On the night after the Queen’s death, Hardman writes, father and son “sat down to watch the film on an office computer”.
The book also confirms that the late Queen knew she did not have long left to live, proactively ensuring she spent time with her youngest great-grandchildren over her final summer to leave them with “happy memories”.
She had been suffering from “multiple conditions” in her final year, it states, and had “come to realise” she would not emulate her mother to reach 100.
Instead, she was left “ determined to make the most of that year”, ensuring her family visited her at Balmoral.
“The precise cause of death, says a close friend of the family, will never be known simply because the Queen had been suffering from multiple conditions in her final year,” writes Hardman.
“‘She had come to realise that the overall medical prognosis meant she was not going to emulate her mother and reach one hundred, so she had been determined to make the most of that [final] year,’ says one friend.
“‘She made sure she had all the family up over the summer, so that the young ones in particular would always be left with happy memories of her.’”
Reflecting on the Queen’s death, from the time spent with family to her decision to remain at Balmoral, one courtier called it a “masterclass”.
The book also details how the Government “secretly feared civil unrest after the death of the Queen”, at a time of national transition, and were reassured only when they heard the new King being cheered by crowds.
The book, “Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story” by Robert Hardman, is out in hardback on January 18, published by Macmillan.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
