Queen Elizabeth II's poignant 'final wish' over her great-grandchildren before her death 'revealed'
The late queen spent her final summer at Balmoral in ScotlandA new book about Queen Elizabeth II has revealed some poignant details on the late monarch’s final months before her death.
According to Robert Hardman’s new biography, Queen Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story, the late monarch made one request over her great-grandchildren in the weeks before her death.
Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Her death was confirmed as old age. She had celebrated her 70 years on the throne earlier that year.
In the weeks before her death, the queen spent her summer break at Balmoral. She traditionally spent the summer at the Scottish estate.
Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘wish’ over her great-grandchildren
According to Hardman, the queen wanted all of her great-grandchildren to visit Balmoral over the summer.
Queen Elizabeth II was a great-grandmother to Peter Phillips’ daughters Savannah and Isla Phillips, Prince William’s children George, Charlotte and Louis as well as Zara Tindall’s kids Mia, Lena and Lucas.
She was also a great-grandmother to Prince Harry’s children Archie and Lilibet, Princess Eugenie’s son August as well as Princess Beatrice’s daughter Sienna.
Two more great-grandchildren were born after the queen’s death: Eugenie’s second son Ernest and Beatrice’s second daughter, Athena.
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Hardman writes in his book: “The queen wanted all the great-grandchildren to come up to Balmoral at some point over that summer, even if the Sussexes might not be able to make it.
“‘She wanted to make sure that they all had a really happy memory of her,’ explained a friend of the family.”
Royal Insider has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.
The queen’s final days before her death
Days before her death, Queen Elizabeth II remained dedicated to duty.
On September 6, 2022, two days before her death, the queen met with Liz Truss as she was appointed the 15th British prime minister of the monarch’s reign.
The queen wanted all the great-grandchildren to come up to Balmoral at some point over that summer.
Truss told Hardman: “She stood up to greet me. She was clearly physically not very well but we talked for about twenty minutes. She was alert. I would say she was relieved that the thing had actually happened and that we were now moving things forward.”
How the death of Queen Elizabeth II was announced
Buckingham Palace announced her death via a statement, which was broadcast on TV.
How the palace announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II
The statement read: "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."
Shortly after, the new King Charles III issued a statement on the death of his mother.
It read: "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. 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."
When did Queen Elizabeth II's funeral take place?
Following her death, a period of national mourning took place until September 19. Her state funeral then took place in London.
During this time, the queen's coffin travelled from Scotland to London. The queen lay in state in Westminster Hall from September 14 to 19, 2022.
Her state funeral took place at Westminster Abbey in London on the morning of September 19. King Charles, members of the royal family and members of the royal household followed the queen's coffin on foot.
The funeral was attended by many world leaders and was watched by millions around the globe.
A photo taken of the meeting showed Queen Elizabeth II smiling, wearing a tartan skirt and a grey cardigan, as she held a walking stick. It became the last photo taken of the monarch.
Days after the meeting, Buckingham Palace announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II as the UK was plunged into mourning.
Her state funeral took place on September 19, 2022, as the royal family and the public bid farewell to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
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