Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully in her sleep at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, at the age of 96 on Thursday, according to Buckingham Palace.
She was the longest serving monarch in British history, having inherited the crown from her father in 1952, and the world's oldest head of state.
Even though her official duties were scaled down in her later years, the Queen worked right up until her death, meeting with the new UK Prime Minister Liz Truss on Tuesday to invite her to form a government.
Intimate details of the Queen's health were rarely shared with the public, but she was closely monitored throughout her life by the royal family's medical team, according to The Guardian, and was known for her robust health.
Bryan Kozlowski, author of "Long Live the Queen! 23 Rules for Living From Britain's Longest-Reigning Monarch," told TheNew York Post in 2020: "She has aged incredibly well and is the paradigm of health and wellness."
She caught COVID in February 2022, but had only been to hospital for three brief visits over her last two decades.
Eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight — as the Queen did — are key to having a long and healthy life.
The Queen did 'sensible exercise'
The Queen did not bother with intense workouts, preferring "sensible exercise" like walking her corgis and riding horses, according to Kozlowski.
In a speech given when the Queen and Prince Philip visited the US in 1991, then-president George H. W. Bush complimented her on her long walks that "left even the Secret Service panting."
She enjoyed time in nature, according to Kozlowski, and particularly loved the Scottish countryside around Balmoral, which she visited almost every year.
The Queen also reportedly never smoked, and got good sleep.
The Queen ate a balanced diet including chocolate and gin
The Queen was "not a foodie," according to Darren McGrady, her chef from 1982 to 1993, and she is thought to haveeatensimple meals.
When dining alone, she was "very disciplined" and would often have low-carb meals, McGrady said, but she enjoyed treats and alcohol too.
In the morning, the Queen was known to have biscuits and tea followed by toast and marmalade, cereal with fruit, or smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and truffle, as Insider's Ali Millington reported.
Before a simple lunch like grilled fish with vegetables, the Queen would enjoy a gin and Dubonnet (a sweet wine-based aperitif) with a slice of lemon and ice, McGrady said. She also liked a dry martini, but stopped having one daily last year for her health and to stay alert on the job, the royal sommelier told The Daily Mail in 2021.
She alsohada traditional afternoon tea of sandwiches, scones, and a "sliver of cake," alongside some darjeeling tea, Kozlowski said.
When not at a function, dinners would often be fillets of beef or venison, pheasant, or salmon from farms in Sandringham and Balmoral, with something fruity for dessert. She also loved traditional British roast dinners on Sundays.
The Queen was a "chocoholic" and loved dark chocolate (which has various health benefits), McGrady told Newsweek.
She would finish her day with a glass of champagne, according to Margaret Rhodes, the Queen's cousin.
FAQs
Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96, as the world's oldest head of state. She favored "sensible exercise" over rigorous workouts and loved spending time in nature. The Queen liked simple, healthy meals, but also enjoyed a daily gin and ate dark chocolate.
How did Queen Elizabeth live for 96 years? ›
Eat to live, not live to eat
The Queen maintained a healthy weight throughout her life and according to former chef Darren McGrady, she was "very disciplined [about her diet], which is what helps keep her so well and so healthy". Some of her favourite foods were grilled or poached fish, along with vegetables and salad.
What exercise did Queen Elizabeth do? ›
She loved to ride horses and made walking with her corgis around Buckingham Palace part of her daily routine. She would also ramble over the moorlands and through woods at Balmoral and Sandringham Estate.
Did the Queen's health deteriorate? ›
Queen Elizabeth II was in good health for most of her 70 years on the throne. Her health declined after Prince Philip died. She was working up until two days before her death.
What condition did Queen Elizabeth have? ›
Official records say the longest-reigning monarch in British history died from old age at 96, but Gyles Brandreth, writing in Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, said she had a form of bone marrow cancer called multiple myeloma in the last period of her life.
What did the Queen eat and drink daily? ›
The Queen ate a balanced diet including chocolate and gin
In the morning, the Queen was known to have biscuits and tea followed by toast and marmalade, cereal with fruit, or smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and truffle, as Insider's Ali Millington reported.
What did Queen Elizabeth eat for breakfast? ›
Breakfast. Queen Elizabeth prefered to keep it simple when it came to breakfast. A bowl of Special K with some assorted fruits was apparently her go-to meal to get the day started the right way. On special occasions, she allegedly treated herself to some scrambled eggs and smoked salmon if she felt like it!
Did the Queen know that she was dying? ›
While the contents of the letters may never be disclosed, it's clear that the Queen knew her death was near and planned accordingly. The Queen also left behind her list of candidates to join the order of Merit — her final royal duty.
What were Queen Elizabeth's last words? ›
But Truss said the monarch clearly did not sense how soon the end of her reign would come. "I'll see you next week," the Queen said to her as she left Balmoral. The monarch died two days later on September 8. The revelations come in Truss's new book Ten Years to Save the West.
Who smokes in the royal family? ›
Prince Philip smoked until the day of his marriage to Princess Elizabeth. Her sister, Princess Margaret was heavy smoker for most of her life. There is no obvious evidence that any of the Queen's children smoked. Prince Harry smoked, although he has apparently quit since his marriage.
Up until last year, Britain's Queen Elizabeth was the picture of healthy longevity — she not only enjoyed an extremely long and active life, but made it to 96 without being afflicted by cancer, dementia or other health issues that can come with aging.
What illness did Queen Elizabeth 1 have when she died? ›
Elizabeth I died on 24 March 1603 at the age of 69 after a reign of 45 years. Many now believe she died by blood poisoning, but a post-mortem at the time wasn't permitted. Read about some of the theories surrounding the Queen's death.
Who was with the Queen when she died? ›
The King and Queen Camilla spent an hour with her privately before she died and Princess Anne, a minister from a nearby church and the late Queen's senior dresser alternated at her bedside, the paper reports.
How did Queen Elizabeth stay alive so long? ›
Regular exercise
The queen walked with her dogs, rode horses, hiked around the grounds of her estates and otherwise stayed active throughout her life and into her old age. “Probably the single best thing most of us can do for our health is regular exercise.
Why didn't the Queen live as long as her mother? ›
Genes: While she is the genetic product of her long-lived mother, she was also the genetic product of her much shorter-lived father.
How do the British royals live so long? ›
So, ultimately, it boils down to a couple of factors: good genes, living a healthy lifestyle, and privilege and wealth. "The long life of Prince Philip is a cause for celebrating the progress of medical science in being able to keep people alive for longer," writes Olshansky.
What happens to Queen Consort when King died? ›
So, what would happen to Camilla's title if King Charles were to pass away? Basically, she'd retain the Queen title in some capacity but would go from Queen Consort to Queen Dowager.
