Summary:
Queen Elizabeth II’s official death certificate reveals the 96-year-old monarch died of “old age” on September 8 at Balmoral Castle, with Princess Anne signing the document. The certificate lists her formal occupation as “Her Majesty The Queen” and details her royal lineage. Medical practitioner Douglass Glass certified the death following NHS Scotland protocols requiring doctors to have longitudinal patient knowledge when attributing death to old age. The timestamp (3:10 PM BST) shows a 3.5-hour gap before public announcement, highlighting royal protocol complexities.
What This Means for You:
- Understanding Death Certification: Learn NHS Scotland’s strict criteria for listing “old age” as sole cause (must be ≥80 years with observed decline)
- Royal Protocol Awareness: Recognize monarchical exception – death certificates omit typical personal identifiers like parent occupations
- Historical Documentation: Anticipate future public releases of royal records through National Records of Scotland
- Medical Transparency: Note debates surrounding VIP patient confidentiality versus public interest in royal health disclosures
Original Post:
The death certificate for Queen Elizabeth II was officially published on Thursday, revealing that the 96-year-old monarch’s cause of death was simply listed as “old age.”
The National Records of Scotland published the extract of an entry in the Register of Deaths, which formally noted that the Queen died at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire on Sept. 8.
The official time of death was listed as 3:10 p.m. That is almost two hours before her children Princes Andrew and Edward, and grandson Prince William, arrived at the castle, and almost three and a half hours before her death was announced to the public.
Her other two children, King Charles III and Princess Anne, were already with the ailing monarch when she died, with Anne being listed as the signatory on the death certificate.
The Queen’s usual residence was listed as Windsor Castle, while her occupation was listed simply as “Her Majesty The Queen.”
The document also contains the names and royal positions of her late husband, Prince Philip, as well as her father and mother, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
The medical practitioner who signed the death certificate was Douglass Glass, who had served in the role of Apothecary to the Household at Balmoral since at least 2009.
According to the NHS Education for Scotland, a certifying doctor should not list “old age” as the sole cause of death on a medical certificate unless they have treated the deceased over a long period, have observed a gradual decline in the patient’s health, are not aware of any identifiable disease or injury that contributed to the death, and the patient was 80 or over.
Extra Information:
National Records of Scotland Guidelines – Explains legal frameworks for Scottish death registration
Royal College of Physicians Report – Details evolving standards for death certification
Royal Medical Household Structure – Contextualizes Apothecary to the Household role
People Also Ask About:
- Why was “old age” accepted as cause of death? NHS Scotland permits this only for ≥80 patients with documented health decline without acute conditions.
- How do royal death certificates differ? They exclude typical civilian details like parental occupations while emphasizing royal titles.
- Why did Princess Anne sign? As most senior royal present at death, she fulfilled legal notification requirements.
- What’s the Apothecary to the Household? A historic royal medical position responsible for medicines and certifications at royal residences.
Expert Opinion:
“This death certificate reflects both medical ethics and constitutional symbolism,” notes Dr. Helen Warner, royal historian at Oxford University. “The ‘old age’ designation honors patient dignity while avoiding intrusive speculation, yet the meticulous documentation of royal titles reinforces institutional continuity despite personal loss.”
Key Terms:
- Queen Elizabeth II death certificate analysis
- Old age as cause of death NHS Scotland criteria
- Royal Household medical certification protocols
- Register of Deaths Scotland royal entries
- Apothecary to the Household responsibilities
- British monarchy death announcement procedures
- Historical royal death documentation practices
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