Queen Elizabeth II Spent Her Last Days At Beloved And Picturesque Balmoral

Sep 29, 2022 by apost team

Queen Elizabeth II was the reigning monarch of England for an incredible 70 years, but sadly her time came to an end when she passed away on Sept. 8, 2022. Prior to her death, Buckingham Palace had announced that the queen was under medical attention, which alerted not only members of the royal family who rushed to her bedside but also the public who solemnly prepared in its own way for this historic and somewhat unexpected death. 

While the queen was older — an incredible 96 years of age — she still seemed so full of life. In her later years, the monarch had proved there was no slowing her down. In fact, 2022 was a big year for Elizabeth II. She celebrated 70 years as Queen of the United Kingdom and 15 Commonwealth realms in February. This was not only a milestone for her but for the whole world, as she was the first British ruling monarch to reach the seven-decade mark. Elizabeth made even further history when she became the second longest-serving monarch ever recorded. Her reign is bested only by Louis XIV of France. 

During her long tenure on the throne, when she wasn’t busy attending to matters at Buckingham Palace, the queen also enjoyed spending time — mostly in the summer — at her favorite vacation home, Balmoral Castle. 

Balmoral was pointedly where the queen passed away in September 2022, triggering a lengthy mourning period throughout the United Kingdom. Those who were with Elizabeth in those last days have since commented that the monarch seemed in good spirits, despite seeming to know she was near the end. 

Balmoral had always been a place secured in the hearts of the royal family, especially with Elizabeth II. The dreamy and sprawling estate is picturesquely nestled in the peaceful Scottish highlands, a settling entirely apart from the hustle and bustle of crowded London. Seen perhaps as the crown jewel of Aberdeenshire, the stately home was constructed in the 1850s under the watchful eye of then-rulers Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. 

Decades later while on visits during her reign, Queen Elizabeth II would enjoy picnics, dog walking and visits from the rest of her family. The queen was often photographed with her slew of dogs and horses, looking in a way like any other Londoner that had escaped the city for a bit of peace and quiet in the Highlands. Given how dear the castle was to the queen, it is somehow fitting that Balmoral was one of the last places the queen visited prior to her passing. Rather than return to Buckingham Palace, it seems she chose to spend her remaining days on earth in Scotland.

Since her death in September 2022, reporters have effectively confirmed that the queen did indeed choose to be in her country home-away-from-home. Vanity Fair royal correspondent Katie Nicholl said that the queen, seemingly aware the end was near, did in fact want to be at Balmoral Castle prior to her passing, as reported by Yahoo. It seems that the monarch, knowing her failing condition, understandably did not think she would come back from Scotland after having made the trip. 

apost.com

Nicholl said that the queen “knew she wasn’t going to come back (to Windsor Castle or Buckingham Palace). I think she wanted to be in Balmoral and she wanted to pass there.” More than a beautiful piece of Scotland, it seems Balmoral was a place where the monarch could be more than just the queen of England. 

Nicholl touched on this relationship between Elizabeth II and Balmoral, explaining how the queen could be a “mother, grandmother and great-grandmother" there. Back in London, she could not freely wander around as if she were merely another civilian. However, in Scotland, she could walk in the hills — of course, accompanied by security — and be less curtailed by the duty of her position. Nicholl suggested that Balmoral gave Elizabeth II the ability to effectively “leave her crown at the gates."

This dynamic explains why the queen, despite having “mobility issues", continued to travel to Scotland during her last year. Unwilling perhaps to relinquish the freedom the castle afforded her, the queen spent most of the summer of 2022 there. While she continued to carry out her royal duties, like meeting newly appointed Liz Truss and receiving confidential "red boxes," she also took time for herself. Family gatherings — a hallmark of Balmoral — and private life defined that visit. 

While the queen did miss the Highland Games, a sporting event she often attended, it appears her days in Scotland were spent as they always had been — with family and with the freedom to roam carefree in the hills once more. 

What's your favorite story of Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family and any fellow royalists!