Queen Elizabeth Health Update: Queen Dies at Age 96

Fears grew for the health of Queen Elizabeth II, as her family rushed to the bedside of the increasingly frail monarch in Scotland.

Then, the Royal Family announced the sad news on September 8, 2022, writing, “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

Buckingham Palace first released a statement on the Queen’s health on September 8, 2022. “Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision,” it read. “The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”

According to BBC, well-wishers were starting to gather outside Balmoral castle. Former Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted, “I send my heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family at this worrying time.” He wrote that he was “deeply concerned.”

The queen is 96 years old. A unifying figure, she has served England as Queen since 1953, according to her palace biography.

The Queen’s husband, Prince Philip, died at age 99 in April 2021.

Here’s what you need to know:

The Queen’s Children Have Traveled to Balmoral to Her Bedside

GettyQueen Elizabeth II attends a performance at RADA (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), to celebrate the drama school’s Diamond Jubilee (60th anniversary), London, UK, November 1964.

According to the BBC, all of the Queen’s children – Charles, Anne, Edward, and Andrew – have traveled to her bedside at Balmoral, as has Prince William. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan were also heading to Scotland, according to Daily Mail. They have been in England and Germany this week for a series of events but had not yet seen the Royal Family.

Former BBC royal correspondent Richard Sumner told BBC that the cautious wording of the statement suggests that “something serious is possibly going on.” The queen has had mobility issues for some time.

Speaking on BBC News, he says: “The whole policy of the palace has always been understatement and I’ve always suspected that possibly there was more than a mobility problem concerned here.”

BBC wrote, “There is a degree of seriousness that we have not seen before, the very fact that the statement was issued when the palace is so reticent about making any commentary on the Queen’s health.”

The Queen Was Seen in Public Just Two Days Ago, When She Met Liz Truss, the New English Prime Minister

GettyQueen Elizabeth II pictured on Christmas Day 2018.

The Queen’s last public appearance came on September 6, 2022, when she met the new prime minister. “The Queen received Liz Truss at Balmoral Castle today,” the Royal Family tweeted.

“Her Majesty asked her to form a new Administration. Ms. Truss accepted Her Majesty’s offer and was appointed Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury.”

The Royal Family noted, “Ms. Truss is the 15th Prime Minister to serve during Her Majesty’s reign. The first was Winston Churchill in 1952.”

Queen Elizabeth II Is the Longest Reigning Monarch in British History

According to her biography on the Royal Family’s website, Queen Elizabeth II “has ruled for longer than any other Monarch in British history, becoming a much loved and respected figure across the globe. Her extraordinary reign has seen her travel more widely than any other monarch, undertaking many historic overseas visits. Known for her sense of duty and her devotion to a life of service, she has been an important figurehead for the UK and the Commonwealth during times of enormous social change.”

The bio notes, “The Queen was born at 17 Bruton St on 21 April 1926 and christened on 29 May 1926 at Buckingham Palace #HM90facts.”

According to her website, “In 1937, the 11 year old Princess Elizabeth had watched her father, King George VI, crowned in the elaborate ceremony and 16 years later on 2 June 1953, her own official coronation was to take place.”

READ NEXT: The Death of Prince Philip