Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral are two separate buildings. Westminster Abbey is an Anglican Church, whereas Westminster Cathedral is a Roman Catholic one. The two buildings are separated by 400m not to mention almost 1,000 years of history, with Westminster Cathedral consecrated in 1910.

Westminster Abbey is a Protestant church, specifically part of the Church of England (Anglican). Since the English Reformation in the 16th century, when King Henry VIII broke away from the Roman Catholic Church, the Abbey has served as a primary site for the Anglican faith. Historically, it was a Benedictine monastic foundation (Catholic) from its inception until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539. Today, its official status is a "Royal Peculiar," meaning it is not subject to a bishop or archbishop but is under the direct jurisdiction of the British Monarch. While it retains many traditional "high church" ceremonial elements that might appear visually similar to Catholic liturgy—such as the use of incense, choral music, and ornate vestments—it remains firmly Protestant in its theology and its role as the coronation and burial site for the British Sovereign.