King Charles almost Missed late Queen’s Final Moments

A recent biography reveals that King Charles III almost missed being at his mother Queen Elizabeth II’s side during her final hours. The seriousness of the Queen’s condition on September 8, 2022, was not fully apparent, leading to uncertainty about the King’s presence at Balmoral.

The book details how, at that time still the Prince of Wales, Charles was engaged in charity work at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland. Despite receiving regular updates, he faced a tough decision: to continue his scheduled activities or rush to Balmoral, potentially signaling the Queen’s critical state to the government and media.

Advised by royal staff and his private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, the Prince weighed the consequences of each action. Previous health scares of the Queen, including a significant one in late 2021, added to the complexity of the situation.

By the evening of September 7, both Princess Anne and Sir Clive were urging him to be ready to leave. A staff member recalls Sir Clive’s words, suggesting that it was better to risk the trip and potentially be wrong than to miss saying goodbye to the Queen.

The next morning, following another call from Princess Anne, Charles was instructed to head to Balmoral immediately. A helicopter, initially arranged for the Duchess of Cornwall’s engagements, was quickly repurposed for their emergency journey.

During the flight, the Prince reviewed the initial steps of Operation London Bridge, preparing for the Queen’s passing. Sir Clive had hoped the trip would be unnecessary, even imagining a scenario where the Queen would greet them in good health.

However, upon arrival at Balmoral, it was evident that the situation was grave. After what became his last visit to his mother’s bedside, Charles sought solace in a mushroom-foraging trip to clear his mind. During this time, he received a call addressing him as “Your Majesty,” marking the moment of his ascension to the throne following the Queen’s passing.