Update (9/8/22 2:06 p.m. EST): Queen Elizabeth II died at age 96 on Thursday, September 8. Her passing was announced just hours after it was announced that she was under medical supervision. The Royal Family shared the sad news on Twitter. “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow,” they said.
The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/VfxpXro22W
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 8, 2022
Original (9/8/22 1:03 p.m. EST): All across the world, people are sending their best wishes to Queen Elizabeth II, 96, who was announced to be under medical supervision on Thursday, September 8. While details of the Queen’s condition have not been released to the public just yet, members of the royal family have traveled to Balmoral in Scotland to see Her Majesty during this time of medical concern. The Queen’s sons Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward, as well as her grandkids Prince William and Prince Harry, have flown to Scotland to see her. Find out more about her current health here, as well as past medical struggles.
Current Health Concern
Buckingham Palace released a statement revealing that Queen Elizabeth was receiving medical treatment on Thursday, September 8. While they did not expand upon the specific concerns, they did advise that she would be under professional care. “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 Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral,” the statement said.
The announcement came one day after the Queen met with newly-elected Prime Minister Liz Truss to formally invite her to her new position on Tuesday. Before the news was released, the prime minister said that there would be serious news coming from Buckingham Palace. “My thoughts – and the thoughts of people across our United Kingdom – are with Her Majesty The Queen and her family at this time,” she tweeted.
Battles With COVID
The news of the Queen’s health struggles comes nearly seven months after she tested positive for COVID-19 in February 2022. Buckingham Palace announced the diagnosis in a statement, where they revealed that she was experiencing cold-like symptoms, but ensuring that she was vaccinated and boosted. During her struggles, she carried on “light” duties. “She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines,” they said.
During her battle with COVID, she did have some virtual meetings and calls with leaders, including then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. After overcoming the virus, she had her first meeting in person with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau early in March. She made a public appearance towards the end of March at a service for her late-husband Prince Philip.
Past Health Struggles
For much of her life, Queen Elizabeth has been considered very healthy and has had very few health crises throughout her reign. During her Platinum Jubilee celebration, she had opted to sit out of a lot of events due to feeling “tired.” While she eventually made a surprise appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on the final day of festivities, many speculated that she had skipped events due to health problems.
Other health issues have included the Queen undergoing surgery on her knees in 2003, and she also was forced to cancel an appearance due to an injury in her back in 2006, per BBC. In 2021, she reportedly suffered some “episodic mobility problems,” per The Independent. She’s also been seen occasionally using a cane for some public appearances. She’s also occasionally cancelled engagements on doctor’s orders or for feeling sick, but serious health struggles have been very rare for Queen Elizabeth throughout her time on the throne.