The 96-year-old Elizabeth had realized that her end was approaching and had made sure to leave her last orders and wishes in writing
The last dramatic hours at Balmoral Castle on the day of Queen Elizabeth’s death, September 8, 2022, the Daily Mail has revealed, according to a handwritten note-diary of her personal secretary, Edward Young, who was with her until the end.
According to the note, the 96-year-old Queen died in her sleep “very peacefully. It slipped away. Old man. He wouldn’t notice anything. No pain.”
Young’s manuscript – which is held at the Royal Archives – had not been made public until the newspaper’s revelation. It is part of a new biography of King Charles, entitled “Charles III: New King, New Court”. The Inside Story’, written by the Mail’s royal editor Robert Hardman.
Charles and the sealed letters
Prince Charles was informed of her deteriorating health and left for Scotland so suddenly that the palace people did not even have time to prepare his car.
The current King and Queen Camilla arrived and spent an hour alone with the dying Elizabeth before she passed out. Charles called William and Harry to rush to Scotland but, even then, Charles believed that his mother would make it and live a few days.
In fact, at one point he left the room for a while to take a walk in the garden, and then Elizabeth breathed her last.
From Balmoral they phoned Charles’ aide-de-camp, who then called him ‘Your Majesty’ to deliver the news – a sign that he was now king.
According to the Mail, shortly after Sir Edward wrote his note, a servant brought in a locked red box containing papers found on Queen Elizabeth’s deathbed.
Inside the box were two sealed letters from the deceased: one addressed to her son and heir, the current King Charles III, and the other to Sir Edward, the Mail reports.
This suggests that 96-year-old Elizabeth was aware that her end was near – although their contents are unlikely to ever be made public.
The box also contained the last job she had to do as Queen: selecting candidates for the prestigious Order of Merit for their meritorious services across the Commonwealth.
“Even on her deathbed, she had work to do. And she did,” Hardman writes, highlighting Elizabeth’s unparalleled devotion to duty.
Source :Skai
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