The final entry of Queen Elizabeth’s private diary has been made public. During her record-breaking 70-year reign, the monarch, who died in 2022 at age 96, kept a private diary to take note of the events of the day and record her activities, the New York Post reported. She carried this tradition to her final days and penned a practical and factual note just two days before her death. Royal biographer Robert Hardman discovered the Queen’s diary while researching updated chapters for his book about King Charles.
According to Mr Hardman, Queen Elizabeth’s final entry was made at Balmoral, where she died on September 8, two days after meeting and swearing in the new prime minister Liz Truss. In her diary entry, she recorded that her private secretary Edward Young had come to see her and made notes about swearing in new Privy Council members, per the Post.
“It transpires that she was still writing it at Balmoral two days before her death. Her last entry was as factual and practical as ever,” Mr Hardman wrote.
“It could have been describing another normal working day starting in the usual way – ‘Edward came to see me’ – as she noted the arrangements which her private secretary, Sir Edward Young, had made for the swearing-in of the new ministers of the Truss administration,” he added.
The author also revealed that the late Queen’s journal recorded her activities, rather than her thoughts and feelings.
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Meanwhile, according to The Independent, Queen Elizabeth II was not the only monarch who kept a handwritten journal during her reign. Queen Victoria reportedly wrote over 60 million words in her diaries she kept for nearly 70 years.
Queen Elizabeth once compared her style of diary writing to Queen Victoria. “I keep a diary, but not like Queen Victoria’s. It’s quite small,” she said. She once also explained why she wrote in such a way. “I have no time to record conversations, only events,” she said.
Elizabeth’s father, King George V also kept a diary with the inclusion of some personal details. According to Mr Hardman, Queen Elizabeth took inspiration from her father. King Charles has also followed the suit of keeping a diary, the author noted.
