Queen Elizabeth II died yesterday, September 8, at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, at the age of 96. The UK’s longest-serving monarch, she reigned for an incredible 70 years. As per reports, she died peacefully on Thursday afternoon at her Scottish estate, surrounded by her family members. Just two days before Her Majesty’s death, the last picture of her alive was taken. Queen Elizabeth’s reign saw 15 different prime ministers, from Winston Churchill to the newly-appointed Liz Truss. Her Majesty will be remembered as one of, if not the most, iconic figures in British history.
After the cancelation of a planned privy council meeting on Wednesday, concerns grew concerning the Queen’s health. Of course, Queen Elizabeth experienced several significant health problems over the last year. In October, a trip to Northern Ireland was canceled after Her Majesty spent a night in hospital for “preliminary investigations.” A month later, she had to pull out of attending the Festival of Remembrance and, later on, the Remembrance Sunday Cenotaph service due to a sprained back. The Queen also missed several events during the celebration of her Platinum Jubilee to mark 70 years on the throne. On July 21, she traveled to Balmoral to begin her traditional summer break. A week later, Prince Charles represented her at the Commonwealth Games opening.
The Queen was pictured for the last time on Tuesday when she welcomed outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the incoming Liz Truss to Balmoral. She was seen using a walking stick during the meetings and looked, as The Guardian described it, “bright but frail.” Now, a doctor has taken a closer look at the pictures, claiming that something didn’t look right with Her Majesty. However, it seems she put on a brave face to handle the duty, which became her last. According to Dr. Deb Cohen-Jones, the last pictures taken of the Queen could give an insight into her health. Previously, people have pointed out that her hands appear to be purple, which Cohen-Jones also noticed.
“It looks like there is possibly evidence of peripheral vascular disease,” Dr. Cohen-Jones told Daily Mail. “It’s a blood circulation disorder that causes the blood vessels outside of your heart and brain to narrow, block, or spasm. It can sometimes result in heart failure. If your peripheral circulation is that poor, organs aren’t receiving a good blood supply.” The doctor adds that it can be a sign of multi-organ failure. However, it’s important to remember that Buckingham Palace has not yet confirmed the cause of death and that the Queen passed away “peacefully.”
