Queen Elizabeth’s Final Diary Entry Revealed — and She Had Written Only Five Words

A royal biographer has come forward, revealing in his book Queen Elizabeth's final diary entry, written just two days before her death.

The late Queen Elizabeth II was fond of writing letters and keeping a diary. She once told diarist Kenneth Rose that she often documented events from her busy schedule. Now, a royal biographer has come forward, claiming to know Her Majesty’s final diary entry. In his book, Robert Hardman reveals that the monarch's last entry was a practical, factual account of an otherwise normal working day.

Queen Elizabeth peacefully passed away in her sleep on September 8th, 2022. Hardman, in his book Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story, claimed that the Queen's last entry was reportedly addressed to her private secretary. As reported by the Telegraph, he revealed, “Her last entry was as factual and practical as ever. It could have been describing another normal working day starting in the usual way– 'Edward came to see me'–as she noted the arrangements which her private secretary, Sir Edward Young, had made for the swearing-in of the new ministers of the Truss administration.” He added, “It transpires that she was still writing it at Balmoral two days before her death.”

Queen Elizabeth at the writing desk in her study in Balmoral Castle in 1972.

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— ? ? Suzanne Brmptn ? ? (@Suzanne_Brmptn) August 23, 2023

Her Majesty reportedly preferred to write short diary entries. According to People magazine, she once told society diarist Rose, “I have no time to record conversations, only events.” A former member of the royal household also came forward and dished on her writing habits to the Sun's Fabulous. “She uses a pad of blotting paper after completing her entry, and each morning, one of the first duties of her personal Page is to destroy the blotting paper, so nobody can ever be tempted to try and read a reverse impression of what she has written,” they told the outlet. The insider added, “The diary is taken with her wherever she is staying…whether it be Windsor or Sandringham or Balmoral, and is kept in a black leather case—a smaller version of one of the red despatch boxes containing Government papers.”

????I had no idea that Princess Beatrice destroyed Queen Victoria’s diaries. Such interesting information you get when you listen to Queen Elizabeth. ?? pic.twitter.com/wUebZYLJsx

— ?HRH Chelsy, The Only Princess of Sussex? ? (@MrMrsHenryWales) December 18, 2024

The late monarch reportedly only allowed her husband, Prince Philip, to read her diary. She developed a habit of maintaining one from her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. One day before her passing, she accepted Boris Johnson's resignation as Prime Minister before appointing his successor. Royal Correspondent, Katie Nicoll, recalled the Queen’s final moments to Entertainment Tonight. She mentioned that along with the now-King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla, other royal family members like Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, and Sophie, the Countess of Sussex, were there by her side.

Hardman also revealed the Queen’s final moments in great detail in his book. He mentioned that Charles and Queen Camilla spoke to the Queen for an hour before her passing. She passed away at 15:10 BST, and her official cause of death in her death certificate was listed as ‘old age.’