Tomb of King Henry VII

Images of Britain: Tomb of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, Westminster Abbey, London

Gilt bronze recumbent effigies of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York in the Lady Chapel © Hiro Taniguchi. — Gilt bronze recumbent effigies of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York in the Lady Chapel © Hiro Taniguchi

The tomb of Henry VII and his Queen, Elizabeth of York lies in the Lady Chapel in Westminster Abbey in central London.

It was Henry VII who built this magnificent chapel and he and his queen are laid to rest in a vault under the floor as opposed to a raised tomb chest. The effigies of the royal couple are the work of Italian sculptor Pietro Torrigiano. The grill surrounding the effigies is by Thomas Ducheman.

Henry Tudor (1457-1509) was the grandfather of the Tudor dynasty and the father of possibly England's most (in)famous king, Henry VIII. He came to power after a rebellion to overthrow Richard III ended in his victory at the Battle of Bosworth near Leicester.

The Lady Chapel is where 15 kings and queens are buried. They include Henry VII, Elizabeth I, Mary I, Edward VI, Mary Queen of Scots, James VI and possibly Edward V and Richard Duke of York, known as the "Princes in the Tower." In the Hanoverian vault lie George II and members of his family. Charles II, William III and Mary II, and Queen Anne lie in the Stuart vault.