The late Queen Elizabeth was admired throughout her reign for her sense of duty and stoicism, even in the face of personal struggles. According to former royal butler Paul Burrell, that composure never wavered—even when she was told she had a form of bone marrow cancer and did not have long to live.
Burrell claimed that doctors first delivered the diagnosis in 2021, shortly after the Queen lost her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip. Their prognosis suggested she might not survive beyond Christmas that year. Her reported reaction was characteristically understated: “Well, that’s a shame.”
While privately shocked, Elizabeth is said to have expressed regret not for herself but for missing the chance to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, remarking, “Because next year is my Platinum Jubilee year and I’d quite like to have seen that.” She then reportedly asked her doctors, “Can you keep me alive for that?”
The Queen went on to follow her medical team’s advice strictly, even giving up her beloved gin and Dubonnets, and was able to mark her historic Jubilee before passing away in September 2022 at the age of 96.
The monarch undoubtedly left an impressive legacy on modern history. Let’s look back at some of her most remarkable moments in this gallery. Click on to get started.