Queen Elizabeth Smiles in Recently Surfaced Photo From Shortly Before Death

By Daniel S. Levine

Two photos of Queen Elizabeth surfaced on Sunday from two very different venues. One was taken before her last public appearance at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where she accepted Boris Johnson's resignation and appointed new Prime Minister Liz Truss on Sept. 6, two days before the monarch's death. The royal family also released a new photo of Queen Elizabeth, taken to mark her Platinum Jubilee in June.

The Balmoral picture shows Queen Elizabeth sitting in a chair, smiling, and wearing sunglasses. She was dressed in a green coat with a plaid skirt. It is unclear when the picture was taken, but TMZ reports it was about 48 hours before she met Truss.

Earlier this month, Buckingham Palace said the Queen would be unable to leave Balmoral to appoint the new prime minister in London, as is tradition. When photos of the queen's meeting with Truss surfaced, there was an immediate concern for her health. She held a cane in one hand as she shook Truss' hand with the other. The picture also showed the Queen's right hand was discolored.

The royal family released their own new photo of Queen Elizabeth. This picture shows the monarch smiling for the camera, wearing a light blue dress, a broch, and a pearl necklace. "Ahead of Her Majesty The Queen's State Funeral, a new photograph has been released," the statement read. "The photo was taken to mark Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee – the first British Monarch to reach this milestone. Tomorrow, millions will come together to commemorate her remarkable life."

Queen Elizabeth II's funeral will begin Monday at 11 a.m. GMT (6 a.m. EST), although her casket will begin the journey from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey about 25 minutes earlier. Most cable news channels in the U.S. are expected to carry the funeral live. The BBC is also hosting a worldwide live feed. Dignitaries from around the world will be attending, including U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.

The Queen died on Sept. 8 at age 96, ending just over 70 years on the throne. She was the longest-reigning monarch in U.K. history. Her son, King Charles III, took the throne at 73, making him the oldest person to become a new monarch in history. Although Charles has officially been appointed king, his coronation will happen at a later date.

"Over the last ten days, my wife and I have been so deeply touched by the many messages of condolence and support we have received from this country and across the world," Charles said in a new statement released Sunday. "In London, Edinburgh, Hillsborough, and Cardiff we were moved beyond measure by everyone who took the trouble to come and pay their respects to the lifelong service of my dear mother, The late Queen. As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my family and myself in this time of grief." 

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