Priest Who Met the Queen Days Before Death Reveals Her Heartbreaking Last Thoughts
A church leader invited to preach at the late Queen Elizabeth's church shared her final thoughts before her death.
Queen Elizabeth II lived a long life, passing away at 96 on September 8, 2022. As the longest-reigning monarch of the UK, she remained dedicated to her royal duties until her death. Church leader Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields—who visited the Queen shortly before her passing—shared the heartbreaking thoughts that weighed on her mind. He claimed that as the Queen grew 'frail', thoughts about eternal life and resurrection plagued her mind in her final days.
Greenshields was invited to host a sermon in the church the Queen visited, followed by dinner. He told The Telegraph, "She was just talking about some of the remarkable people she'd met. And she was just reflecting on that and reflecting on life and where this life leads to, and we just talked about that and eternal life and resurrection and what these things meant." He added, "I think she loved where she was staying, and she mentioned that more than once...found great peace in Balmoral. I think it's very fitting, perhaps that it was the place she died."
The final portrait taken of Queen Elizabeth II by Basia Hamilton, 2022.
— Lilibet (@QueenLilibet_) February 17, 2024
The Queen sat for a private portrait sitting at Windsor Castle on Friday 6th May. The portrait was completed just in time for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.#QueenElizabethII pic.twitter.com/SsDO8UsKmy
Greenshields revealed, “When I left her on Sunday, she was very positive, and I just find it very hard to believe that in those few days things have changed so much.” Royal photographer Jane Barlow also met the Queen to click a photograph of her meeting the then new Prime Minister, Liz Truss. Barlow is known to have clicked the last photo of her two days before her passing. She told Sky News, "I got a lot of smiles from her. I was there to photograph her meeting the new Prime Minister, but for me, the best picture was the one of the Queen on her own."
? The Queen received Liz Truss at Balmoral Castle today.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 6, 2022
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. pic.twitter.com/klRwVvEOyc
Barlow revealed that the Queen was in 'good spirits' as they made small talk over the mundane, such as the stormy Scottish weather they were experiencing. She joked that despite the grey skies outside, the late monarch appeared bright and upbeat. Royal biographer Robert Hardman's book, The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, also sheds light on her final moments. As reported by The Telegraph, he mentioned that she had made arrangements with her private secretary, Sir Edward Young, for the swearing-in of the new ministers. Just two days before her passing, she accepted Boris Johnson's resignation as Prime Minister before appointing Truss.
Hardman also claimed that then-Prince Charles and Camilla spoke to the monarch for an hour before her passing. Queen Elizabeth breathed her last at 3:10 pm BST and passed away in Balmoral Castle, Scotland. Royal correspondent Katie Nicoll told Entertainment Tonight that, along with Charles and Camilla, other royal family members like Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, and Duchess Sophie were also by the Queen's side at her deathbed.
