In a poignant and emotional new account of the final days of Queen Elizabeth II, a new book by Robert Hardman, *The Late Queen*, reveals the heart-wrenching decisions Her Majesty faced in her final hours, as well as the personal legacies she left behind for her family.

These revelations, from her relationship with Prince Harry to the thoughtful gifts she gave to her children, offer a rare and intimate look into the personal side of a monarch who ruled for more than 70 years.

Hardman’s book recounts how, the evening before her death, Queen Elizabeth attended a drinks party at Balmoral, where she appeared to be in good spirits.

However, as the evening wore on, she made the decision to retreat to her room for dinner, signaling the beginning of a steep decline in her health.

The following day, on September 7, the Queen made the painful decision to cancel the meeting with her private council altogether, after being advised to do so by her doctors.

At 9:30 a.m. on September 8, Prince Charles, along with his wife, Camilla, rushed to Balmoral after receiving the urgent news from Princess Anne and the Queen’s private secretary. The royal family had been informed that the Queen’s condition was critical, and Charles quickly made his way to Scotland, boarding a helicopter with Camilla and flying to Balmoral from their residence at Birkhall.

While Charles made the urgent trip to Balmoral, he was not by his mother’s side when Queen Elizabeth passed. Princess Anne, who had been keeping vigil at her mother’s bedside, was there when the Queen took her final breath. At one point, Charles stepped away briefly to clear his head and, during this time, received the heartbreaking news of his mother’s passing.