London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Oct 19, 2026

Queen's cause of death given as 'old age' on death certificate

Queen's cause of death given as 'old age' on death certificate

Queen Elizabeth II died of "old age", according to her death certificate, which has been released by the National Records of Scotland.

The certificate records the Queen died at 15:10 on 8 September in Balmoral Castle, at the age of 96.

Princess Anne is recorded as the person providing the information about the Queen's death.

For "occupation" of the deceased, the official form says: "Her Majesty the Queen."

The doctor who certified the death at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire was Douglas Glass, who Buckingham Palace says was an "apothecary to the Queen".

When she was alive there was a curtain of privacy around the Queen's health, and in her death there remains some restraint.

Her cause of death is recorded as "old age", without any further details.


"Old age" is only usually given as the sole cause of death in very limited circumstances.

This would be where the certifying doctor has personally cared for someone over a long period; where a gradual decline has been observed and where a doctor is not aware of any identifiable disease or injury contributing to a death.

But the timing of the Queen's death does confirm more about what happened during the day of 8 September, when so much attention was being paid to reports of her ill health.

Buckingham Palace had formally announced the Queen's death at 18:30, with news organisations around the world immediately relaying the announcement that: "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon."

There were subsequent reports that the Prime Minister Liz Truss had been privately notified earlier at 16:30.

This death certificate shows the Queen had died at 15:10, more than three hours before the news was publicly released.

During that afternoon, following earlier reports of concern about the Queen's health, her children and grandchildren had rushed to Balmoral.

Buckingham Palace had confirmed in a statement of 12:32 that there were health concerns - but that the Queen was "comfortable" and "under medical supervision".

King Charles - then Prince Charles - and his sister Princess Anne had already been in Scotland.

But other members of the Royal Family travelled by air that afternoon, including Prince William.

The timings would now suggest that their flight was still on its way to Aberdeen airport at the time of the Queen's death.

After the drive from the airport, Prince William, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward and his wife Sophie arrived at Balmoral at about 17:00.

The stark details of the death certificate record the Queen's status as "widowed" and give some family details.

It requires the names and occupations of parents - her father formally recorded as Albert Frederick Arthur George Windsor, whose occupation was King George VI, her mother as Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, who was Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

The death had been recorded by the local registrar in Aberdeenshire on 16 September, when the Queen was lying in state in Westminster Hall in London.

The Queen's death certificate was released on the same day that the public was able to see her final resting place for the first time.

Hundreds queued outside Windsor Castle to view the King George VI memorial chapel, inside St George's Chapel, where a ledger stone inscribed with the late monarch's name lies.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Surging Cloned Number Plates Severely Complicate Traffic Enforcement and Police Investigations
Mounting Opposition Challenges Planned Rollout of Autonomous Taxis Across London
Influential Think Tank Urges Rejoining European Union to Navigate Geopolitical Crises
Government Review Recommends Slashing Benefits to Fund Youth Employment Initiatives
Senior Minister Shabana Mahmood Seeks New Law Enforcement Pact With European Union
Airbus Executive Warns Britain Risks Losing Crucial Role in European Space Industry
Exorbitant Electricity Costs Push British Steelmakers to Worst Competitive Position in Three Years
British Food and Beverage Exports to European Union Collapse by Over a Third Since Brexit
Up to Twenty English Maternity Units Face Impending Closure Due to Safety and Staffing Crises
Government Declares Severe Drought Across Southern England Following Record Dry Spell
Corporate Profit Warnings Reach Two-Year High Amid Middle East Conflict and Rising Costs
International Monetary Fund Warns Chancellor John Healey Against Proposed Bank Tax Raid
Northern Ireland Secures Favorable Agricultural Export Agreement with European Union
Scottish Government Approves Major Offshore Floating Wind Farm Near Aberdeenshire
High Speed Two Rail Project Faces Three Billion Pound Cost Escalation on Initial Phase
National Health Service Warns of Winter Capacity Crisis Across English Hospitals
Tata Steel Confirms Two Thousand Job Cuts at Port Talbot to Fund Green Transition
Global Microchip Developer Announces Three Billion Pound Semiconductor Plant in Cambridge
United Kingdom Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute Proposes Mandatory Licensing for Generative Models
United Kingdom Commits Additional Long-Range Weapons and Air Defenses to Ukraine
British Chancellor Overhauls Infrastructure Financing to Bypass Borrowing Constraints
Bank of England Holds Benchmark Interest Rate at Four Point Five Percent
First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth Confirms Constitutional Discussions Over Welsh Independence During Initial Bilateral Call with Prime Minister
Labour Party Instructs Local Council Groups to Sever Power-Sharing Accords with Green Party Over New Controversial Policy Positions
Institute for Fiscal Studies Warns of Thirty-Five Billion Pound Fiscal Gap Ahead of Chancellor John Healey Upcoming Autumn Budget
House of Lords Backs Landmark Legislative Amendment to Decriminalize Abortion Across England and Wales
United Kingdom Defence Secretary Wes Streeting Travels to Pentagon for High-Level Strategic Talks Amid Escalating Tensions Over Ukraine and United States Policy Shifts
Bank of England and International Monetary Fund Officials Issue Urgent Warnings Regarding Potential Artificial Intelligence Financial Market Shocks
Reform UK Faces Severe Political Fallout and Scrutiny After Undercover Media Investigations Reveal Systemic Racism Among Candidates
Former Democratic Unionist Party Leader Jeffrey Donaldson Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Prison Following Landmark Child Sexual Abuse Trial
House of Lords Votes to Amend Schools Bill Implementing Comprehensive Social Media Ban for Children Under Sixteen Years of Age
International Monetary Fund Upgrades United Kingdom Growth Forecast for Two Thousand Twenty-Six While Warning of Energy-Driven Inflation Pressures
Competition and Markets Authority Launches Formal Inquiry Into Corporate Artificial Intelligence Partnerships
Automotive Industry Leaders Urge Westminster to Accelerate Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Rollout
Home Office Expands Digital Border Security Framework With Mandatory Electronic Travel Authorizations Across United Kingdom
Northern Ireland Executive Reaches Final Consensus on Public Sector Pay Reform and Budget Allocations
Welsh First Minister Secures Additional Funding for Rural Agricultural Transition and Sustainable Farming Schemes
Scottish Government Unveils Accelerated Regional Infrastructure Strategy to Boost Clean Energy Manufacturing
National Health Service England Launches Emergency Recruitment Drive to Alleviate Severe Acute Care Winter Backlogs
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Signals Cautious Approach to Interest Rate Reductions Amid Persistent Wage Growth
British Government Finalizes Emergency Energy Support Package to Protect Households From Winter Price Surges
Russell Brand Trial Begins at Southwark Crown Court
UK Parliament to Debate Climate Risks and Council Tax Following Public Petitions
Department for Transport Demands Safety Audits Following Regional Rail Disruptions
House of Lords Scrutinizes Amendments to Armed Forces Bill
Devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales Criticize Post-Brexit Funding Framework
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Defends Middle East Military Support Under Parliamentary Scrutiny
NHS Leaders Warn of Severe Pressure on Hospitals from Winter Virus Outbreaks
Retailers and Business Groups Lobby Chancellor for Relief from Rising Employment Taxes
City of London Taskforce Urges Radical Reform to Prevent UK From Becoming "Incubator Nation"
×