Queen Elizabeth’s state of health has been at the heart of all questions for a few months… After being briefly hospitalized in London last October, for a reason suppressed by Buckingham, the 95-year-old sovereign limited her official outings, contenting themselves with administrative tasks, a few videoconferences and hearings in a select committee from his Windsor castle. It is visibly weakened that she took part in the tribute organized in Westminster on Tuesday, for her late husband Prince Philip. An arrival confirmed by the palace at the last moment.
It is not just the presence of the decried Prince Andrew at her side that raised questions on Tuesday: it is protected from photographers and cameras that Elizabeth arrived and left Westminster, as if we wanted to avoid show in motion … If Buckingham wants to be rather optimistic in his rare press releases evoking the health of Elizabeth II, the queen herself confided – with a touch of derision – to be limited in her movements at the turn of an audience at Windsor. The tabloids report across the Channel that she can no longer walk her dear corgis herself, as she did every day. In addition, we have not seen this emeritus rider pony ride in Windsor Park for months. So many clues that do not fail to worry.
She doesn’t say too much about it publicly, but the Queen’s close guard would do everything to relieve her as much as possible. If we are to believe the sovereign’s biographer, Ingrid Seward, quoted by the magazine Gala from March 31, 2022, a lift was even recently installed at Craigowan Lodge, one of the queen’s refuges located on her Balmoral estate. An addition made before Elizabeth’s traditional summer vacation in Scotland, which would have cost nearly 25,000 euros.
A forensic pathologist already ready
Only surrounded by her closest advisers since the start of the pandemic, starting with her private secretary Edward Young, the queen is also closely watched by a complete team of about fifteen doctors (gynecologist, ophthalmologist, dentist, surgeon.. .) conducted by Huw Thomas, a renowned gastroenterologist. Our colleagues even specify that a forensic doctor has already been chosen to carry out the autopsy of the queen after her death… A macabre precision but not surprising, when we know that the funeral protocol is already ready for the to the minute and to the exact detail and has been for years. An action plan called Operation London Bridge.
The palace may be extra far-sighted, but we are there for all that. Recall that Elizabeth reiterated at the start of the year her promise, made at the very beginning of her reign 70 years ago, to serve the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth countries until her last breath. But, will it have enough breath to take part in the big celebrations planned for the beginning of June for its platinum jubilee? Nothing is less sure.