were constructed. The present statues date from 1925 when the chapel was restored.

The choir of St George's Chapel

The Choir of St George's Chapel continues to this day and numbers 20. The choristers are boarders at

St George's School, Windsor Castle St George's School, Windsor Castle is a co-educational independent preparatory school in Windsor, near London, England. Founded to provide choirboys for the Choir of St George's Chapel, it now educates over 400 boys and girls. History The schoo ...

Dean and Canons

Order of the Garter

Garter Service

Members of the

meet at Windsor Castle every June for the annual Garter Service. After lunch in the State Apartments (Upper Ward of the Castle), they process on foot in their robes and insignia, down to St George's Chapel for the service. The Garter Service was revived in 1948 by

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...

for the 600th anniversary of the founding of the Order and has since become an annual event.

Heraldry

After their installation, members are each assigned a stall in the chapel

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...

above which his or her heraldic devices are displayed. A member's sword is placed beneath a helmet which is decorated with a

mantling In heraldry, mantling or "lambrequin" (its name in French) is drapery tied to the Helmet (heraldry), helmet above the shield. In paper heraldry it is a depiction of the protective cloth covering (often of linen) worn by knights from their helmet ...

and topped with a crest,

coronet A coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. A coronet differs from other kinds of crowns in that a coronet never has arches, and from a tiara in that a coronet completely encircles the head, while a tiara does ...

or crown. Above this, a member's heraldic

banner A banner can be a flag or another piece of cloth bearing a symbol, logo, slogan or another message. A flag whose design is the same as the shield in a coat of arms (but usually in a square or rectangular shape) is called a banner of arms. Also, ...

is hoisted emblazoned with his

arms Arms or ARMS may refer to: *Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body Arm, Arms, or ARMS may also refer to: People * Ida A. T. Arms (1856–1931), American missionary-educator, temperance leader Coat of arms or weapons *Armaments or weapons **Fi ...

. A

Garter stall plate Garter stall plates are small enamelled brass plates located in St George's Chapel displaying the names and arms of the Knights of the Garter. Each knight is allotted a stall in St George's Chapel and the stall plate is affixed to his personal st ...

, a small elaborately enamelled plate of brass, is affixed to the back of the stall displaying its member's name and arms with other inscriptions. On a member's death, the sword, helmet, mantling, crest, coronet or crown, and banner are removed. A service marking the death of a late member must be held before the stall can be assigned to anyone else. The ceremony takes place in the chapel, during which the

Military Knights of Windsor The Military Knights of Windsor, originally the Alms Knights and informally the Poor Knights, are retired military officers who receive a pension and accommodation at Windsor Castle, and who provide support for the Order of the Garter and for the ...

carry the banner of the deceased member and offer it to the

Dean of Windsor The Dean of Windsor is the spiritual head of the canons of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, England. The dean chairs meetings of the Chapter of Canons as ''primus inter pares''. The post of Dean of Wolverhampton was assimilated to the deane ...

, who places it on the altar. The stall plates, however, are not removed. They remain permanently affixed to the stall, so the stalls of the chapel are emblazoned with a collection of 800 plates of the members throughout history.

Chantries

Castell de Windsor - Capella de Sant Jordi

St George's Chapel is among the most important medieval

chantry A chantry is an ecclesiastical term that may have either of two related meanings: # a chantry service, a Christian liturgy of prayers for the dead, which historically was an obiit, or # a chantry chapel, a building on private land, or an area in ...

foundations to have survived in England. The college was itself part of a medieval chantry, and there are a number of other chantry elements in the form of altars and small chapels in memory of various English monarchs and of a number of prominent courtiers, deans and canons. Special services and prayers would also be offered in memory of the founder. Henry VIII had originally intended another chantry to be set up in the chapel, despite the fact that his ecclesiastical changes led to the

Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

in England and the eventual suppression of chantries. The much-admired iron gates in the sanctuary of the chapel as well as the locks on the doors of the chapel are the work of the medieval Cornish metalsmith John Tresilian.

Rutland Chantry

The Rutland

Chantry chapel A chantry is an ecclesiastical term that may have either of two related meanings: # a chantry service, a Christian liturgy of prayers for the dead, which historically was an obiit, or # a chantry chapel, a building on private land, or an area in ...

, forming the northern transept of St George's Chapel, was founded in 1491 in honour of Sir

Thomas St Leger Thomas St Leger, Archdeacon of Kells, was the son of Ralph St. Leger, of a long established Anglo-Norman family; his mother belonged to the de Malemains family. He was elected Bishop of Meath before 5 November 1282, but was not successful in hold ...

(c. 1440 – 1483) and Anne of York (1439–1476). Sir Thomas was Anne's second husband. She was the eldest surviving daughter of

Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York (21 September 1411 – 30 December 1460), also named Richard Plantagenet, was a leading English magnate and claimant to the throne during the Wars of the Roses. He was a member of the ruling House of Plantage ...

, and thus elder sister of kings

(1442–1483) and

Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Battl ...

(1452–1485). A

monumental brass A monumental brass is a type of engraved sepulchral memorial, which in the 13th century began to partially take the place of three-dimensional monuments and effigies carved in stone or wood. Made of hard latten or sheet brass, let into the paveme ...

in memory of Anne and Sir Thomas survives on the east wall of the Rutland Chantry, the inscription of which records that the chantry was founded "with two priests singing forevermore":

"Wythin thys Chappell lyethe beryed Anne Duchess of Exetur suster unto the noble kyng Edward the forte. And also the body of syr Thomas Sellynger knyght her husband which hathe funde within thys College a Chauntre with too prestys sy’gyng for ev’more. On whose soule god have mercy. The wych Anne duchess dyed in the yere of oure lorde M Thowsande CCCCl xxv"

The chantry received its current name in honour of the

Earls of Rutland Duke of Rutland is a title in the Peerage of England, named after Rutland, a county in the East Midlands of England. Earldoms named after Rutland have been created three times; the ninth earl of the third creation was made duke in 1703, in whos ...

, descendants of Anne and Sir Thomas: their daughter, also Anne, married

George Manners, 11th Baron Ros George Manners, 11th Baron de Ros of Helmsley (c. 147027 October 1513) was an England, English peerage, peer. Family George Manners, born about 1470, was the son of Sir Robert Manners (d. 1495) of Etal, Northumberland, and Eleanor de Ros ...

, and their son was

Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland {{Infobox noble, type , honorific_suffix = KG , name = Thomas Manners , title = 1st Earl of Rutland , image = Thomas_Manners,_1st_Earl_of_Rutland.jpg , caption = Effigy of Manners, St Mary's C ...

. The tomb of George and Anne Manners is a prominent feature of the chantry. Their effigies are carved in English alabaster. The chantry comprises five panels which represent the

Annunciation The Annunciation (from Latin '), also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady, or the Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the biblical tale of the announcement by the ange ...

, the Visitation, the

Adoration of the Magi The Adoration of the Magi or Adoration of the Kings is the name traditionally given to the subject in the Nativity of Jesus in art in which the three Magi, represented as kings, especially in the West, having found Jesus by following a star, ...

, the

Temptations of Christ The temptation of Christ is a biblical narrative detailed in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. After being baptized by John the Baptist, Jesus was tempted by the devil after 40 days and nights of fasting in the Judaean Desert. At the time, ...

in the wilderness and the Miracle at Cana. They were commissioned from embroiderer

Beryl Dean Beryl Dean MBE (2 August 1911 – 2001) was a British embroiderer. She was known for rejecting the traditional Victorian designs and for creating her own contemporary embroidery designs. Life Dean was born in Bromley in 1911. Her mother, Marion, w ...

and took five years to complete. Only one panel is normally on display to the public, but the others may be seen on request.

Weddings

The chapel has been the site of many royal weddings, particularly of the children of

. They have included:

Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...

, then-

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

, and

Camilla Parker Bowles Camilla (born Camilla Rosemary Shand, later Parker Bowles, 17 July 1947) is Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as the wife of King Charles III. She became queen consort on 8 September 2022, upon the acc ...

received a blessing from the

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justi ...

following their marriage in 2005.

Burials

The chapel has been the site of many royal funerals and interments. People interred in the Chapel include:

Altar

George Plantagenet, Duke of Bedford George of York, Duke of Bedford (March 1477 – March 1479) was the eighth child and third son of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville. George was born in Windsor Castle in March 1477, and was created Duke of Bedford in infancy, probab ...

, on 22 March 1479; son of

and

Elizabeth Woodville Elizabeth Woodville (also spelt Wydville, Wydeville, or Widvile;Although spelling of the family name is usually modernised to "Woodville", it was spelt "Wydeville" in contemporary publications by Caxton, but her tomb at St. George's Chapel, Wind ...

Mary of York Mary of York (11 August 1467 – 23 May 1482) was the second daughter of King Edward IV of England and his queen consort Elizabeth Woodville. The first years of Mary's life were spent in close connection with her older sister Elizabeth of ...

, in 1482; daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville *

, King of England, in 1483 * Henry VI, King of England, in 1484 (reburial from

Chertsey Abbey Chertsey Abbey, dedicated to St Peter, was a Benedictine monastery located at Chertsey in the English county of Surrey. It was founded in 666 AD by Saint Erkenwald who was the first abbot, and from 675 AD the Bishop of London. At the same time ...

) *The coffins of two unidentified children suggested to be the

Princes in the Tower The Princes in the Tower refers to the apparent murder in England in the 1480s of the deposed King Edward V of England and Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York. These two brothers were the only sons of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville sur ...

(

Edward V Edward V (2 November 1470 – mid-1483)R. F. Walker, "Princes in the Tower", in S. H. Steinberg et al, ''A New Dictionary of British History'', St. Martin's Press, New York, 1963, p. 286. was ''de jure'' King of England and Lord of Ireland fro ...

, King of England and

Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'strong ...

); sons of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville *

, Queen consort of England, on 12 June 1492; wife of Edward IV *Princess Louise of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, in 1832; niece of

Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen , house = Saxe-Meiningen , father = Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen , mother = Princess Louise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg , birth_date = , birth_place = Meiningen, Saxe-Meiningen, Holy ...

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...

, King of the United Kingdom and Emperor of India, on 20 May 1910 *

Alexandra of Denmark Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 to 6 May 1910 as the wife of King ...

, Queen consort of the United Kingdom and Empress consort of India, on 28 November 1925; wife of Edward VII

Quire

, Queen consort of England, in 1537; third wife of Henry VIII *

, King of England and Ireland, in 1547 *

, King of England, Scotland and Ireland, in 1649 * Stillborn son of

Anne, Queen of Great Britain Anne (6 February 1665 – 1 August 1714) was Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland from 8 March 1702 until 1 May 1707. On 1 May 1707, under the Acts of Union, the kingdoms of England and Scotland united as a single sovereign state known as ...

and

Prince George of Denmark Prince George of Denmark ( da, Jørgen; 2 April 165328 October 1708) was the husband of Anne, Queen of Great Britain. He was the consort of the British monarch from Anne's accession on 8 March 1702 until his death in 1708. The marriage of Georg ...

, in 1698

Royal Vault

Princess Amelia of the United Kingdom Princess Amelia (7 August 1783 – 2 November 1810) was the fifteenth and last child and sixth daughter of King George III of the United Kingdom and his wife, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. She was their first daughter and third child to die ...

, in 1810; daughter of

George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...

and

Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was Queen of Great Britain and of Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until the union of the two kingdoms ...

Princess Augusta of Great Britain Princess Augusta Frederica of Great Britain (31 July 1737 – 23 March 1813) was a British princess, granddaughter of George II and the only elder sibling of George III. She was Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Princess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüt ...

, Duchess consort of Brunswick-Lünenburg, in 1813; daughter of

Frederick, Prince of Wales Frederick, Prince of Wales, (Frederick Louis, ; 31 January 170731 March 1751), was the eldest son and heir apparent of King George II of Great Britain. He grew estranged from his parents, King George and Queen Caroline. Frederick was the fath ...

, and Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg *

Princess Charlotte of Wales Princess Charlotte of Wales may refer to: * Princess Charlotte of Wales (1796–1817), the only child of George, Prince of Wales, later King George IV of the United Kingdom ** Princess Charlotte of Wales (1812 EIC ship), a ship named after the pri ...

, in 1817; daughter of

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...

and Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel *Stillborn son of Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, in 1817 *

, Queen consort of the United Kingdom and Hanover, in 1818; wife of George III *Stillborn daughter of

Ernest Augustus, King of Hanover Ernest Augustus (german: Ernst August; 5 June 177118 November 1851) was King of Hanover from 20 June 1837 until his death in 1851. As the fifth son of King George III of the United Kingdom and Hanover, he initially seemed unlikely to become a m ...

and

Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Frederica Louise Caroline Sophie Alexandrina of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (german: Friederike Louise Caroline Sophie Alexandrine; 3 March 1778 – 29 June 1841) was a German princess who married successively Prince Louis Charles of Prussia, Prince ...

, in 1818 *

, King of the United Kingdom and Hanover, in 1820 *

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, (Edward Augustus; 2 November 1767 – 23 January 1820) was the fourth son and fifth child of King George III. His only legitimate child became Queen Victoria. Prince Edward was created Duke of Kent an ...

, in 1820; father of

Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

Prince Alfred of Great Britain A prince is a Monarch, male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary title, hereditary, in s ...

, in 1820 (reburial); son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz *

Prince Octavius of Great Britain Prince Octavius of Great Britain (23 February 17793 May 1783) was the thirteenth child and eighth son of King George III and his queen consort, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Six months after the death of his younger brother Prince A ...

, in 1820 (reburial); son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz * Princess Elizabeth of Clarence, in 1821; daughter of

William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded h ...

and

Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (Frederick Augustus; 16 August 1763 – 5 January 1827) was the second son of George III, King of the United Kingdom and Hanover, and his consort Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. A soldier by profess ...

, in 1827; son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz *

, King of the United Kingdom and Hanover, in 1830 *

, King of the United Kingdom and Hanover, in 1837 *

Princess Augusta Sophia of the United Kingdom Princess Augusta Sophia (8 November 1768 – 22 September 1840) was the sixth child and second daughter of King George III and Queen Charlotte. Childhood and adolescence Princess Augusta Sophia was born at Buckingham House, City and Liberty of ...

, in 1840; daughter of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz *

, Queen consort of the United Kingdom and Hanover, in 1849; wife of William IV *

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. Born duri ...

, the last

King of Hanover The King of Hanover (German: ''König von Hannover'') was the official title of the head of state and hereditary ruler of the Kingdom of Hanover, beginning with the proclamation of King George III of the United Kingdom, as "King of Hanover" dur ...

, in 1878; grandson of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz *

Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge Princess Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth of Cambridge (27 November 1833 – 27 October 1897), later Duchess of Teck, was a member of the British royal family. She was one of the first royals to patronise a wide range of charities. Mary Ade ...

, Duchess of Teck, in 1897; daughter of

Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, (Adolphus Frederick; 24 February 1774 – 8 July 1850) was the tenth child and seventh son of the British king George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. He held the title of Duke of Cambridge from 18 ...

and

Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel (Augusta Wilhelmina Louisa; 25 July 1797 – 6 April 1889) was the wife of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, the tenth-born child, and seventh son, of George III of the United Kingdom and Charlotte of Meckle ...

, mother of

Mary of Teck Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes; 26 May 186724 March 1953) was List of British royal consorts, Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 6 May 1910 until 20 Janua ...

Francis, Duke of Teck , house = Teck , father = Duke Alexander of Württemberg , mother = Countess Claudine Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde , birth_name = Count Francis von Hohenstein , birth_date = , birth_place = Esseg, Slavonia, Austrian Empir ...

, in 1900; father of

Princess Frederica of Hanover English: Frederica Sophie Marie Henrietta Amelia Theresa , image = Princess Frederica of Hanover.jpg , caption = Princess Frederica, 1885 , spouse = , issue = Baroness Victoria , house = Hanover , father ...

, Baroness von Pawel-Rammingen, in 1926; daughter of George V, King of Hanover, and

Marie of Saxe-Altenburg Marie of Saxe-Altenburg (Alexandrina Mary Wilhelmina Catherine Charlotte Theresa Henrietta Louise Pauline Elizabeth Frederica Georgina; german: Alexandrine Marie Wilhelmine Katharine Charlotte Theresia Henriette Luise Pauline Elisabeth Frieder ...

, in 1930 (reburial); son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz *

, Duchess of Cambridge, in 1930 (reburial); wife of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge

Near West Door

, King of the United Kingdom and Emperor of India, in 1936 *

, Queen consort of the United Kingdom and Empress consort of India, in 1953; wife of George V

King George VI Memorial Chapel

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952. ...

, King of the United Kingdom, Emperor of India and Head of the Commonwealth, on 26 March 1969 (originally interred in the royal vault on 15 February 1952, and moved to the chapel following its construction) *

Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth ...

, in 2002 (ashes); daughter of George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon *Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Queen consort of the United Kingdom and Empress consort of India, in 2002; wife of George VI (widely known as "Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother") *Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 2022 (originally interred in the Royal Vault in 2021 and moved to the chapel upon his wife's death); husband of Elizabeth II *

, Queen of the United Kingdom and Head of the Commonwealth, in 2022

Albert Memorial Chapel

*Baroness Victoria von Pawel-Rammingen, in 1881; daughter of

and Baron Alphons von Pawel-Rammingen, Alphons, Baron von Pawel-Rammingen *Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, in 1884; son of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom and Albert, Prince Consort, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha *Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, in 1892; son of

and

Gloucester Vault

*Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, in 1805; son of Frederick, Prince of Wales and Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg *Maria, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh, Maria (née Walpole), Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh, in 1807; wife of Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh *Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, in 1834; son of Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh and Maria Walpole *Princess Sophia of Gloucester, in 1844; daughter of Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh and Maria Walpole *Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh, Princess Mary of the United Kingdom, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh, in 1857; daughter of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh

Others

*William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, in the north aisle of St George's Chapel; close friend of

*Anne St Leger, Baroness de Ros, Anne Manners (née St Leger), Baroness de Ros, in the private Rutland Chapel; niece of

and

*George Manners, 11th Baron Ros, George Manners, 11th Baron de Ros, in the private Rutland Chapel; husband of Anne St Leger *Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, in 1545; second husband of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, Mary Tudor *Christopher Villiers, 1st Earl of Anglesey, in 1631 *Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort and his ancestors in the private Beaufort Chapel (the original monument by Grinling Gibbons was moved to St Michael and All Angels Church, Badminton, St Michael and All Angels Church in 1878) *Peniston Booth, Penyston Booth,

*Lieutenant General Sir John Elley, in the north quire aisle; commoner who distinguished himself at the Battle of Waterloo *Ethiopian aristocratic and court titles#Dejazmatch, Dejazmatch Prince Alemayehu, Alemayehu Tewodros, on 21 November 1879; son of Tewodros II, Tewodros II, Emperor of Ethiopia

Former burials

* Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess of Kent and Strathearn, in 1861; mother of

— moved to the Duchess of Kent's Mausoleum later that year * Albert, Prince Consort, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Consort, in 1861; husband of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom — moved to the Royal Mausoleum, Frogmore, Frogmore Royal Mausoleum in 1862 * Prince Harald of Schleswig-Holstein, in 1876; son of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein — moved to the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore, Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1928 * Prince Francis of Teck, in 1910; brother of

— moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1928 * Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, in 1912; husband of Louise, Princess Royal and father of Princess Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of Fife — moved to St Ninian's Chapel, Braemar, St Ninian's Chapel later that year * Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia, Duchess of Connaught and Strathearn, in 1917; wife of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1928 * Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, in 1917; husband of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1928 * Lord Leopold Mountbatten (formerly Prince Leopold of Battenberg), in 1922; son of Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom and Prince Henry of Battenberg — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1928 * Princess Helena of the United Kingdom, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, in 1923; daughter of

and Albert, Prince Consort, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1928 * Lieutenant Colonel Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge (formerly Adolphus, Duke of Teck), in 1927; brother of

— moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1928 * Rupert Cambridge, Viscount Trematon (formerly Prince Rupert of Teck), in 1928; son of Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone (formerly Prince Alexander of Teck) and Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, Princess Alice of Albany — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground later that year * Louise, Princess Royal, Duchess of Fife, in 1931; daughter of

and

— moved to St Ninian's Chapel, Braemar, St Ninian's Chapel later that year * Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom, in 1935; daughter of Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1936 * Prince Arthur of Connaught, in 1938; son of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn and Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1939 * Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, Princess Louise of the United Kingdom, Duchess of Argyll, in 1939; daughter of

and Albert, Prince Consort, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1940 * Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, in 1942; son of

and Albert, Prince Consort, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1942 * Prince George, Duke of Kent, in 1942; son of

and

— moved to Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1968 * Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, Princess Henry of Battenberg, in 1944; daughter of

and Albert, Prince Consort, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha — moved to St Mildred's Church, Whippingham, St Mildred's Church in 1945 * Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, in 1948; daughter of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1948 * Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein, Princess Aribert of Anhalt, in 1956; daughter of Princess Helena of the United Kingdom and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1957 * Major General Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone (formerly Prince Alexander of Teck), in 1957; brother of

— moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground later that year * Princess Alice of Battenberg, Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark, in 1969; mother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh — moved to Church of Mary Magdalene in Jerusalem, in 1988

In literature

* Wenceslaus Hollar. ''View and Ground Plan of St. George's Chapel, Windsor'' ca. 1671. * John Henry Le Keux. ''St. George's Chapel, Windsor. Ground Plan'' 1810. Engraved after a plan by F. Mackenzie, published in Britton's ''Architectural antiquities of Great Britain'', 1807. Copper-engraved antique plan.

References

Notes

Sources

* * * *

External links

*
St George's Chapel Archives & Chapter LibraryCharity Commission websiteMusic manuscripts preserved in the Chapter Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Windsor Castle, Saint George 14th-century church buildings in England Burial sites of the House of Hanover Burial sites of the Seymour family Chapels in England Tudor architecture Windsor Castle Grade I listed churches in Berkshire Collegiate churches in England Church of England church buildings in Berkshire Royal Peculiars Church of England chapels Basilicas (Church of England)

History

Development of the building

The Queen's Beasts

The choir of St George's Chapel

Dean and Canons

Order of the Garter

Garter Service

Heraldry

Chantries

Rutland Chantry

Weddings

Burials

Altar

Quire

Royal Vault

Near West Door

King George VI Memorial Chapel

Albert Memorial Chapel

Gloucester Vault

Others

Former burials

In literature

See also

References

Notes

Sources

External links