The late Queen Elizabeth II reportedly responded with characteristic stoicism when told by doctors that she was dying, according to a royal insider.
Paul Burrell, former butler to the Windsors, claims the monarch's reaction to the news that she might not survive beyond Christmas 2021 was simply "Well, that's a shame."
At 95, she was said to be shocked but immediately looked ahead, expressing regret that she would miss her Platinum Jubilee the following year. She asked doctors to keep her alive for that milestone.
Burrell says she endured blood transfusions, gave up her favourite drinks, and followed doctors' orders strictly. She managed to celebrate the Jubilee but knew she was dying.
The Queen died in September 2022 at Balmoral, with many staff unaware of her condition. Burrell's book, The Royal Insider, is published on Thursday.
