Where Will Queen Elizabeth II Be Buried After She Dies?

At 92 years old, Queen Elizabeth II is still going strong. But sadly, the longest-reigning British monarch (she’s been on the throne since 1952) will eventually pass away.

After the Queen dies, “Operation London Bridge” will go into effect. This detailed plan outlines exactly what will happen in the days after the Queen’s death. It covers everything from how the Prime Minister will be informed of the monarch’s passing to what sort of programming the BBC will air during the country’s official period of mourning. The plan also includes details about her funeral and where the Queen will be buried.

The Queen may be buried at St. George’s Chapel

After her death, Queen Elizabeth II’s body will lie in state for four days at Westminster Hall so that the public can pay their respects. Nine days following her death, her funeral will be held in Westminster Abbey. The Archbishop of Canterbury will lead the service.

After the service, 138 British sailors will pull the coffin to Windsor Castle, a journey of 23 miles, according to a 2017 report from The Guardian. The Queen’s body will then be interred in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, the final resting place for many British monarchs, including the Queen’s grandfather, George V, and her father, George VI, as well as her mother and her sister, Princess Margaret.

The Gothic-style chapel was built between 1475 and 1528. In total, 10 former sovereigns are buried in the chapel. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were also married in the chapel.

But she might be buried in Frogmore Gardens

While it seems that St. George’s Chapel is likely to be the final resting place for Queen Elizabeth II, there’s a chance she’ll be buried in Frogmore Gardens. That’s where Prince Philip, the Queen’s husband, will be buried after his death, according to a report by the Independent. It’s possible that she’ll choose to be buried next to her husband (if he predeceases her).

While the Queen’s father and grandfather are buried at St. George’s Chapel, a burial at Frogmore wouldn’t be unheard of. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are buried in a mausoleum there. A mausoleum for the Duchess of Kent, Queen Victoria’s mother, is on the property as well. The former King Edward VIII, later the Duke of Windsor, and his wife, The Duchess of Windsor, previously Wallis Simpson, are also buried there.

There’s also a chance the Queen will be buried at Sandringham or Balmoral, her private residences in Scotland, Business Insider speculated.

Other royal resting places

With the exceptions of Queen Victoria and Edward VIII, recent British monarchs have all been buried at St. George’s Chapel.

Westminster Abbey is also a common resting place for former monarchs. Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, Queen Elizabeth I, and Queen Anne are among the former kings and queen buried there. However, no royal burials have occurred at the Abbey for several hundred years.

Princess Diana is buried at her childhood home of Althorp, the Spencer family estate. Her grave is on an island in a lake on the property and is not accessible to the public. The family chose the secluded location over the family’s tomb at a nearby church because they believed it would be safer and give her sons, Princes William and Harry, privacy when they visited their mother’s grave.