Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘Lovely’ Last Portrait Before Passing Away Is Considered Historic

Sep 30, 2022 by apost team

Two days before her passing, Queen Elizabeth II was at the Balmoral Castle, waiting for Prime Minister Liz Truss. She was set to receive Truss as the newly elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, as is the usual custom for the reigning monarch. Speaking to The Daily Mail, photographer Jane Barlow detailed the brief interaction that she shared with the queen moments before Truss’ arrival. Barlow has been making waves online as she snapped the very last photograph of the late queen before her death. 

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. She passed away while at her home in Balmoral after Buckingham Palace had earlier announced that she was under medical attention. It was a devastating day for the royal family as many members gathered to be by her side in her final moments. 

Though the queen was lucky to have a generally clean bill of health for much of her life, there were moments when she became ill. One such moment was in November 2021, when health problems led to her canceling her appearance at the Remembrance Day Service at the Cenotaph. She also had to cancel her five-yearly visit to the General Synod, the national assembly of the Church of England. At the time, Elizabeth sent a poignant message to the assembly through Prince Edward, who conveyed it to everyone present. Though the queen was not able to be there, her message was crafted perfectly and has taken on a deeper meaning now that she has passed. Similarly, the last portrait photo taken of the late queen has also gained a new historical meaning.

Jane Barlow, a prominent Press Association photographer, was the one who took the last living photo of Queen Elizabeth II. 

According to the PA Images website, Barlow has a rich 15 years of experience in taking photographs of Queen Elizabeth II, the British Royal Family, and politicians, among many others. She has also had a fair share of covering sports, local events, and even international gatherings. 

Shortly after Barlow posted Queen Elizabeth II” s very last photo on her Instagram account, Fergus Mutch, a well-known candidate in Aberdeenshire West for the Scottish Parliament, complimented Jane Barlow on capturing what now seemed to be one of the most important photos of the British Monarchy. 

“Saw @belperbarlow in Braemar last Saturday. She was a bit nervous about Tuesday: The Queen, incoming PM & herself in the room, taking the photo for the whole world,” he said on the Tweet, which has now amassed over 500 likes on the popular social media platform. 

On the other hand, Barlow’s Instagram post has already garnered more than 3,7000 likes and praises from different people, thanking her for capturing the Queen’s last moments. 

“The Queen waits in the Drawing Room before receiving Liz Truss for an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government,” she captioned the photo. 

“This might become a very historical image, sadly. Good strong photojournalism. A great Queen,” a netizen shared. 

“Thank you for capturing her smile for us; it’s a comfort to know she was happy and at peace at the end,” another person commented. 

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In an interview with The Daily Mail, Jane Barlow elaborated more on how she ended up taking the Queen’s last photo. 

“I was sent to Balmoral to cover the Royal Rota. I was there to photograph the Queen receiving the new prime minister, and just prior to the new prime minister arriving in the room, I had a few moments with Her Majesty and that’s when I got that picture,” Barlow explained to the press. 

The moment happened when they were waiting for new Prime Minister Lizz Truss, who was a wee bit late. She also went on to tell that she and the Queen have engaged in some small talk, commenting about the weather. As Truss arrived, she was again greeted with a big smile and a respectful handshake. 

“She did comment on how dark it was outside because the weather had closed in and she seemed in very good spirits. Obviously, she was very frail but she was very smiley and I got lots of smiles from her. She seemed very happy, very smiley,” Barlow described to The Daily Mail. 

Per Barlow, the photograph she captured was not posed at all. “It was just a nice natural moment where she just looked up and smiled and now also all the more poignant because it is one of the last pictures that was taken of her,” she added.

Thanks to Jane Barlow’s last photograph of Queen Elizabeth, which can now be deemed historic because of her passing, she will be remembered as someone who passed away joyful and all smiles. 

What do you think about Queen Elizabeth II’s last photo? Do you think it encapsulates her cheerful personality? Make sure to show this article and photo to your family and friends!