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 c ...

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 pa ...

(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 Georg ...

. 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 r ...

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 buil ...

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 durin ...

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 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 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 offerin ...

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 soldie ...

. They are assisted by a clerk, verger and other staff. The Society of the Friends of St George's and Descendants of the Knights of the Garter, 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, B ...

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 Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother ...

, 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 Æt ...

, but soon became known only by its dedication to St George. Edward III also built the

Aerary Aerary is a room in a building that was used to contain something precious, such as treasure. An example is the aerary porch in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, which was built in 1353–1354. It was used as the entrance to a new college be ...

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 Englan ...

and continued by Henry VII under the supervision of his most esteemed counsellor, Sir Reginald Bray, 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 r ...

Parliamentary A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of the ...

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 commun ...

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 B ...

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 or ...

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 her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

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. 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 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, showing the Royal supporters of England. They represent fourteen of the heraldic animals: the

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large 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 dimorphic; adu ...

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 ...

, the red dragon of

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

, 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 S ...

Jane Seymour Jane Seymour (c. 150824 October 1537) was Queen of England as the third wife of King Henry VIII of England from their marriage on 30 May 1536 until her death the next year. She became queen following the execution of Henry's second wife, Anne ...

, 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, the greyhound of Richmond, the white hart of

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 ...

, 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 mamm ...

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 Kin ...

, 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, England, Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. ...

, 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 of

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 church ...

. 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 li ...

, 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 scho ...

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 In ...

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 sp ...

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

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. Als ...

is hoisted emblazoned with his arms. A Garter stall plate, 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 carry the banner of the deceased member and offer it to the Dean of Windsor, 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 i ...

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 John Tresilian (c. 1450 – after 1515) was a British master smith who worked for Edward IV of England. All we know about Tresilian comes through few documents in Windsor Castle and his surviving handiwork. His name is Cornish but the dates o ...

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 ...

, forming the northern transept of St George's Chapel, was founded in 1491 in honour of Sir Thomas St Leger (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 Planta ...

, 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 Bat ...

(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 pav ...

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, and their son was

Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland, 12th Baron de Ros of Helmsley, KG (c. 1497{{snd20 September 1543), of Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire (adjacent to the small county of Rutland), was created Earl of Rutland by King Henry VIII in 1525. Ori ...

. 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 ang ...

, 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 in the wilderness and the

Miracle at Cana The transformation of water into wine at the wedding at Cana (also called the marriage at Cana, wedding feast at Cana or marriage feast at Cana) is the first miracle attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of John. In the Gospel account, Jesus Chris ...

. 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 ...

, 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 rule ...

, 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 ac ...

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 Just ...

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, probably ...

, 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) *The coffins of two unidentified children suggested to be the Princes in the Tower (

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 fr ...

, King of England and Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York); 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 *

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 Death and state funeral of Edward VII, his death in 1910. The second chil ...

, King of the United Kingdom and Emperor of India, on 20 May 1910 * Alexandra of Denmark, 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 Geor ...

, 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, 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 fa ...

, and Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg * Princess Charlotte of Wales, 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 ...

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 a ...

, in 1820; father of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom *

Prince Alfred of Great Britain A prince is a 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, in some European states. The ...

, 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 and Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen *

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 profe ...

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

, King of the United Kingdom and Hanover, in 1830 * William IV, 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 o ...

, in 1840; daughter of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz * Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, 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 his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother ...

, the last King of Hanover, 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 and Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel, mother of

Mary of Teck Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes; 26 May 186724 March 1953) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 6 May 1910 until 20 January 1936 as the wife of King- ...

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 Em ...

, in 1900; father of

* Princess Frederica of Hanover, Baroness von Pawel-Rammingen, in 1926; daughter of George V, King of Hanover, and Marie of Saxe-Altenburg * Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, in 1930 (reburial); son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz * Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel, 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 his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of I ...

, 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 Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was the ...

, 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 Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from E ...

, 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 Princess Frederica of Hanover and Alphons, Baron von Pawel-Rammingen *

Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, (Leopold George Duncan Albert; 7 April 185328 March 1884) was the eighth child and youngest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Leopold was later created Duke of Albany, Earl of Clarence, and Baron Arklow ...

, in 1884; son of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha *

Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (Albert Victor Christian Edward; 8 January 1864 – 14 January 1892) was the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) and grandson of the ...

, in 1892; son of

and Alexandra of Denmark

Gloucester Vault

Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, (25 November 1743 – 25 August 1805), was a grandson of King George II and a younger brother of George III of the United Kingdom. Life Youth Prince William Henry was born at Leicester ...

, in 1805; son of Frederick, Prince of Wales and Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg * Maria (née Walpole), Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh, in 1807; wife of

Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, (15 January 1776 – 30 November 1834) was a great-grandson of King George II of Great Britain and the nephew and son-in-law of King George III. He was the grandson of both Frederick, P ...

, in 1834; son of Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh and Maria Walpole *

Princess Sophia of Gloucester Princess Sophia of Gloucester (Sophia Matilda; 29 May 1773 – 29 November 1844) was a great-granddaughter of King George II of Great Britain and niece of King George III. Life Princess Sophia was born in Grosvenor Street, Mayfair. Her father ...

, in 1844; daughter of Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh and Maria Walpole * Princess Mary of the United Kingdom, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh, in 1857; daughter of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of

Others

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

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

and

George Manners, 11th Baron de Ros George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presid ...

, in the private Rutland Chapel; husband of Anne St Leger * Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, in 1545; second husband of Mary Tudor *

Christopher Villiers, 1st Earl of Anglesey Christopher Villiers, 1st Earl of Anglesey ( – 3 April 1630), known at court as Kit Villiers, was an English courtier, Gentleman of the Bedchamber and later Master of the Robes to King James I. In 1623 he was ennobled as Earl of Anglesey and ...

, in 1631 *

Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort, KG, PC (162921 January 1700) was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1654 and 1667, when he succeeded his father as 3rd Marquess of Worcester. He was styled Lord ...

and his ancestors in the private Beaufort Chapel (the original monument by Grinling Gibbons was moved to

St Michael and All Angels Church St Michael and All Angels Church may refer to: Africa * St Michael and All Angels Church, Blantyre Malawi * St. Michael and All Angels' Anglican Church, Weltevreden Park, Johannesburg, South Africa America * Cathedral Church of Saint Michael a ...

in 1878) * Penyston Booth, Dean of Windsor *Lieutenant General Sir John Elley, in the north quire aisle; commoner who distinguished himself at the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armies of the Sevent ...

Dejazmatch Until the end of the Ethiopian monarchy in 1974, there were two categories of nobility in Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Mesafint ( gez, መሳፍንት , modern , singular መስፍን , modern , "prince"), the hereditary nobility, formed the upp ...

Alemayehu Tewodros, on 21 November 1879; son of Tewodros II, Emperor of Ethiopia

Former burials

* Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess of Kent and Strathearn, in 1861; mother of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom — moved to the Duchess of Kent's Mausoleum later that year * Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Consort, in 1861; husband of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom — moved to the Frogmore Royal Mausoleum in 1862 * Prince Harald of Schleswig-Holstein, in 1876; son of

Princess Helena of the United Kingdom Princess Helena (Helena Augusta Victoria; 25 May 1846 – 9 June 1923), later Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, was the third daughter and fifth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Helena was educated by private tutors chose ...

and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein — moved to the 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 Alexander William George Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, (10 November 1849 – 29 January 1912) styled Viscount Macduff between 1857 and 1879 and known as the Earl Fife between 1879 and 1889, was a British peer who married Princess Louise, the third c ...

, in 1912; husband of Louise, Princess Royal and father of Princess Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of Fife — moved to St Ninian's Chapel later that year *

Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia (Louise Margaret Alexandra Victoria Agnes; 25 July 1860 – 14 March 1917), later Duchess of Connaught and Strathearn VA CI RRC DStJ, was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and of the British royal fa ...

, Duchess of Connaught and Strathearn, in 1917; wife of

Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (Arthur William Patrick Albert; 1 May 185016 January 1942), was the seventh child and third son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He served as G ...

— moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1928 * Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, in 1917; husband of

— moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1928 *

Lord Leopold Mountbatten Lord Leopold Arthur Louis Mountbatten (21 May 1889 – 23 April 1922) was a British Army officer and a descendant of the Hessian princely Battenberg family and the British Royal Family. A grandson of Queen Victoria, he was known as Prince Leopo ...

(formerly Prince Leopold of Battenberg), in 1922; son of

Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom Princess Beatrice (Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore; 14 April 1857 – 26 October 1944), later Princess Henry of Battenberg, was the fifth daughter and youngest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Beatrice was also the last of Qu ...

and Prince Henry of Battenberg — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1928 *

, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, in 1923; daughter of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1928 * Lieutenant Colonel

Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, (Adolphus Charles Alexander Albert Edward George Philip Louis Ladislaus; 13 August 1868 – 24 October 1927), born Prince Adolphus of Teck and later the Duke of Teck, was a relative of the Britis ...

(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 Major General Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone (Alexander Augustus Frederick William Alfred George; born Prince Alexander of Teck; 14 April 1874 – 16 January 1957), was a British Army commander and major-general who served as Governo ...

(formerly Prince Alexander of Teck) and 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 Alexandra of Denmark — moved to St Ninian's Chapel later that year *

Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom Princess Victoria (Victoria Alexandra Olga Mary; 6 July 1868 – 3 December 1935) was the fourth child and second daughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and the younger sister of King George V. Early life and education Victoria ...

, 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

and

— moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1939 * Princess Louise of the United Kingdom, Duchess of Argyll, in 1939; daughter of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1940 *

, in 1942; son of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1942 *

Prince George, Duke of Kent Prince George, Duke of Kent, (George Edward Alexander Edmund; 20 December 1902 – 25 August 1942) was a member of the British royal family, the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary. He was a younger brother of kings Edward VIII and Geo ...

, in 1942; son of

and

— moved to Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1968 *

, Princess Henry of Battenberg, in 1944; daughter of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha — moved to St Mildred's Church in 1945 * Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, in 1948; daughter of

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

and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein — moved to the Frogmore Royal Burial Ground in 1957 * Major General

(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

— moved to

Church of Mary Magdalene The Church of Mary Magdalene ( he, כנסיית מריה מגדלנה, ar, كنيسة القديسة مريم المجدلية, russian: Церковь Святой Марии Магдалины) is an Orthodox Christian church located on the ...

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

, in 1988

In literature

Wenceslaus Hollar Wenceslaus Hollar (23 July 1607 – 25 March 1677) was a prolific and accomplished Bohemian graphic artist of the 17th century, who spent much of his life in England. He is known to German speakers as ; and to Czech speakers as . He is particu ...

. ''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