Where Will Queen Elizabeth Be Buried?

Where Will Queen Elizabeth Be Buried?

The Queen's final resting place will be with her parents, sister, and husband.

WPA POOL//GETTY IMAGES

Queen Elizabeth, the longest-serving British monarch, died at Balmoral Castle at age 96. Following the Queen's state funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 19, there will be a graveside service at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The Queen will then be buried with her parents and sister in Windsor Castle's King George VI Memorial Chapel.

The coffin of George VI, draped with the royal standard being carried by soldiers at his funeral, February 15, 1952.

GEORGE W. HALES//GETTY IMAGES

King George VI, who died in 1952, was originally interred in the Royal Vault and then transferred to the newly-constructed chapel on March 26, 1969. The Queen's mother was buried there in 2002, and the ashes of Princess Margaret, who passed in 2002, are also in the chapel.

Pall Bearers carry the coffin of the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, followed by members of the Royal family into St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021.

WPA POOL//GETTY IMAGES

"Princess Margaret was cremated, one of the first members of the royal family, because she wanted to be buried between her parents and there was only room, really, for ashes," Lady Glenconner, a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret, explained in the documentary Elizabeth: Our Queen.

The London Bridge plans were leaked to Politico last fall. Some of the details may have changed since then — but using them as a guide, here's a brief look at what the documents say will happen in the first 10 days after the end of the queen's record-setting reign:

Day Zero
The royal household notifies the public of the queen's death. Prince Charles immediately succeeds to the throne upon his mother's death. He will be known as King Charles III. His wife, Camilla, becomes queen consort. The couple stay at Balmoral overnight.

Flags fly at half-staff across the British government. Charles issues a brief statement, as does U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss.Queen Elizabeth II is being mourned by her family, fans and admirers. In Britain, her death at age 96 has thrown a state apparatus into motion that has sat idle for 70 years — since Elizabeth's father, King George VI, died in 1952.

The British government dubbed the intricate protocol of handling Elizabeth's death "Operation London Bridge." It ranges from succession rules to the process of bringing the queen's coffin from Balmoral Castle in Scotland to London.Numerous commemorations are planned from moments of silence to military gun salutes and remembrances in honor of Elizabeth.Day 1
Charles returns to London. The Accession Council — a gathering traditionally held at St. James's Palace — meets, usually within 24 hours of a monarch's death. It formally declares Elizabeth's death and the new king's accession to the throne.

Parliament frames a message of condolence and suspends its normal business until after Elizabeth's funeral.

Week 1
Elizabeth's body is brought from Scotland to Buckingham Palace in London. A ceremonial procession carries her coffin to Westminster. She lies in state at Westminster Hall for three days, during which the public can visit for 23 hours of each day.

As final funeral preparations are being made in London, Charles travels to Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, visiting leaders in the United Kingdom.

Day 10
A state funeral service is held at Westminster Abbey, triggering an observance of two minutes' silence in the U.K.After a final service in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, the queen is buried on the castle grounds next to her husband, Prince Philip, who died in April 2021.