Prince William and other members of the royal family were seen arriving at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Sept. 8 to be with Queen Elizabeth, 96, amidst her declining health condition. A plane carrying William, as well as the Queen’s sons Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, reportedly touched down in Scotland Thursday afternoon, according to NY Daily News. Andrew, Edward, and Edward’s wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, were photographed in a car arriving at Balmoral. Their arrivals came just hours before news broke that The Queen had died during the afternoon of Sept. 8.
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla Parker Bowles also arrived at Balmoral to be with his mother. Prince Harry was also on his way to Scotland during the early afternoon hours of Sept. 8. He reportedly arrived after his grandmother had passed, per People. He was photographed seated in a black car, looking upset as he arrived. Harry’s wife Meghan Markle reportedly did not join him to Scotland, per BBC. The two were in the UK for a previously-scheduled appearance — which has since been canceled — when news of The Queen’s declining health broke on the morning of Sept. 8.
Buckingham Palace released a statement about the Queen’s condition just hours before her death. “Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision,” the statement said. “The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.” The Palace did not specify what health concerns the doctors had.
Liz Truss, the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, tweeted her well-wishes to the Queen. “The whole country will be deeply concerned by the news from Buckingham Palace this lunchtime. My thoughts – and the thoughts of the people across our United Kingdom – are with Her Majesty The Queen and her family at this time,” she wrote.
The Queen’s health issues come after she tested positive for COVID-19 in Feb. 2022, and there was a shocking report online that claimed she had died. But the iconic monarch quickly bounced back, making her first in-person appearance less than three weeks after announcing her diagnosis. She celebrated her 96th birthday in April. Two months later, the Queen celebrated the Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne. She missed various events during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, due to some of the activities being “tiring” for her.