The Princess Royal, the queen’s only daughter, was at her side when Elizabeth took her last breath. While King Charles and now Queen Camilla spent time with her that morning, they were on their way back when they were given the news via a phone call. Earlier that day, Charles had called his sons Prince William and Prince Harry, urging them to travel up to Scotland to say their goodbyes, believing there was time.
As members of the royal family made their way to the estate, she tragically died before they arrived.
Her Majesty’s final days
In her final days, the queen carried on with duty as she appointed Liz Truss as the next Prime Minister on September 6.
She also saw out former Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a meeting at Balmoral.
The day before her death, Buckingham Palace confirmed the queen had cancelled a virtual engagement – a video call for a privy council meeting. It had caused some concern, as it wasn’t a regular occurrence, but doctors had advised her not to go ahead with it and to rest instead.
It later transpired that all those attending the virtual meeting were only told she was cancelling the engagement at the time it was meant to take place – 6pm. Then Prime Minister Liz Truss was told that the queen’s condition may worsen.
By 7am the following morning, the day she died, the queen’s helicopter from Windsor Castle took the Prince of Wales to Elizabeth. He travelled from Dumfries House in Ayshire, to Balmoral.
Queen Elizabeth II’s final hours
Charles arrived shortly before 10.30am, with the then Duchess of Cornwall (Camilla), being driven from nearby Birkhall to join him.
Princess Anne was already in Scotland on royal engagements, and she was already there.
At 12.32pm, Buckingham Palace released a statement: “The queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision. The queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”
28 minutes later and the palace announced that Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie were on their way to Scotland.
At 2pm, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released a statement too. They were in the UK to attend the WellChild Awards ceremony and staying at Frogmore Cottage during their visit. They said they would also be heading to Scotland.
Charles, who is now King, and his wife Camilla were at the Queen’s bedside earlier that day. They left Anne by her side while they went out to pick mushrooms so she could have time with her mother. When they were driving back, Charles received a call and pulled over to take it. This was when he was told his mother had passed, and he was now the next monarch.
However, a couple hours later, it emerged that Kate Middleton was not travelling up to Balmoral, and news came that Meghan would not be by Harry’s side either.
Buckingham Palace confirmed Her Majesty died “peacefully” at Balmoral on the afternoon of September 8, at around 3.10pm.
Allowing members of the family to arrive and spend time with her, the palace did not release the news to the world for a few more hours. Sadly, William, Andrew, Edward and Sophie arrived after she had passed.
However, Prince Harry arrived at Balmoral in the evening, as he found it difficult to get on a flight quick enough. In his memoir Spare, he explained that as his phone was switched off while he was in the air, his father’s calls didn’t come through. Harry found out his grandmother died through a BBC News Alert after he landed.
In a statement at 6.30pm, the palace said: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
“The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
Read more: Queen Elizabeth II’s honest admission about ‘regrets’ in her final days
Queen Elizabeth II’s death was a ‘moment of great sadness’
Shortly after, Charles released a statement on his mother’s passing.
The king said: “The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.
“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother.”
He added: “I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.
“During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held.”
