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Queen Elizabeth II feared dying at Balmoral would complicate funeral | UK News


Princess Anne has told a documentary her mother was persuaded to step back from the ‘decision making process’ (Picture: BBC/PA)

Queen Elizabeth II worried that spending her final days at Balmoral would make it ‘difficult’ to organise her funeral, Princess Anne has told a documentary.

But the late monarch was persuaded to put her own comfort before her lifelong concern with duty and others and step back from the ‘decision making process’, according to the BBC film charting King Charles’s first year on the throne.

It is the first time the Royal Family has spoken about arrangements for her death.

Queen Elizabeth, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, died peacefully at Balmoral on September 8 last year, aged 96, after reigning for 70 years.

It appears she did not want her passing in Scotland to cause added issues for those implementing London Bridge – the codename for the arrangements for her lying in state, vigils and a grand state funeral.

Different plans were in place if the Queen had died at any one of her main royal residences, from Sandringham to Windsor Castle, and even overseas.

The arrangements for Scotland were given the codename Operation Unicorn.

File photo dated 06/09/22 of Queen Elizabeth II waiting in the Drawing Room before receiving Liz Truss for an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government. Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully in her Platinum Jubilee year at the age of 96. Issue date: Tuesday September 5, 2023.

Queen Elizabeth II waiting in the Drawing Room before receiving Liz Truss for an audience at Balmoral, Scotland (Picture: PA)

King Charles III: The Coronation Year,26-12-2023,Anne, the Princess Royal ,Anne, the Princess Royal in interview for Charles III: The Coronation Year **STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL FRIDAY 22ND DECEMBER 2023**,Oxford Film and Television,Christopher Openshaw

Anne, the Princess Royal, speeaking to the BBC during Charles III: The Coronation Year (Picture: BBC/Oxford Film and Television)

The State Funeral Of Queen Elizabeth II

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II with the Imperial State Crown resting on top (Picture: Getty)

Anne reveals the late Queen’s thinking during her last days, saying: ‘I think there was a moment when she felt that it would be more difficult if she died at Balmoral.

‘And I think we did try and persuade her that that shouldn’t be part of the decision making process.’

She concluded with a laugh: ‘So I hope she felt that that was right in the end, because I think we did.’

Elizabeth’s only daughter said it was ‘serendipity’ she was at Balmoral before her mother’s death.

She revealed she ‘weirdly felt a sense of relief’ when the Imperial State Crown was removed from her coffin at the end of her funeral – symbolic of her role passing to Charles.

Anne tells the documentary: ‘My mother’s funeral in St George’s, he takes the crown off the coffin – I rather weirdly felt a sense of relief, somehow that’s it, finished. That responsibility being moved on.’

The Imperial State Crown arrives at the Sovereign's Entrance to the Palace of Westminster ahead of the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords, London. Picture date: Tuesday November 7, 2023. PA Photo. King Charles III is delivering his first King's speech as monarch, having previously deputised for the late Queen to open parliamentary sessions. See PA story POLITICS Speech. Photo credit should read: Victoria Jones/PA Wire

Anne says seeing the Imperial State Crown removed from her mother’s coffin at the end of her funeral was ‘symbolic of her role passing to Charles’ (Picture: PA)

Britain's King Charles III, wearing the Imperial State Crown and the Robe of State, and Britain's Queen Camilla, wearing the George IV State Diadem, process through the Royal Gallery during the State Opening of Parliament at the Houses of Parliament, in London, on November 7, 2023. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / POOL / AFP) (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

She says Charles is learning new things about the institution of the monarchy (Picture: AFP via Getty)

The 90-minute documentary Charles III: The Coronation Year, to be screened on Boxing Day, is narrated by Helena Bonham Carter and features contributions from Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and close friends, and gives a behind-the-scenes look at rehearsals for the coronation.

The past 12 months have been a period of momentous change for Charles who has completed a number of firsts from carrying out his first overseas state visit to Germany to hosting South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa for the inaugural inward state visit of his reign.

Charles waited all his life to fulfil his destiny and be crowned King, and at the age of 75 his Carolean era is in its infancy compared with the seven decades of the late Queen’s reign.

Talking about the succession, Anne goes on to say: ‘To be honest I’m not sure that anybody can really prepare themselves for that kind of change… not easily. And then the change happens and you go “OK, I now have to get on with it”.

‘Monarchy is a 365 days a year occupation, it doesn’t stop because you change monarchs, for whatever reason.’

The princess praises Queen Camilla for her ‘outstanding’ understanding of her role as consort and the difference it makes to the King, who she says is learning new things about the institution.

Camilla is seen by Charles’ side through much of the documentary and the princess says about the Queen: ‘I’ve known her a long time, off and on.

‘Her understanding of her role and how much difference it makes to the King has been absolutely outstanding, and this role is not something she would have been a natural for, but she does it really well.

‘And she provides that change of speed and tone, she’s equally modern.’

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