Where is King George VI Memorial Chapel? Will Queen be buried there, royal vault location, can public visit

The Queen will be buried at King George VI Memorial Chapel after her state funeral.

A special bank holiday is taking place today (19 September) to allow as many people as possible to pay their respects to the late monarch.

The service for the funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey and a national two-minute silence will be held for the Queen at around 11.55am.

Following the service, Elizabeth II will be taken to King George VI Memorial Chapel to be laid at rest.

The Royal family will attend a private ceremony at the chapel.

But where is King George VI Memorial Chapel and who else is buried there?

Where is King George VI Memorial Chapel?

The King George VI Memorial Chapel is part of St George’s Chapel. It lies beneath the chapel in the Windsor grounds which has housed royals in their final resting place since the 15th Century.

The chapel was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth in 1962 as a burial place for her father who died 10 years before. Construction on the chapel was officially completed in 1969.

What is St George’s Chapel?

St George’s Chapel is a place of worship for the Queen and the Royal Family as well as being a church for the local community. The construction of the chapel started in 1475 by Edward IV and was completed by Henry VIII in 1528.

The chapel has played host to a number of royal weddings since the reign of Queen Victoria. The most recent being Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in 2019 and Prince Harry and Megan Markle in 2018.

Who is buried in the King George VI Memorial Chapel?

The Queen will be buried within her father King George VI’s Memorial Chapel where she will join her father King George VI, her mother Queen Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret.

Prince Philip was originally buried in the Royal Vault but will be reinterred in the King George VI Memorial Chapel alongside his wife following her burial today (19 September).

The couple were married from 1947 until Philip’s death in 2021.

Where is the Royal Vault?

The King George VI Memorial Chapel is located near the Royal Vault within St George’s Chapel.

The Royal Vault is located beneath the grounds of Windsor Castle and has been the chosen burial place for many senior members of the royal family since the 15th century. Traditionally during a royal funeral, the coffin will be lowered into the vault through an opening in St George’s Chapel.

Can you visit the King George VI Memorial Chapel?

St George’s Chapel is usually open to the public and is available when you purchase tickets to Windsor Castle. However, all royal properties are currently closed due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth.

The committal service will be a closed event but members of the public will be able to pay respect to the Queen at the lying-in-state at the Palace of Westminster which is open 24 hours a day up until 6am on Monday 19 September - the day of the funeral.