Queen Elizabeth the II, who ruled Great Britain for the longest time, passed away.
Although the precise cause of death has not been disclosed, Buckingham Palace confirmed on Thursday that she had been placed under medical observation at home because her health had “raised concerns.” There were rumours that the royal family was gathering at her Scottish estate, Balmoral.
The Royal Family stated in a statement released later on Thursday, “The Queen passed away peacefully this afternoon at Balmoral. The King and the Queen Consort will spend this evening and tomorrow in Balmoral before departing for London.”
Elizabeth, who was crowned at age 25 after the passing of her father, King George VI, in 1952, was born on April 21, 1926.
Current Health Issues
The queen had been in poor health lately, despite being in good condition well into her 90s.
She contracted COVID-19 in late February, which she said left “one very drained and exhausted,” in a video call with health workers.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, paid the queen a visit in mid-April – the pair’s first visit to Windsor Castle since their dramatic exit — which had many wondering if the late monarch’s health was declining.
She also skipped a number of traditional royal occasions this year, including the Easter Sunday service at St. George’s Chapel, citing mobility issues.
Liz Truss, the freshly elected prime minister, was however greeted by Elizabeth on Tuesday at Balmoral.
The queen had only made three brief hospital stays in the previous 20 years and had been in good health for a long time. After the passing of Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years, on April 9, 2021—less than two weeks before her 95th birthday—that started to change.
The queen abruptly postponed a trip to Northern Ireland six months later, in October 2021, due to exhaustion, according to palace staff, and was sent to the hospital the following day. She spent the night there before being freed. Her participation in all ceremonies and public engagements was abruptly cancelled for the next two weeks. There was no justification or prognosis given.
The Secrets of Her Agelessness
Queen Elizabeth lived a rather low-key existence while being one of the richest people in the world. Her well-known modest lifestyle may have contributed to her longevity. She never made any public remarks about her nutrition, exercise, sleeping patterns, or other parts of her daily life, but it seems like she followed a regimen that organically improved her health.
The queen’s diet was remarkably uncomplicated. She reportedly began each morning with an Earl Grey tea, followed by a bowl of cereal or yoghurt and frequently toast spread with jam for breakfast. Lunch and dinner, unless she was attending a formal event, both consisted of simply cooked protein: grilled chicken or fish with salad for lunch and game (such as pheasant or venison) or more fish with no starch for dinner. I’m done now.That’s all she has,” Darren McGrady, a former royal chef, said to CNN in 2017. She has a strict upbringing like that. Although she could have had anything she desired, her discipline is what keeps her so well and in such good health.
However, the queen did enjoy occasional, modest indulgences. She was reported to routinely consume alcohol and enjoyed afternoon tea with finger sandwiches and cake between lunch and dinner.
Elizabeth didn’t follow a set fitness plan. Instead, she made time for exercise in her daily life, usually by going for walks with her cherished corgis or riding horses on royal grounds. She regularly got adequate sleep, which also helped her stay healthy. She made an effort to get to bed by 11 p.m., but woke up at 7:30 a.m.
According to Bryan Kozlowski, author of Long Live the Queen!, “mental practises and particular ways of thinking — about food or exercise or work or leisure — make her the down-to-earth woman she is today.” In 2020, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch provided Good Housekeeping with 23 rules for living. This makes following her lifestyle “secrets” in day-to-day living “a shockingly easy (and free!) joy”
Kozlowski listed a few additional elements that contributed to her continued mental and physical health long into her nineties, including:
- Staying engaged. Every year, the queen made dozens of public engagements, and each day she would spend hours poring over a big red box of official documents.
- Giving back Elizabeth was renowned for her sense of purpose from the moment she ascended to the throne. She tried to set an example by giving to several charity.
- Setting aside time to rest. Despite the fact that Elizabeth was the head of the British monarchy and frequently had a lot on her plate, she made time for outdoor activities by travelling frequently to her country estates. Even her afternoon tea offered a daily stress-relieving break.
Having lost her father, uncle, grandpa, great-grandfather, and ultimately her sister to smoking-related ailments, Elizabeth apparently never smoked a cigarette in her life. This is another potential contributing factor.
In addition to her son Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward, Elizabeth is also survived by a sizable number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
