Writing of the aftermath of the Queen’s death, on September 8, 2022, biographer Robert Hardman describes how, as private secretaries Sir Edward Young and Sir Clive Alderton settled down to work their way through official business, a “footman appeared with a red box”.
“It was the last one that had gone up to the Queen before her death.”
Saying Sir Edward was “not sure what to expect as he turned the lock”, he writes: “Inside, he found that Elizabeth II had left a sealed letter to the Prince of Wales and a private letter to himself.
“Were they final instructions or final farewells? Or both?
“We will probably never know what they said. However, it is clear enough that the Queen had known that the end was imminent and had planned accordingly.”
The last document ever handled by the late Queen
The box also included the late Queen’s approved shortlist of candidates to receive the Order of Merit, intended to honour distinguished service in public life and in the gift of the monarch.
“It was the last document ever handled by Queen Elizabeth II,” Hardman writes.
“Even on her deathbed, there had been work to do. And she had done it.”
The biography also describes how the late Queen had seemed “energised” by a win for her horse Love Affairs at Goodwood on September 6, appearing “buzzy” over pre-dinner drinks and recalling the Prime Ministers she had known.
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.
