#simshousewindsor landmarks

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The Royal House of Windsor: A Landmark Collection 

ST LEO'S CHAPEL, WINDSOR CASTLE

St Leo's Chapel, Windsor Castle formally titled The King's Free Chapel of the College of St Leo, Windsor Castle, is a castle chapel built in the late-medieval Perpendicular Gothic style. It is located in the Lower Ward of the Windsor Castle grounds in Easton.

The castle has belonged to the monarchy for almost 300 years, and the chapel has been the scene of many royal services, weddings and burials, known specifically as host for the annual Garter Day service.

In a 1900 petition started by Edward I, St Leo's Chapel and the nearby Windsor Gardens superseded Westsimster Abbey as the chosen burial place for the Windenburg royal family.

Prior to then, members of the royal family were buried at Westsimster Abbey, and monarchs and consorts were buried at Windsor Gardens.

What is the Royal Vault?

The Royal Vault is the burial chamber located 14 feet beneath St. Leo's Chapel, and is situated beneath the chapel's alter. 

King Edward I ordered the excavation and building of the Royal Vault in 1901, with construction on it being completed in 1906. The vault was designated as the final resting place for both senior and minor members of the Royal Family following its completion.

The stone-lined vault measures 70 feet long and 28 feet wide. There is enough room inside it to hold 28 bodies – 24 coffins on shelves along the vault's two sides, with space for an additional 4 coffins in the center. Its entrance is closed off by an iron gate.

Edward I became the first Windenburg King to be interred in the Royal Vault following his death on 18 May 1941. His remains were placed in the vault on 2 June 1941, after his state funeral.

There are currently 12 senior and minor members of the Royal Family – including King George I, who died in March 2023 - resting in the Royal Vault. Over the last 70 years, several Royal Family members have been uprooted from their original burial grounds to be moved into the Royal Vault, such as Prince Albert, Duke of Hastings who was initially buried at Westsimster Abbey.

Where is the Royal Vault located?

During funerals, a slab of black-and-white, diamond-shaped stone flooring is removed to provide access to the vault. The coffin is then lowered through the hole in the floor into the Royal Vault by an electric lift.

Once the Royal Vault lift reaches the bottom of the shaft, the coffin is moved down a corridor and into the vault itself. The coffin is then interred in the vault, placed either on one of the shelves or on a plinth inside.

Monarchs & Consorts Buried at St Leo's, Windsor Castle

Edward I (Royal Vault)

Lara-Leigh (Royal Vault)

Edward II (Royal Vault)

Amelia, Princess Royal (Royal Vault)

Lord John Carmichael (Royal Vault)

Prince Albert, Duke of Hastings (Royal Vault)*

George I (South Quire Aisle)

Monarchs & Consorts Buried at Windsor Gardens

Albert I (Crypt 1)

Isabella, Queen consort (Crypt 1)

Albert II (Crypt 2)

Adaline, Queen consort (Crypt 2)

Willam I, Duke of Brindleton Bay (Crypt 3)

Cynthia, Duchess of Brindleton Bay (Crypt 3)

Laura, Queen consort (Crypt 4)

Prince William (Crypt 4)

Royal Family Buried at Westsimster Abbey

Princess Catherine, Princess Royal (Bay 2L)

General Sir Leo Hardy Jr (Bay 2L)

Prince Otis, Duke of Norfolk (3L)

Birdie, Duchess of Norfolk (3L)

Prince George, Duke of Newsoms (Bay 2R)

Princess Nina, Duchess of Newsoms (Bay 2R)

Princess Grace of Newsoms (Bay 5R)

Burchette Gates Sr (Bay 5R)

Princess Esther, Duchess of Hastings (Bay 7R)

Can you visit the Royal Vault?

No, visitors aren't allowed inside the Royal Vault at Windsor Castle. However, the public can attend services - for free - at St. Leo's Chapel itself.