UK: Queen’s cause of death at 3.10pm is given as old age on certificate

The Scottish document offers new insight into her passing. It is believed to be the first time the sovereign’s death certificate has been made public.

The Queen’s death certificate has revealed that she died of old age at 3.10pm on September 8.

The certificate was published by National Records of Scotland and showed that the death was certified by a local GP, Douglas James Allan Glass. It is believed to be the first time the sovereign’s death certificate has been made publicly available.

Glass, 68, was the Queen’s doctor - more formally known as an apothecary to the Queen - for 34 years. He was on a routine visit to run a surgery for Balmoral staff when the Queen died. Glass, the GP in the nearby village of Braemar, was present at the time of death and said it was “not unexpected”.

The Queen’s death certificate.

He said: “I have been looking after her for 34 years and I was there when she died . . . We have been concerned about the Queen’s health for several months. I was around at the time of her death and that time is recorded on the death certificate.

“The main cause of death is recorded. It was expected and we were quite aware of what was going to happen. Princess Anne had been in close attendance and Prince Charles was present.”

Glass said the impact of the Queen’s death was “the same effect of any patient”. He said: “It was upsetting at the time but because of her age it was not unexpected so it was not a shock. She was always very pleasant to me over the years.”

The Queen met Liz Truss just days before she died at Balmoral. Picture: Getty Images

The certificate lists the Queen’s forenames as Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, and her surname as Windsor. It records her age, 96, her usual residence as Windsor Castle and her marital status as widowed. It is signed by the Princess Royal. Under occupation it says: “Her Majesty The Queen.” It lists the date and time of death as “2022 September Eighth 1510 hours.” Just one cause of death is recorded: old age.

It is exceptionally rare for old age to be listed as the official cause of death, and official guidance for England and Wales urges doctors to “avoid using old age alone” on a death certificate.

In Scotland doctors are advised not to use old age unless the patient is over 80 and other conditions have been met, including doctor having “personally cared” for the deceased for years or many months.

The disclosure of the exact time of death sheds new light on the events of the day, when members of the royal family hurried to reach Balmoral before the Queen died. Until now Buckingham Palace has refused to discuss the timing or cause of the Queen’s death.

The Palace issued a statement at 12.30pm that day, saying her doctors were concerned for her health.

The prime minister was told of the Queen’s death at 4.30pm. The official Palace statement announcing the death was issued two hours later.

Phone calls had been made to alert the family to the Queen’s declining condition. The Prince of Wales, who was staying at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, flew by helicopter to Balmoral, leaving shortly before 10am and arriving 40 minutes later. Princess Anne was already there, having stayed at Balmoral overnight after local engagements. They were the only members of the family present when the Queen died.

The Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of York and the Earl and Countess of Wessex arrived at Balmoral shortly after 5pm. The Duke of Sussex took a private jet from London, which arrived after the Palace announcement.

With David Brown and Eleanor Hayward

The Times