Queen 'slipped away' and 'felt no pain' in final moments according to new memo

12 January 2024 , 19:11

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Details of the late Queen's final moments have been revealed in a new book (Image: PA)

Intimate details of the Queen's passing have been revealed by a never-before-seen memo passed around Palace hands after her death.

Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, and senior members of staff recorded the lead-up and aftermath of the Royal Family figurehead's death. The memo, written up by her private secretary Sir Edward Young, confirmed the Queen had "slipped away" at Balmoral, with the document now placed in the Royal Archives.

It had not been published until today. The insider account is one of only a few privy to the knowledge of the Queen's health battle, with Sir Edward noting her death in the note.

Queen Elizabeth II waiting in the Drawing Room before receiving Liz Truss for an audience at Balmoral in 2022 (PA)

The note reads: "Very peaceful. In her sleep. Slipped away. Old age. She wouldn't have been aware of anything. No pain." The note makes up part of an upcoming biography titled Charles III: New King, New Court. The Inside Story. This new biography of King Charles alleges when the footman opened a red box of paperwork on the Queen's deathbed, two letters were found.

One was addressed to King Charles while the other was written out to Sir Edward, with the contents never likely to make it into the public domain. The biography's author Robert Hardman wrote: "Even on her deathbed, there had been work to do. And she had done it." Further details about the lead-up and fallout of the Queen's death are now being revealed, including a claim over who she spent her final hours with.

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King Charles and Queen Camilla are believed to have spent an hour with the late Queen while she lay on her deathbed, while Princess Anne and confidante Angela Kelly alternated at her bedside. Prince William and Prince Harry were urged to travel up to Scotland so they could say their final goodbyes, though at this time it was believed the Queen had days, not hours, to live.

Further claims were made over the travel plans of the pair of princes, with Prince Harry allegedly told Meghan Markle was not welcome at the deathbed. Kate Middleton had elected to stay away from Balmoral as the royal children were in need of preparing for the new school term, though King Charles did not tell his youngest son the Princess of Wales had chosen not to attend.

Ewan Gleadow