3113 S Elm St Grand Prairie School District

Following much anticipation around Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding arrangements, we now know the couple will marry on 19 May at St George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

It might not be as grand as Westminster Abbey or St Paul's Cathedral, but the venue is steeped in royal history. Here's what we can learn about the 15th century church before the big day.

1. The term chapel is deceptive, as St George's is more like a cathedral in size. It occupies a large part of the Lower Ward of Windsor Castle and has been hailed as one of the finest displays of Gothic architecture in Britain today.

2. Although the chapel is known as St George's, it is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Edward the Confessor as well as England's patron saint, according to the chapel's website. King Edward III founded the Most Noble Order of the Garter in 1348 and in the same year founded the College of St George 'to the praise of God and in honour of Blessed Mary, St George and St Edward'.

3. Construction of the chapel began in 1475 by Edward IV. It was completed in 1528 under the reign of Henry VIII.

4. The chapel is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, an order of chivalry established in 1348 by Edward III. Every June, the Garter Day procession takes place at Windsor Castle, accompanied by a marching band and Officers of the Order, who attend alongside the Queen and the royal family wearing grand ceremonial dress.

5. It's an important place for pilgrimage. Today, only Henry VI's tomb remains among the early pilgrim sites in the south-east corner of the chapel.

6. The chapel is the resting place for 10 former monarchs, including Henry VIII, Charles I, George III, Edward VII and George V. Since George III built the Royal Vault, members of the royal family have been interred there, or buried at Frogmore in the grounds of Windsor Castle. Prince Harry's great-grandparents, King George VI, and the Queen Mother were laid to rest in the chapel, as was Princess Margaret. It is also the planned burial site for the Queen.

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7. Queen Victoria made significant changes to the chapel after Prince Albert's death in 1861. She commissioned George Gilbert Scott to create the Albert Memorial Chapel in tribute to her late husband.

8. It has a capacity of around 800 (compared to 2,000 at Westminster Abbey), making it a popular choice for smaller scale royal weddings.

9. Over a dozen royal weddings have taken place at the chapel. The first royal nuptials were between Princess Alexandra of Denmark and the future King Edward VII in 1863. In, 2005, Prince Charles and Camilla had a blessing service at the Chapel, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, after they married in a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall. The last royal wedding took place in 2008, when Peter Philips (son of Princess Anne) tied the knot to Autumn Kelly.

10. Royal baptisms have also been held there. Prince Harry was christened in the chapel in 1984 when he was three months old. Prince William's confirmation took place in a service at the chapel a few years later in 1997.

11. Although St George's is on the Queen's doorstep at Windsor, she normally attends the more private Chapel of All Saints in the grounds of Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park.

12. The chapel is a working church. It is usually open to the public, who are free to attend the weekday and Sunday services.

(Images: Getty)

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3113 S Elm St Grand Prairie School District

Source: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/news/a575296/st-georges-chapel-windsor-castle-facts/

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