According to a new biography of the late British monarch, Queen Elizabeth secretly suffered from painful cancer before her death.
Gyles Brandreth, an English author, broadcaster, and former politician, detailed the final years of Queen Elizabeth, who died on September 8th at the age of 96 after more than 70 years on the throne, in his new book “Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait.”
Brandreth, a close friend of Queen Elizabeth’s late husband Prince Phillip, wrote in an excerpt from the biography published in the Daily Mail that King Charles’ mother was aware that her time was limited due to bone marrow cancer. The claims made in the book could not be independently verified by International Business Times.
Brandreth wrote in the book:
“I had heard that the Queen had a form of myeloma — bone marrow cancer — which would explain her tiredness and weight loss and those ‘mobility issues’ we were often told about during the last year or so of her life.
The most common symptom of myeloma is bone pain, especially in the pelvis and lower back, and multiple myeloma is a disease that often affects the elderly.”
Brandreth noted that:
“currently, there is no known cure, but treatment — including medicines to help regulate the immune system and drugs that help prevent the weakening of the bones — can reduce the severity of its symptoms and extend the patient’s survival by months or two to three years.”
It is unknown whether the Queen was given steroids to help her get through her final days or if the bruise on the back of her hands in her final photographs with now-former British Prime Minister Liz Truss was caused by her illness.
The cause of death listed on Queen Elizabeth’s death certificate was “old age.”
Brandreth stated that he spoke with those with whom the Queen spent her final days. She allegedly dined with Right Reverend Dr. Iain Greenshields, who was visiting her at her Balmoral estate in Scotland over the weekend. According to the book, they discussed her childhood, horses, church matters, and their sadness over the events in Ukraine.
According to the book, Greenshields last saw the Queen when she was “in fantastic form” and “so alive and so engaging.”
On September 6th, two days before her death, Queen Elizabeth met one of her favorite racehorse trainers, presented an honor to her outgoing communications secretary, and spent time with her 14th and 15th British prime ministers, according to Brandreth.
Boris Johnson said of the Queen:
“She could not have been kinder, more sympathetic or personally encouraging.”
She was having “characteristic humor and wisdom.”
On September 7th, a photo of Queen Elizabeth with then-new Prime Minister Truss made headlines, with royal fans and social media users commenting that the 96-year-old monarch appeared frail. The dark bruise on the back of her right hand drew attention as well, but Brandreth described her as “alert and very much alive.”
Despite the numerous activities that kept the Queen busy in the days leading up to her death, Brandreth wrote that Her Majesty:
Greenshields told the author:
“Her faith was everything to her. She told me she had no regrets.”
“Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait” will be released on December 8th.