Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the College of St George

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh leaving St George’s Chapel following Easter Day Mattins in 2016 accompanied by the Right Reverend David Conner, Dean of Windsor.

The Queen was closely involved with the life of St George’s.

Installed as a member of the Order of the Garter by her father King George VI in 1948, Her Majesty attended an annual service of thanksgiving on Garter Day most years. There were other occasions when The Queen came to St George’s including many Christmas Day and Easter Day services. Four times during her reign she distributed the Royal Maundy in the Chapel to recipients from across the UK.

Her Majesty in 1959, accompanied by the Right Reverend Eric Hamilton, Dean of Windsor.

The Queen distributing The Royal Maundy in 2016. Joint ©The Royal Collection and the Dean & Canons of Windsor.

Royal Victorian Order Services, attended by The Queen, took place every four years since 1978 onwards. There were also many family occasions such as the confirmation of The Duke of Cambridge in 1997; the weddings of three of her grandchildren (Peter Phillips, The Duke of Sussex and Princess Eugenie) and the funeral of The Queen’s late husband, Prince Philip in 2021.

Her Majesty visited St George’s School several times during her reign, opened the newly refurbished Chapel Archives in 1999 and attended the opening of St George’s House in 1966. The Archives, the School and the House are part of the College of St George.

Living and working together

The College of St George is at its heart a community of people who live and work together to offer worship to God, prayers for the Sovereign and the Order of the Garter, service to society and hospitality to visitors. The College was founded in 1348 in the same year as the Order of the Garter and now consists of St George’s House, St George’s School, the Military Knights of Windsor, the Chapter Library & Archives as well as, at the centre, St George’s Chapel. The buildings owned and occupied by the College of St George take up a quarter of Windsor Castle together with the school buildings outside the north wall.

The Queen with the Military Knights of Windsor in 1995.

The Queen with the Dean & Canons of Windsor at the opening of the newly refurbished St George’s Chapel Archives in 1999.

St George’s Chapel

St George’s Chapel sits within the walls of Windsor Castle. The Chapel was begun by King Edward IV in 1475 and finished just over 50 years later by King Henry VIII.

St George’s Chapel is the home of the Order of the Garter. This Order of Chivalry was founded by King Edward III in 1348. The banners of the current Knights and Ladies of the Order hang above their seats in the Quire, the eastern part of St George’s Chapel.

Media enquiries

For press accreditation please see www.royal.uk.

Condolence books

For the latest information and announcements from Buckingham Palace, and to send an online message of condolence, visit the Royal Family website at www.royal.uk.

Consultations at St George’s House

If you are due to attend a consultation at St George’s House in the near future please telephone 01753 848848 or visit www.stgeorgeshouse.org.

Contacting St George’s School

If you need to contact St George’s School please telephone 01753 865553 or see www.stgwindsor.org.

The State Funeral in Westminster Abbey and The Committal Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle

For details please visit www.royal.uk.

Committal Order of Service

The Committal Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, took place at 16:00 on Monday 19 September.  Download a copy of the Order of Service here.

Watch the Committal Service

See the BBC coverage of the journey of The Queen’s coffin to Windsor, the procession to St George’s Chapel and the Committal Service here.

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The King's Free Chapel. The Chapel of the Most Honourable and Noble Order of the Garter. The Chapel of the College of St George.