Boris Johnson Says Queen Was Bright Focused But Clearly Not Well During Final Audience At Balmoral

Speaking to the BBC, the former prime minister said the monarch, 96, continued to show a strong interest in politics during the audience last Tuesday as he tendered his resignation after the Conservative leadership contest ended. Liz Truss visited the monarch on the same day for the Queen to invite her to form a government, with pictures showing the monarch standing and warmly greeting her 15th and final prime minister. Mr Johnson said: “One of the reasons it was such a shock to hear about her death was because in that audience, she was absolutely into it, just two days before she died. “He was actively focused on geopolitics, on UK politics, quoting statesmen from the 50s, it was brilliant.” He added: “She looked very bright, very focused. Look, he was clearly not well, and I think that was the thing that I found so moving. “When we all heard of her death two days later, I thought how incredible that her sense of duty had kept her the way she had. “Given how ill she was obviously, how amazing that she should be so bright and so focused. It was a very emotional moment.”

More than Politics

It was the first time in her reign that the Queen had overseen a government transfer from Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where she usually spends her summer months. At the time, the decision by both the outgoing and incoming prime ministers to travel hundreds of miles to Balmoral sparked concerns that the Queen may not be well enough to make the trip to Buckingham Palace or Windsor. Concerns grew the following day when a Privy Council meeting with Liz Truss and senior members of the new cabinet was adjourned, with the palace saying at the time: “After a full day yesterday, Her Majesty this afternoon accepted the advice of doctors to rest. “ The worst fears were confirmed on Thursday as members of the Royal Family rushed from Windsor to Balmoral shortly before the monarch was confirmed dead. Mr Johnson, who was forced to stand down after a series of scandals including Partygate, was prominent among politicians who paid tribute to the Queen after her death.