Queen Elizabeth II passed away at 3:10 p.m. on September 8, 2022 — and according to reports, “old age” was listed as the official cause of death.
The National Records of Scotland released the Queen’s death certificate on Thursday, confirming that the 96-year-old monarch had died of “old age” and that her daughter, Princess Anne, was named on the papers as the “informant” of her death.
The longest-reigning monarch in British history, Queen Elizabeth II had spent 70 years of her life on the throne. She passed away at her summer residence, Balmoral Castle, in Scotland just days after Her Majesty had greeted Great Britain’s new Prime Minister, Liz Truss.
The public word went out that she had been placed under strict medical supervision due to fears about her rapidly deteriorating health. Family members rushed to be by her side in her final moments. They publicly announced the news of her passing just three hours after she died.
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the palace announced in a tweet. “The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
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. pic.twitter.com/VfxpXro22W
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 8, 2022
“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world,” King Charles said in a statement, adding that his mother’s death was “a moment of the greatest sadness.”
The Queen’s partner of 73 years, Prince Philip, had passed away just over a year earlier in April of 2021. After the coffin rested in several high-profile locations throughout the United Kingdom — namely the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland and lying in-state at Westminster Hall in London — Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest in a prepared tomb beside her late husband at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. Thousands came from all over the world to pay their respects to the late monarch, some waiting in line for hours and hours for the privilege.
King Charles III has stepped into his new role in the days since, traveling around Great Britain and greeting his subjects as they join him in mourning the only monarch most of them have ever known.