Revealed: The 1 Key Detail That ‘Alerted’ Royal Staffers That Queen Elizabeth’s Death Was Imminent
Queen Elizabeth II’s death was one of the most high-profile deaths of any royal in modern history. The queen sat atop the British royal family for more than 70 years, with many people hardly remembering a world before she was queen.
Before she died, the public was not made aware of how ill she was. However, there was one key detail on that fateful day that would have alerted any staff members who were not already aware of how severe her health situation was.
Queen Elizabeth II’s death was made clear by King Charles’ helicopter
When the family learned of how ill the queen was, they immediately dropped everything to be with her. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle even happened to be in the United Kingdom when Harry received the phone call that she had limited time left, and they wound up extending their trip by more than a week to mourn her loss and celebrate her life.
But it was actually King Charles’ helicopter that tipped off royal staffers that the queen’s condition was getting worse. According to The Guardian, “The departure of the queen’s helicopter from Windsor Castle shortly before 7 a.m. to take the Prince of Wales from Dumfries House in Ayrshire, where he was staying that night, to his mother’s bedside, would have alerted them.” Anyone who saw, heard, or was made aware of the helicopter taking off would have instantly known that this was an emergency departure situation.
Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry were all able to make it to the queen before her death, along with a number of other royal family members.
Prince William and Prince Harry have not spoken since the queen’s death
It was no secret at the time of the queen’s death that things between William and Harry were not great. Still, the brothers and their wives, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, put on their adult pants and did a royal walkabout in the days following her death. They greeted fans, looked at flowers and other tokens of appreciation sent by the public, and put on brave faces. But rumors have swirled that the brothers have not spoken since then.
Harry and William don’t have a close relationship, and it’s unclear if that will ever change despite that Queen Elizabeth would have wanted nothing more than to see her grandsons put the past behind them.
