New Prime Minister Liz Truss was told about the Queen's failing health, and sad passing, hours before the news was released to the public. The death of Queen Elizabeth II was announced to the world just after 6.30pm on Thursday, but key members of the Government had already been told the news.
The first indications of the Queen's failing health reportedly came on Wednesday, when a briefing on Operation London Bridge - plans that would be put into place upon the death of the Queen, was cancelled, reports The Mirror.
“[The briefing] was cancelled because of the energy announcement and the reshuffle,” a No 10 source told the Sunday Times. “Little did we know.”
Liz Truss was then told on Thursday morning that The Queen was gravely ill.
The new Prime Minister had been preparing to outline her new energy and cost of living plans when she was interrupted by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case early on Thursday morning, the Mirror reports. Mr Case, a former private secretary to Prince William, had been notified by the Palace about the Queen's condition and informed the PM.
Ms Truss was then in her Commons office, making the final preparations for her statement, when she was informed that the Queen’s death was believed to be “imminent”.
Labour leader Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner, and Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle were also briefed.
The news was greeted with “shock, immense sadness and incredulity”, a source told the Telegraph. Ms Truss was then handed a note in the Commons by Nadhim Zahawi, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, shortly after 12pm saying that the Palace was about to make an announcement saying the Queen was seriously ill.
At the same time all the Queen's close family was told to get to Balmoral.
At 4.30pm Ms Truss was informed that the Queen - whom she had met only two days before as she became PM - had died.
Prime Minister Liz Truss was told that she had died at 4.30pm, two hours before the public statement was issued, her Downing Street spokesman has revealed.
The news was made public two hours later.
