Revealed: Queen Elizabeth II's final moments and the touching vigil of her family
Queen Elizabeth, till the end, was held in high regard around the world. She was Great Britain's longest-reigning monarch, ruling for nearly 70 years, following her ascension to the throne in 1952. She lived until the age of 96 and enjoyed a healthy life for a considerable period.
News that on September 8, 2022, the Queen's health had taken a drastic turn for the worse shocked the world. Soon after, another piece of tragic news emerged. Queen Elizabeth passed away in the afternoon at the residence in Balmoral, Scotland.
"The Queen passed away peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and Queen Consort will remain in Balmoral this evening, returning to London tomorrow," Buckingham Palace announced in a brief statement.
In the weeks following the Queen's death, there was extensive speculation about the cause. However, it was not until three weeks later that the entire death certificate was made public. The "cause of death" was stated as "old age."
Notes from the Queen's private secretary revealed
Sir Edward Young, the Queen's dedicated private secretary, was with her till the end. His notes chronicling the last moments of the Queen's life are included in Robert Hardman's book "Charles III: New King, New Court. The Inside Story."
Shortly after Queen Elizabeth's death, Sir Edward Young wrote a few succinct sentences:
"Very peaceful. In sleep. Slipped away. Old age. She wasn't aware of anything. No pain," he noted (quoting news.sky.com).
The document which contains these official notes written by the Queen's secretary is currently archived in the Royal Archives.
The book also reveals that King Charles (present) and his wife Camilla, were watching over the Queen's bed for an hour as she lay dying. Also present were the Princess Anne - Queen's daughter, Angela Kelly - Queen's dresser, a member from the Queen's closest circle, and Pastor Kenneth McKenzie.
Upon realizing that his mother was passing, King Charles called Prince William and Prince Harry, urging them to reach Scotland to bid farewell to their grandmother as soon as possible.
Though the Queen passed away at 10:10 AM Eastern Time, the official announcement of her death was not made public until more than three hours later.
