Chapels Royal

Chapels Royal are certain of the domestic chapels attached to palaces of the English Crown - two, an Anglican and a Lutheran, at St. James's palace, one at Whitehall, and minor chapels at Kensington and Hampton Court palaces. The name is also applied to the chapel of the Savoy, originally a palace chapel, which, however, is under the direct control of the Crown. The rest are governed by a dean, who is always the Bishop of London, and a sub-dean, and have other officials attached. Preachers in Lent are selected by the dean and approved by the Crown. The Boyle lectures (q.v.) were appointed to be delivered at the Chapel Royal, Whitehall. This latter was built by Inigo Jones for James I. as a banqueting hall, and converted into a chapel under George I. The Maundy alms (q.v.) were distributed there by the Sovereign. In October, 1890, this chapel was closed in conformity with the recommendation of the Chapels Royal Commission.