Princess Anne had to pick up the phone and made a heartbreaking personal call as her mother the Queen’s health started to fail.
Her Majesty spent the final days of her life at Balmoral, and by chance, her daughter was already in residence having travelled to Scotland for some royal engagements. Also staying at Balmoral was Anne’s son Peter Phillips, who had been set to go to a shooting party that was then cancelled. Then-Prince Charles was also nearby.
The day before her death, the Queen stayed in bed, but still wished to appear at that evening’s Privy Council meeting over video. As such, provisions were put in place so she could be audio-only if she stayed in her bedroom. But, moments before the meeting was due to begin, the Queen cancelled on the grounds of ‘medical advice’, as was reported at the time.
That evening, on 7 September, Charles was advised by Anne and his private secretary to make his way to the Queen’s bedside ASAP. At the time, he was more than 150 miles away in Ayrshire on official duties and he had to decide whether to cancel his appointments for the next day and go to Balmoral in the morning, or continue.
Royal author Robert Hardman revealed in his book Charles III: New King, New Court. The Inside Story, via the Mail, that Charles’s private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, poignantly told him: “Think how you would feel if you never said goodbye.” The next morning, Princess Anne called Charles again and told him to come immediately. At 9.30am Charles was taken by helicopter with Camilla, and then contacted Prince William, Prince Harry and his younger brothers, Andrew and Edward, and suggested they come to Balmoral.
He arrived at nearby Birkhall – his Scottish retreat – before 10.30am and borrowed a Land Rover from a staff member so he and Camilla could immediately drive to Balmoral to spend an hour at the Queen’s bedside. Local GP Dr Douglas Glass had visited again and determined Elizabeth was stable but coming towards the end of her life. One of the officials involved told Mr Hardman that it was expected to be a ‘day or two, not an hour or two’.
