The final entry in the late Queen’s diary, written just two days before her death, has been unearthed.
During her lengthy reign, Queen Elizabeth II regularly kept a private diary to take note of the events of the day and record her activities.
Unlike the colourful and detailed entries her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, famously wrote, Elizabeth kept hers to the point - a habit kept until her last entry just two days before her death.
According to royal biographer Robert Hardman, who discovered the diary during research, she recorded that her private secretary Edward Young had come to see her and made notes about swearing in new Privy Council members.
The 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.
“It transpires that she was still writing it at Balmoral two days before her death,” Hardman writes. “Her last entry was as factual and practical as ever.
“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.”
Elizabeth is not the only monarch who kept a diary during their time on the throne. Queen Victoria famously wrote over 60 million words in her diaries she kept for nearly 70 years, from age 13 until shortly before her death in 1901.
Unlike Elizabeth, Victoria wrote colourful descriptions of key events throughout her life including her coronation, wedding and Diamond Jubilee.
Elizabeth once compared her style of diary writing to Victoria as she told the Bishop of Chelmsford: “I keep a diary, but not like Queen Victoria’s. It’s quite small.”
She once explained to diarist Kenneth Rose why she wrote in such a way: “I have no time to record conversations, only events.”
Elizabeth’s father, King George V also kept a diary with the inclusion of some personal details.
On the day of his coronation on June 22 1911, George described the weather in some detail, writing: “It was overcast & cloudy with some showers & a strongish cool breeze, but better for the people than great heat.
Describing the event he added: “The Service in the Abbey was most beautiful, but it was a terrible ordeal. It was grand, yet simple & most dignified and went without a hitch.
“I nearly broke down when dear David came to do homage to me, as it reminded me so much when I did the same thing to beloved Papa, he did it so well.
“Darling May looked lovely & it was indeed a comfort to me to have her by my side…. We left Westminster Abbey at 2.15 … with our Crowns on and sceptres in our hands.”
It seems King Charles is also following in the footsteps of those who came before him and reportedly keeps his own practical diaries since he ascended to the throne.
A senior courtier told The Telegraph that while “he doesn’t write great narrative diaries like he used to”, he does “scribbles down his recollections and reflections” on the day.
