How did Queen Elizabeth II die? Cause of death and what’s said on the Queen’s death certificate - explained

This week marks one year since the passing of QueenElizabeth II, when all eyes were on the world as the British throne changed hands for the first time in 70 years.

The cause of death for the Queen was revealed after her death certificate was made public shortly after her death.

The Queen died on 8 September 2022, with her state funeral taking place on 19 September. A period of mourning was held in the United Kingdom between this period, with the Queen’s coffin also travelling from Balmoral Castle.

The cause of death for the Queen was revealed after her death certificate was made public shortly after her death.

She had been battling mobility issues and other health problems in the year leading up to her passing. Only two days before she was announced to have died, a meeting with then-Prime Minister Liz Truss was moved from London to Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire due to her doctors advising against travelling.

But what is the official cause of death - and what did her death certificate say? Here’s everything we know.

How did the Queen die?

According to the coroner Douglas James Allan Glass, the former monarch died due to ‘old age’. No other medical issues were listed on the certificate, which was signed by her daughter the Princess Royal.

Her death certificate also confirmed that the Queen had died at 3.10pm on 8 September. The public were informed of her death at around 6.30pm the same night.

What else did we learn from the Queen’s death certificate?

The death certificate was signed by the Queen’s daughter Anne, the Princess Royal. The Princess was named as an ‘informant’ on the certificate, meaning that she would have been the one to notify the registry office of her mother’s passing.

The document is held by the National Record of Scotland, as she passed away at her Scottish residence, Balmoral Castle.

What does it mean to die of ‘old age’?

The term ‘old age’ on a death certificate can be a fairly vague term. It if often used when a person of an elderly age has died from illness or disease which has been advanced by their old age.

Likewise, it may also be used when an elderly person has died of natural causes that are undetermined by doctors.