The Queen was buried with Prince Philip and alongside the remains of her father, mother and sister.
Image source, Getty ImagesMembers of the public will be able to see the final resting place of Queen Elizabeth II as Windsor Castle reopens.
The former monarch was buried with her husband, Prince Philip, and alongside the remains of her mother, father and sister in St George’s Chapel following her state funeral on 19 September.
On Saturday, Buckingham Palace released a photo of the ledger stone that marks the spot the family are interred.
It replaces a previous slab dedicated to George VI and the Queen Mother.
Image source, Royal Collection Trust/Dean and Canons of Windsor
The fresh stone now reads “George VI 1895-1952” and “Elizabeth 1900-2002” followed by a metal Garter Star, and then “Elizabeth II 1926-2022” and “Philip 1921-2021”.
All four royals were members of the Order of the Garter, the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system. The order of chivalry dates back to medieval times and is made up of the monarch and other senior figures, including ex-prime ministers and former military chiefs.
The Queen’s sister Princess Margaret, who died in 2002, was cremated and her ashes were initially placed in the Royal Vault of St George’s Chapel, before being moved to the George VI memorial chapel with her parents’ coffins when the Queen Mother died a few weeks later.
Windsor Castle has been closed since the Queen’s death on 8 September and reopens to the public later on Thursday.
A general admission ticket allows access to St George’s Chapel which is in the castle’s grounds, within which the ledger stone can be viewed in the George VI Memorial Chapel.
Entry to the castle is £28.50 for adults on Saturdays and £26.50 on other days, according to the chapel’s website, and can be booked in advance.
St George’s Chapel is not open to visitors on Sundays, when it is only open for worship.
As of Wednesday afternoon, tickets to the castle were still available online.
Image source, Reuters
The ledger stone is made of hand-carved Belgian black marble with brass letter inlays, to match the previous ledger stone.
The Queen was laid to rest in a private burial at George VI Memorial Chapel attended by King Charles III and immediate family members on 19 September, when the late monarch joined her parents, her sister and her husband. The service in the evening followed the public elements of the day – the Queen’s state funeral at Westminster Abbey and committal service in Windsor.
The memorial chapel was commissioned by the Queen in 1962 as a burial place for her father King George VI and was designed by George Pace. The pale stone annexe was added on to the north side of the building behind the North Quire Aisle and was completed in 1969.
Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. It was founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th Century and has since been the home of 40 monarchs.
