It was a rainy morning in September 2022, and an ailing Queen Elizabeth II was determined to carry out her duties until the very end.
Her late Majesty insisted on appointing her fifteenth and final Prime Minister Liz Truss, despite suggestions she could delegate to her son Charles, Prince of Wales.
The official photograph, which turned out to be the last, showed Queen Elizabeth II shaking her Prime Minister’s hand and leaning on a walking stick – her frailty masked by that famous beaming smile.
Behind the scenes, it appears close family members were aware Britain’s longest-serving monarch was in her final days.
It was a rainy morning in September 2022, and an ailing Queen Elizabeth II was determined to carry out her duties until the very end.
Getty
The late Queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, has revealed her mother thought it would be “difficult” if she passed away at Balmoral Castle.
The Princess Royal was speaking as part of a new BBC documentary ‘Charles III: The Coronation Year’, which airs on Boxing Day.
Princess Anne said: “I think there was a moment when she felt that it would be more difficult if she died at Balmoral. And I think we did try and persuade her that that shouldn’t be part of the decision making process.”
She continued: “So I hope she felt that that was right in the end because I think we did.”
The Princess Royal was speaking as part of a new BBC documentary ‘Charles III: The Coronation Year’, which airs on Boxing Day.
Getty
So, it appears, the late Queen did not want her death to be an inconvenience or a burden on her nearest and dearest, maybe because of the logistical challenges involved if the Queen was to die in Scotland.
But plans had been in place for her to die at Balmoral for some time, and it is understood the Queen’s private preference was to spend her last moments in the tranquillity of her beloved Scotland retreat.
Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at Balmoral Castle at 3:10pm on 8th September 2022, with her two oldest children (Prince Charles and Princess Anne) by her side.
Operation Unicorn was already prepared and gave the people of Scotland the chance to pay their final respects.
A long drive transporting Her Late Majesty’s coffin from Aberdeenshire to Edinburgh saw thousands of people line the roads in tribute.
A row of farmers, side by side in their tractors, paid their respects, as well as a dozen horse riders – the late Queen was also known for her love of all things equine.
Queen Elizabeth served the United Kingdom, her other realms and territories, and Commonwealth nations until the very end of her life.
Getty
Members of the public also had a chance to mourn the loss of their monarch by viewing her coffin lying at rest inside Edinburgh’s St Giles cathedral, before an RAF C-17 Globemaster flew her coffin back to London – a poignant nod to the late Queen’s former role as Head of the Armed Forces.
In the end, the 11-day period between Queen Elizabeth’s death and her committal service inside St George’s Chapel, Windsor, ran smoothly.
The Princess Royal said she felt “relief” when the Imperial State Crown was lifted off the late Queen’s coffin, which symbolised the transfer of responsibilities to the new King Charles III.
Queen Elizabeth served the United Kingdom, her other realms and territories, and Commonwealth nations until the very end of her life.
It appears duty, and other people always came before herself.
