The Queen’s death has shocked millions of people around the United Kingdom and beyond. However, the Queen knew she would not live forever and for the last few years of her life was preparing for this possibility.
Now information is coming out pointing toward her knowing this would be her last visit to her beloved Balmoral residence…
The Queen passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 8 at her Balmoral residence in Scotland. She was 96 years old at the time of her passing and most would say had lived an incredibly full life.
At 96 years old, the Queen left behind a major legacy for her public but also left behind her beloved family. She was a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to many, who are now mourning her loss.
Right Reverend Dr. Iain Greenshields saw the Queen on what would be her final weekend and reported that during the weekend, she had been full of life and a wonderful host to him.
The Scottish Clergyman delivered sermons to Crathie Kirk, where the Queen prayed when she was at Balmoral. He reported having lunch and dinner with her and the now King Charles, where the Queen had been full of life and in good spirits.
During their dinner, the Queen remembered her previous visits to Balmoral. She talked of her horses and places, as well as people she missed dearly. Greenshields said he was surprised at her sharp memory even at her age.
PA Media photographer Jane Barlow was the person who took the last publicly available photograph of the Queen. It was when the Queen was meeting the newly appointed Prime Minister Liz Truss. She recalled that while the Queen looked a little frail, she seemed to be in good spirits and smiled throughout.
The Royal Family’s Balmoral property is located in the highland estate of Aberdeenshire and has served as a refuge for many royals. The Queen has been visiting the property since her childhood and enjoys it quite a lot. She flew to Balmoral for the last time on July 21 and she remained there as she started having issues with her mobility.
The Queen usually has audiences with Prime Ministers at Buckingham Palace but chose to meet the newly appointed Liz Truss at her Balmoral estate; perhaps knowing she would not be leaving the location.
Royal expert Katie Nicholl said she suspects that Queen Elizabeth knew her days were numbered and hence chose to spend her final days in her beloved Balmoral estate.
Nicholl spoke to Huw Edwards on BBC saying the Queen likely expected to pass away while at Balmoral this time around. She perhaps chose her Scottish estate because it brought her peace and she could ‘leave her crowd’ at the gate and just be herself; a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
Nicholl said, “I think she wanted to be in Balmoral, and she wanted to pass there. And the fact that she did peacefully is actually a blessing in all of this.”
The Royal family’s affinity for their sprawling Balmoral estate is well known and recorded. Queen Elizabeth often described it as her favorite place on earth, with her granddaughter Princess Eugenie making similar remarks about it to the press.
The estate perhaps also held sentimental value for the Queen as she spent part of her honeymoon in 1947 with Prince Philip at Birkal, which is a hunting lounge on the grounds of the estate.
While she was a Queen to millions, she was also a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to a few. She shared close relationships with her entire brood.
Prince William would often commend his grandmother’s fierce spirit. He once told journalist Katie Couric that when the Queen ascended to the throne, it had previously only been inhabited by male heirs but she did not let this intimidate her and did a cracking job at it!
She was incredibly close to her four children, who have been seen as mournful ever since her passing. One particular image of the four children following their mother’s coffin to St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburg portrays them as incredibly morose.
It is quite comforting to know the Queen lived a full life and passed away at her favorite place on earth surrounded by those she loved.
Our hearts and well-wishes go out to everyone mourning the loss of the Queen.
