19-04-21, 23:19
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#88
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re: The ROYALS: Courtiers Who Sneered @ Kate Middleton Now Bow LOW to Her
Inside The Royal Vault Where Prince Philip Will be Buried Until He’s Joined by The Queen
The world watched on as the Duke's coffin disappeared from the view of his wife the Queen, and the 29 others at the service, on an electrically-powered lift platform before being placed in the vault
BBC 19 APR 2021
Prince Philips' coffin is lowered into 200-year-old vault below St George's Chapel
The coffin of King George VI being lowered into the vault (Image: PA)
George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel
An illustration of the vault underneath the chapel (Image: De Agostini via Getty Images)
On Saturday Prince Philip was laid to rest in the 200-year-old Royal Vault beneath St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
The 99-year-old Duke of Edinburgh died on April 9 - just two months before his 100th birthday.
His funeral took place at the chapel but due to coronavirus rules just 30 mourners were allowed to attend.
The world watched on as the Duke's coffin disappeared from the view of the Queen, and the 29 others at the service, on an electrically-powered lift platform.
The coffin then went on a 15-metre long journey through an underground passageway that leads into the Royal Vault
But the Royal Vault will not Philip's final resting place.
When the Queen dies, the Duke of Edinburgh will be transferred to the gothic church’s King George VI memorial chapel to lie alongside his devoted wife of 73 years.
The vault was built between 1810 and 1814 underneath what is now known as the Albert Memorial Chapel .
In 1494 the space underneath held the tomb of Henry VI, then Henry VII and finally Henry VIII before it was abandoned for more than 200 years.
The vault was finally finished 1863 as a memorial to Prince Albert who was the husband of Queen Victoria.
It was first used to bury Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, who died in 1818.
Two years later it was the final resting place for George himself.
George IV was buried in the vault in 1830 and William IV in 1837.
But despite there being space in there for more royals Queen Victoria built herself a mausoleum at Frogmore, in Windsor Great Park.
Edward VII and George V were both interred in freestanding tombs on the floor of St George’s Chapel itself.
A small extension-chapel was made to St George’s, with a vault underneath, which holds the coffin of the Queen's dad George VI.
The Queen Mother and the ashes of Princess Margaret are also there.
The vault is a stone-lined room with a small altar at the far end which measures around 25 metres by seven metres.
Along each wall are shelves to hold coffins.
Close to the entrance of the vault is a plinth on which the latest arrival is placed.
The coffin will either be moved to either a side-shelf or final interment elsewhere in the room.
It was originally lit with oil-lamps but this was changed to an electric light at the beginning of 20th century.
It has not received a ‘permanent resident’ since 1930 but the vault is used during royal funerals at Windsor.
After the funeral service of a royal the coffin is usually lowered via the electrically-driven platform down to the corridor and into the vault.
The coffin will remain there until transferred to its final burial place.
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