Where are the British royalty buried? Well, the answer to that is a little complicated as before there were "British" kings and queens there were "English" and "Scottish" monarchs and before that, there were petty kings of Ireland, Wales, England, and Scotland. In this article, we will just consider the English and later British monarchs (after the English and Scotland crowns were united).
The list will also only include locations in Britain and not of those buried in foreign countries. For a more complete list, Museum Crush also lists the monarchs buried in foreign countries.
Early English Monarchs
Winchester Cathedral:
Originally founded in 642, Winchester Cathedral is one of the largest cathedrals in Europe and has long been the most important royal church in Anglo-Saxon England. It houses many of the early pre-Norman conquest kings of Wessex - including Alfred the Great (although his remains have been lost) and King Cnut the Great.
The monarchs interred there include:
- Cygnelis, d.643
- Cenwalh, d.672
- Egbert of Wessex, d. 839
- Æthelwulf, d. 855
- Eadred, d. 955
- Eadwig, d. 959
- Cnut the Great, d. 1035
- Harthacnut, d. 1042
- William II, d. 1100
St Bartholemew’s Church:
St. Bartholemew's Church in Winchester is also home to some of the old monarchs. It is located just outside the old city walls of Winchester. Alfred the Great (d.899) and his son Edward the Elder were buried here but at the older church of Hyde Abbey.
But the Abbey was dissolved and demolished in 1539 with the graves being rediscovered hundreds of years later. The remains of Alfred the Great have not been rediscovered for certain.
Westminster - Westminster Abbey And Westminster Castle
Westminster Abbey:
Westminster Abbey has been the site of English later British coronations since 1066 and has long been the traditional place to intern the monarchs. Westminster Abbey is home to the remains of 17 monarchs as well as some of the nation's other most important historical figures.
Monarchs buried at Westminster Abbey include:
- Edward the Confessor, d. 1066
- Edward III, d. 1377
- Henry VII, d. 1509
- Elizabeth I, d. 1603
- Henry III, d. 1272
- Edward I, d. 1307
- Richard II, d. 1400: (moved from Kings Langley Church in Hertfordshire by Henry V)
- Henry V, d. 1422
- Edward V, d. 1483
- Edward VI, d. 1553
- Mary I, d. 1559
- James VI/I, d. 1625
- Charles II, d. 1685
- Mary II, d. 1694
- Mary, Queen of Scots.
- William III and II, d. 1702
- Anne, d. 1714
Windsor Castle:
Another popular resting place of British royalty is Windsor Castle. It is the oldest inhabited castle in the world, being a monarchical residence for over 1000 years, and remains an official residence of the Queen.
Monarchs Here Include:
- Henry VI, d. 1471
- Henry VIII, d. 1547: (The One With Six Wives)
- Charles I, d. 1649: (The One That Got Beheaded)
- Edward VII, d. 1910
- Edward IV, d. 1483
- George III, d. 1820
- George IV, d. 1830
- William IV, d. 1837
- Edward VII, d. 1910
- George V, d. 1936
- George VI, d. 1952
Other Resting Places of British Royalty
Frogmore House in Windsor:
Frogmore House is a mausoleum that grieving Queen Victoria built for her husband Prince Albert. Later on, she too was laid to rest beside her beloved husband. Since 1928 more members of the royal family have been buried there including Edward VIII who abdicated the throne to marry a divorced woman. The mausoleum is open to the public on special charity days and during August.
- Victoria, d. 1901
- Edward VIII, d. 1972: (abdicated)
Tower of London:
The Tower of London is one of the most famous buildings in London and was infamous for being a prison and the execution site of Anne Boleyn and others. Lady Jane Grey was queen for nine days before being deposed and later executed. She was buried inside the Chapel of St Peter Ad Vincula at the Tower.
- Lady Jane Grey, d. 1554
Leicester Cathedral:
The story of Richard III and his rediscovery under a parking lot is particularly odd. One should read the full story about him linked below. He was killed in battle, buried in a local graveyard, and later lost for centuries. He was rediscovered in 2013 and today there is a visitor center about him where he was discovered.
Richard III was reinterred in the Leicester Cathedral in 2015, and his stone coffin is on display today.
- Richard III, d. 1485
Canterbury Cathedral:
Canterbury Cathedral is the home of the Church of England and the location of the brutal murder of Thomas Becket in 1170. It is also the burial site of Henry IV as well as his wife, Queen Joan of Navarre. Visitors can see his and his wife's effigy today.
- Henry IV, d. 1413
Worcester Cathedral:
For the Robin Hood fans out there, Worcester Cathedral is the burial site of King John who attempted to usurp his brother Richard I and who was forced to sign the Magna Carta in 1215.
- King John, d. 1216: (aka Prince John)