Few moments in modern history have felt as universal as the day the world learned Queen Elizabeth II had died. Even with decades of preparation, the news of 8 September 2022 landed like a sudden stillness. This article looks at the verified details of her final days at Balmoral, her 70-year reign, and the often-speculated relationship with Meghan Markle—all grounded in official records and credible reporting.

4 related posts

Years Reigned: 70 years 214 days ·
Age at Death: 96 ·
Children: 4 ·
Date of Death: 8 September 2022 ·
State Funeral: 19 September 2022

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Her private thoughts on Meghan Markle were never publicly stated
  • Exact details of her final moments remain private
  • Whether she experienced any pain before death (one book says she did not)
3Timeline signal
  • 6 September: Met Liz Truss at Balmoral (Wikipedia article on death and funeral)
  • 8 September: Died at Balmoral (Wikipedia article on death and funeral)
  • 19 September: State funeral at Westminster Abbey (Wikipedia article on death and funeral)
4What’s next
  • Prince Charles immediately became King Charles III (Wikipedia article on death and funeral)
  • The monarchy continues under a new reign (Wikipedia article on death and funeral)

Seven key facts offer a quick orientation to the late Queen’s official biography.

Full name Elizabeth Alexandra Mary
Father King George VI
Mother Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
Spouse Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Accession 6 February 1952
Coronation 2 June 1953
Prime ministers served 15

The pattern here is a monarch whose public record is detailed but whose final days remain partially private.

What did the Queen do two days before she died?

On Tuesday, 6 September 2022, Elizabeth II was still working. She performed her constitutional duty by accepting the resignation of Boris Johnson and appointing Liz Truss as the new Prime Minister. The meeting took place at Balmoral Castle, not Buckingham Palace, as the Queen’s mobility had become limited (Wikipedia article on royal events). Photographs from that day showed her standing with a walking stick, smiling but frail.

Was the Queen in bed when she died?

Yes, according to the official announcement. Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Queen “died peacefully” at Balmoral (Wikipedia article on palace statement). Her death was not unexpected; her doctors had placed her under medical supervision earlier that morning.

What was Elizabeth II’s cause of death?

The death certificate, released on 29 September 2022, lists the cause as “Old Age” (NIH medical journal analysis). Medical experts note that doctors are normally instructed not to record “old age” on modern death certificates, making this an unusual and notable entry. Some biographers, including Gyles Brandreth, have claimed she suffered from multiple myeloma (bone marrow cancer), but this was not listed on the certificate (Wikipedia article on secondary claims).

Bottom line: Elizabeth II performed her final official duty on 6 September and died peacefully two days later. The official cause of death was old age, with no secondary illness listed.
Why this matters

The decision to list “Old Age” rather than a specific disease preserves the Queen’s privacy and keeps her medical details out of public record, a privilege the institution of monarchy still commands.

The implication: the monarchy’s control over narrative extended even to the death certificate, a rare modern exception to medical transparency.

Did the late Queen like Meghan Markle?

This question has fueled endless speculation, especially after Meghan and Prince Harry stepped back from royal duties in 2020. No official public statement from Elizabeth II ever evaluated Meghan personally. The closest she came was a carefully worded statement after the Oprah Winfrey interview in March 2021, which said that the issues raised were “concerning” and would be addressed privately (Wikipedia article on royal response).

What did Queen Elizabeth really think of Meghan Markle?

Palace insiders have offered conflicting accounts. Some describe the Queen as initially welcoming but later frustrated by the couple’s decision to leave. Others say she remained detached and focused on constitutional stability. The truth is that no first-person record exists—Elizabeth II kept her opinions private (Wikipedia article on biographies context).

The paradox

The Queen’s silence on Meghan Markle is itself a form of evidence: it shows that the monarch placed institutional continuity above personal disclosure, leaving historians to read between the lines of palace statements.

The implication: the relationship, if it can be called that, was never an interpersonal bond but a constitutional one. For readers wanting a clear verdict, the honest answer is that we do not know.

Who are Elizabeth II’s children?

Elizabeth II and Prince Philip had four children, each of whom remains a public figure today.

  • Charles III (born 1948) – succeeded as king immediately upon her death (Wikipedia article on succession)
  • Anne, Princess Royal (born 1950)
  • Prince Andrew, Duke of York (born 1960)
  • Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh (born 1964)

Who was Elizabeth II’s father?

Her father was King George VI, who reigned from 1936 until his death in 1952. He was the unexpected king after his brother Edward VIII abdicated (Wikipedia article on George VI).

What was Elizabeth II’s full name?

Her full name was Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (Wikipedia article on biography). She was born on 21 April 1926 at 17 Bruton Street in London.

The implication: the family tree of the House of Windsor is small but each member carries a distinct public role.

How old was Elizabeth II when she died?

Elizabeth II was 96 years old when she died on 8 September 2022. She was born on 21 April 1926 (Wikipedia article on birth and death dates).

What was her reign length?

She reigned for 70 years and 214 days, the longest of any British monarch. She acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952 (Wikipedia article on reign length).

The implication: the longevity of her reign makes her death a generational punctuation mark.

What happened at the state funeral of Elizabeth II?

The state funeral took place on Monday, 19 September 2022, at Westminster Abbey. Before the funeral, the Queen’s coffin lay in state at Westminster Hall from 14 to 19 September, where hundreds of thousands of mourners filed past (Wikipedia article on lying in state). The coffin was then taken to Windsor Castle, where a committal service was held at St George’s Chapel. Later that day, in a private ceremony, she was interred in the King George VI Memorial Chapel alongside her husband, Prince Philip (Wikipedia article on burial).

Bottom line: The state funeral was a massive logistical operation that drew world leaders and millions of mourners. For the UK, it marked the formal end of the second Elizabethan era.

The implication: the scale of the funeral reflected both the reverence for the Queen and the institutional weight of the monarchy.

Timeline of the final months

  • – Birth
  • – Accession
  • – Coronation
  • – Death at Balmoral
  • – State funeral

What we know for sure – and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Elizabeth II died at 15:10 BST on 8 September 2022 at Balmoral Castle (Wikipedia article on death and funeral)
  • Cause of death: Old Age (NIH medical journal analysis)
  • She lay in state in Westminster Hall from 14–19 September (Wikipedia article on death and funeral)
  • She was interred with Prince Philip in the King George VI Memorial Chapel (Wikipedia article on death and funeral)

What’s unclear

  • Whether she had multiple myeloma (claimed by Boris Johnson and Gyles Brandreth but not on death certificate)
  • Her personal feelings about Meghan Markle
  • The exact moments of her last hours

Quotes from those who knew her world

“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.”

— Official statement from Buckingham Palace, 8 September 2022 (Wikipedia article on death and funeral)

“According to a new book, she died peacefully and without pain.”

— Author of a book on the Queen’s final days (as reported in multiple outlets)

For the Royal Family, the transition was both personal and institutional. The weight of a 70-year reign does not lift overnight, and the new king faces the challenge of modernizing the monarchy while honoring its traditions.

Additional sources

rmg.co.uk, youtube.com

The official cause of death, listed as “old age” on her death certificate, is detailed in official cause of death.

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Frequently asked questions

Who was Elizabeth II’s husband?

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whom she married in 1947 and who died in 2021.

What was Elizabeth II’s mother’s name?

Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

Is there an Elizabeth III?

No. The current monarch is King Charles III. There is no Elizabeth III.

How many prime ministers did Elizabeth II serve?

She served 15 prime ministers, from Winston Churchill to Liz Truss.

What was the name of Elizabeth II’s favorite corgi?

She owned many corgis over the years. Her first corgi was named Susan, and later generations descended from her.

What was the date of Elizabeth II’s coronation?

2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey.

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