Since Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, died peacefully at Balmoral on Thursday 8 September, there has been much speculation online about the 96-year-old’s death.
The Queen’s final duty on Tuesday 6 September was greeting the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, at Balmoral—where many were comforted by the monarch looking cheerful despite reports of ill health.
Over the past year, Queen Elizabeth has repeatedly been reported to be struggling with ‘mobility issues’ that led to her cancelling her traditional welcome to Balmoral, an appearance at the Highland Games, and a virtual meeting of the Privy Council amongst other commitments.
‘Episodic mobility issues’ generally refer to unsteadiness or infirmity while walking, potentially accompanied by joint pain and weakness in vital areas. Notably, the Queen had been using a cane for most public appearances, which is understandable at 96-years-old.
What was the cause of the Queen’s death?
Queen Elizabeth II’s children and grandchildren rushed to Balmoral after doctors became ‘concerned’ for her health on 8 September where she died hours later, surrounded by her family. ‘The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,’ a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.
The cause of the queen's death was published on her death certificated on 29 September. According to the official document, she simply died of 'old age' - no further details were disclosed. According to the certificate, released by the National Records of Scotland, the Queen died at 3.10pm on Thursday 8 September.
When Prince Philip passed away in 2021, his death was also attributed solely to ‘old age’ by the head of the royal medical household, Sir Huw Thomas. Although the Royal Family is always in the public eye, they very rarely make statements about the specifics of health or medical diagnoses.