Burial places of British royalty

These burial places of British royalty record the known graves of monarchs who have reigned in some part of the British Isles (currently includes only the monarchs of Scotland, England, native princes of Wales to 1283, or monarchs of Great Britain, and the United Kingdom), as well as members of their royal families.

Monarchs of England (to 1603)

Pre-conquest

Name Death Place of burial Image
Egbert 839 Old Minster, Winchester
Bones now thought to be in one of the six mortuary caskets in Winchester Cathedral 		Winchester Cathedral
Æthelwulf 855 Steyning Church, then the Old Minster, Winchester
Bones now thought to be in one of the six mortuary caskets in Winchester Cathedral 		Ethelwulf's tombstone, from St Andrew's Church, Steyning
Æthelbald 860 Sherborne Abbey, Dorset Sherborne Abbey
Æthelbert 866
Æthelred I 871 Wimborne Minster, Dorset Wimborne Minster
Alfred the Great 899 Originally Old Minster, Winchester
Moved to New Minster then Hyde Abbey
His remains were lost after the ruin of the abbey following the Reformation 		Hyde Abbey
Edward the Elder 924 New Minster, Winchester
Moved to Hyde Abbey
His remains were lost after the ruin of the abbey following the Reformation
Æthelstan 939 Malmesbury Abbey, Wiltshire
His remains were lost after the ruin of the abbey following the Reformation. The tomb and effigy survived. 		The (now empty) tomb of Athelstan in Malmesbury Abbey
Edmund I 946 Glastonbury Abbey Glastonbury Abbey
Eadred 955 Old Minster, Winchester
Bones now thought to be in one of the six mortuary caskets in Winchester Cathedral 		Winchester Cathedral
Eadwig (Edwy) 959 Bones now thought to be in one of the six mortuary caskets in Winchester Cathedral Winchester Cathedral
Edgar 975 Glastonbury Abbey Glastonbury Abbey
Edward the Martyr 978 Shaftesbury Abbey, Dorset
Bones reputed to be his now reside in the Church of St. Edward the Martyr, Brookwood. 		Shrine of St. Edward the Martyr
Æthelred the Unready 1016 Old St Paul's Cathedral
Tomb lost in the Great Fire of London, referenced as such on a plaque outside the crypt of the present church. 		Old St Paul's
Edmund Ironside 1016 Glastonbury Abbey Glastonbury Abbey
Sweyn Forkbeard 1014 Roskilde Cathedral, Denmark Roskilde Cathedral
Cnut the Great 1035 Old Minster, Winchester
Bones now thought to be in one of the six mortuary caskets in Winchester Cathedral 		Winchester Cathedral
Harold Harefoot 1040 St Clement Danes, London St Clement Danes
Harthacnut 1042 Bones now thought to be in one of the six mortuary caskets in Winchester Cathedral Winchester Cathedral
Edward the Confessor 1066 Westminster Abbey. Edward was the first king buried in the church. In the 13th century, Henry III had his remains transferred to a shrine in the rebuilt abbey, in the new chapel named after him. Westminster Abbey.
Harold Godwinson 1066 Waltham Abbey, Essex (by repute) Waltham Abbey

Post-conquest

Name Death Place of burial Images
William I 1087 Abbaye-aux-Hommes, Caen, Normandy
His remains were destroyed in 1562 & 1793. The tomb survived. 		Men's abbey, St Etienne church, chevet
William II 1100 Winchester Cathedral Winchester Cathedral
Henry I 1135 Reading Abbey, Berkshire
His remains were lost after the ruin of the abbey following the Reformation.[1] 		Reading Abbey
Stephen 1154 Faversham Abbey, Kent
The abbey was demolished after the Reformation in 1538 and Stephen's grave and remains were destroyed, reportedly thrown into the nearby Faversham Creek when the abbey was demolished.
Matilda 1167 Rouen Cathedral, Normandy, France
Remains transferred from Bec Abbey in Normandy following the French Revolution. 		Rouen Cathedral
Henry II 1189 Fontevraud Abbey, Anjou, France
The graves no longer exists and their remains were probably destroyed during the French Revolution. Their tombs and effigies survived. 		Henry II
Richard I 1199 Tomb of Richard I and Isabella of Angoulême
John 1216 Worcester Cathedral Tomb in Worcester Cathedral
Henry III 1272 Edward the Confessor's Chapel, Westminster Abbey[2] Tomb in Westminster Abbey
Edward I 1307 Tomb in Westminster Abbey
Edward II 1327 Gloucester Cathedral Tomb in Gloucester Cathedral
Edward III 1377 Edward the Confessor's Chapel, Westminster Abbey[3] Tomb in Westminster Abbey
Richard II 1400 King's Langley Priory (reburied Edward the Confessor's Chapel, Westminster Abbey 1413) Tomb in Westminster Abbey
Henry IV 1413 Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral
Henry V 1422 Westminster Abbey Tomb in Westminster Abbey
Henry VI 1471 Windsor Castle (reburied in St George's Chapel 1484) St George's Chapel
Edward IV 1483 St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle Tomb in St. George's Chapel
Edward V 1483? Traditionally believed to have been murdered and buried secretly in the Tower of London. Bones presumed to be his and those of his brother Richard, Duke of York were unearthed in the Tower in 1674 and re-buried in Westminster Abbey four years later.
Richard III 1485 Leicester Cathedral
Originally buried across the street in Greyfriars, but the original tomb was lost when the friary was demolished in 1538.[4] The remains of Richard III were recovered by an archaeological dig in 2012 and re-interred in 2015.[5]
Henry VII 1509 Henry VII Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey[6] Tomb in Westminster Abbey
Henry VIII 1547 St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle
Edward VI 1553 Henry VII Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey Tomb in Westminster Abbey
Jane 1554 St Peter ad Vincula, Tower of London St Peter ad Vincula - resting place of those executed for treason
Mary I 1558 Henry VII Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey[6]
Elizabeth I 1603

Monarchs of Scotland (to 1603)

Name Death Place of burial Image
Kenneth MacAlpin 858 Iona Abbey Iona Abbey
Donald I 862
Constantine I 877
Áed 878
Eochaid Unknown Unknown[7]
Giric 889 Iona Abbey[7]
Donald II 900
Constantine II 952 Culdee monastery at St Andrews (probable)[8]
Malcolm I 954 Iona Abbey
Indulf 962
Dub 967
Cuilén 972
Kenneth II 995
Constantine III 997
Kenneth III 1005
Malcolm II 1034
Duncan I 1040
Macbeth 1057
Lulach 1058
Malcolm Canmore 1093 Tynemouth, then moved to Dunfermline Abbey[9] Dunfermline Abbey
Donald III after 1097 Iona Abbey
Duncan II 1094 Dunfermline Abbey
Edgar 1107
Alexander I 1124
David I 1153
Malcolm IV 1165
William I 1214 Arbroath Abbey[10] Arbroath Abbey
Alexander II 1249 Melrose Abbey[11] Melrose Abbey
Alexander III 1286 Dunfermline Abbey
Margaret, Maid of Norway 1290 Christ's Kirk, Bergen Christ's Kirk, Bergen
John Balliol 1313 France?[12]
Robert the Bruce 1329 Body interred at Dunfermline Abbey
His heart was removed, taken on Crusade, then buried at Melrose Abbey 		Marker for Heart burial of Bruce
David II 1371 Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh
Robert II 1390 Scone Abbey[13]
Robert III 1406 Paisley Abbey Paisley Abbey
James I 1437 Perth Charterhouse, Perth
James II 1460 Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh
James III 1488 Cambuskenneth Abbey[14] The tomb of James III, funded by Queen Victoria
James IV 1513 Probably displayed at Monastery of Sheen, London
Afterwards unknown[15]
James V 1542 Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh
Mary I 1587 Peterborough Cathedral (1588–1612) then Westminster Abbey a replica of Mary's tombstone in Westminster abbey at the Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh

Native princes of Wales (to 1283)

Name Death Place of burial Image
Owain Gwynedd 1170 Bangor Cathedral
Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd (prince of north Wales only) 1203 England?
The Lord Rhys (prince of south Wales only) 1197 St. David's Cathedral
Llywelyn ab Iorwerth 1240 Body interred at Aberconwy Abbey
Later (apparently) removed to Maenan Abbey; sarcophagus now found at parish church of Llanrwst
Dafydd ap Llywelyn 1246 Body interred at Aberconwy Abbey;
current whereabouts unknown
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd 1282 Cwmhir Abbey
Dafydd ap Gruffudd 1283 Hanged, drawn and quartered at Shrewsbury

Monarchs since 1603

(of England, and Scotland (1603–1707); of Great Britain (1707–1801); of United Kingdom (1801–present))

Name Death Place of burial Image
James VI and I 1625 Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey[6]
Charles I 1649 St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle

Interregnum

As Lords Protector the Cromwells served as heads of state and exercised monarchical power

Name Death Place of burial Image
Oliver Cromwell (Protector) 1658 Tyburn, London. Moved from Westminster Abbey in 1660 and dumped in a pit after posthumous execution. Reputed head buried at Sidney Sussex College in 1960.
Richard Cromwell (Protector) 1712 All Saints Church, Hursley, Hampshire

Restored monarchy

Name Death Place of burial Image
Charles II 1685 Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey[6]
James II and VII 1701 Chapel of St Edmund, Church of the English Benedictines, Rue St. Jacques, Paris

(lost at the French Revolution)[16]

Mary II 1694 Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey[6]
William III and II 1702
Anne 1714
George I 1727 Chapel of Leine Castle in Hanover, Germany; moved from the crypt to the Welfenmausoleum [de] at Herrenhausen on 5 December 1957.[17][18] He was the last British monarch buried outside of the British Isles. Welfenmausoleum
George II 1760 Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey[6]
George III 1820 St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
George IV 1830
William IV 1837
Victoria 1901 Royal Mausoleum, Frogmore, Windsor Mausoleum in Frogmore Gardens, Windsor of Queen Victoria and her consort Prince Albert
Edward VII 1910 St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
George V 1936
Edward VIII 1972 Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore, Windsor
George VI 1952 King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
Elizabeth II 2022

Jacobite pretenders

Name Death Place of burial Image
James Stuart ("Old Pretender")

Charles Edward Stuart ("Bonnie Prince Charlie")

Henry Benedict Stuart

1766

1788

1807

St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican (see also Monument to the Royal Stuarts) Tomb of James Francis Edward Stuart, Charles Edward Stuart and Henry Benedict Stuart, "grotte vaticane"

monument to the Royal Stuarts, Rome

Other Royal burials (by place)

Cemetery location Cemetery image Name of royals buried there Grave image


York Minster William of Hatfield (1337)
Duchess of Kent's Mausoleum, Frogmore Duchess of Kent's Mausoleum Princess Victoria, Duchess of Kent (1861)
Royal Mausoleum, Frogmore
Prince Albert (1861) Edward, Duke of Windsor, formerly Edward VIII (1972)
St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle
Royal burial ground, Frogmore Royal Burial Ground
St Ninian's Chapel, Braemar St Ninian's Chapel
Althorp Diana, Princess of Wales (1997)
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey
Peterborough Cathedral Catherine of Aragon (1536)
St Peter ad Vincula, Tower of London St Peter ad Vincula is the resting place of those executed in the Tower
Sudeley Castle Catherine Parr (1548)
St Mildred's Church, Whippingham, Isle of Wight Princess Beatrice (1944) and Prince Henry of Battenberg (1896)
St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham, Norfolk Prince John (1919)
Vadstena Abbey, Sweden Queen Philippa of Denmark, Norway and Sweden (1430)
The Royal Cemetery, Solna, Sweden Crown Princess Margareta of Sweden (1922)
Ypres Town Cemetery and Extension, Ypres, Belgium. Prince Maurice of Battenberg (1914)
Brunswick Cathedral, Braunschweig (Brunswick), Germany. Caroline of Brunswick (1821)
Convent of the Visitations, Chaillot, near Paris Mary of Modena (1718)
Monastery of São Vicente de Fora (Pantheon of the House of Braganza), Lisbon, Portugal Catherine of Braganza (1705/6)
Basilica of St Denis, Paris, France Francis II of France (husband of Mary Queen of Scots) (1560) Henrietta Maria of France (1669)
El Escorial, San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain Philip II of Spain (widower of Mary I of England) (1598)
Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh, Scotland Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (1567)
Church of St John, Mirow, Germany Church of St John, Mirow Princess Augusta of Cambridge (1916)

Sources

References and notes

  1. ^ "A search for bones of Henry I is planned in Reading". BBC News. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  2. ^ Westminster Abbey Website (accessed 30 April 2015)
  3. ^ Westminster Abbey Website (accessed 30 April 2015)
  4. ^ An account arose that when the tomb was destroyed, Richard's bones were thrown into the River Soar. This was disproven following the recovery and identification of Richard's remains in 2012.
  5. ^ Burns, John F. (26 March 2015). "Richard III Gets a Kingly Burial, on Second Try". The New York Times.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Abbey Tour - The Lady Chapel Westminster Abbey website (accessed 20 June 2007)
  7. ^ a b Eochaid & Giric Undiscovered Scotland (accessed 20 June 2007)
  8. ^ Ross, David R (2003). Passion for Scotland. Dundurn. p. 37. ISBN 1842820192.
  9. ^ Malcolm III Canmore Undiscovered Scotland (accessed 20 June 2007)
  10. ^ William I Undiscovered Scotland (accessed 20 June 2007)
  11. ^ Alexander II Undiscovered Scotland (accessed 20 June 2007)
  12. ^ John Balliol Undiscovered Scotland (accessed 20 June 2007)
  13. ^ Robert II Undiscovered Scotland (accessed 20 June 2007)
  14. ^ James III Undiscovered Scotland (accessed 20 June 2007)
  15. ^ James IVUndiscovered Scotland (accessed 20 June 2007)
  16. ^ See main article on James: Miller, 240; Waller, 401; MacLeod, 349. MacLeod and Waller say all of James's remains were lost in the French Revolution. The English Illustrated Magazine's article on St. Germain from September 1903 says parts of his bowel interred at the parish church of St. Germain-en-Laye were rediscovered in 1824 and reburied. Hilliam, 205. Hilliam disputes that his remains were either scattered or lost, stating that when revolutionaries broke into the church, they were amazed at the body's preservation and it was put on public exhibition where miracles were said to have happened. Hilliam states that the body was then kept "above ground" until George IV heard about it and ordered the body buried in the parish church of St Germain-en-Laye in 1824.
  17. ^ Helmut Knocke and Hugo Thielen (2007). Mausoleum, in Dirk Böttcher, Klaus Mlynek (Eds.) Hannover Kunst- und Kultur-Lexikon. Handbuch und Stadtführer. Springe: zu Klampen Verlag. ISBN 978-3-934920-53-8 (p.92)
  18. ^ Weir, Alison (1996). Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy, Revised edition. Random House. pp. 272–276. ISBN 0-7126-7448-9.
  19. ^ Westminster Abbey Website (Accessed 1 December 2014)