Queen Elizabeth II was “full of fun” and sharp as a whip while conducting her royal duties until the very end, a clergyman who was with the late monarch during her final weekend revealed.
“It was a fantastic visit. Her memory was absolutely amazing, and she was really full of fun,” Rev. Iain Greenshields, a Church of Scotland minister who had lunch with the Queen, Prince Charles (now King Charles III) and Princess Anne last Saturday, told The Times of London on Friday.
Greenshields said the Queen was in such great spirits that he was completely surprised to hear that her health had rapidly declined Thursday morning.
“It came as a great shock to me when I heard she was gravely ill because she was in amazingly good form over the weekend,” he said. “She was the life and soul of things. She was speaking very personally to me about her time there way back when she was a child, she was talking about her horses from the past, naming them from 40 years ago, people’s names and places. She was quite remarkable.”
The clergyman also said that the Queen was full of laughter and had an impressive memory for a 96-year-old upon his visit.
“For someone of her age, to have the memory she had, and genuinely laughing and very much enjoying having her family and the whole occasion. She was great company,” he said, noting that she could not attend his sermon because of her mobility issues.
Nevertheless, Greenshields said the Queen was “amazing” and a “very capable lady” as she conversed widely with everyone who gathered to be with her.
“She was amazing just around the people, gathering everyone together, conversing widely. She very much impressed me as a very capable lady.”
Among the topics discussed between the sovereign and her lunch guests were the war in Ukraine and current church affairs.
A week prior to Greenshields’ visit, Martin Fair, who has been minister at St. Andrews Church in Arbroath, Scotland, for 30 years, stayed at the Queen’s beloved Balmoral Castle and found her to be “bright and in very good spirits.”
“I was sad to hear the announcement about her deterioration. We were in her sitting room and in the dining room as part of a family gathering — it was a privilege to be part of it,” he told The Times.
“She was absolutely switched on about everything, current affairs and historical memories. She was on very good form. It was absolutely lovely to see her smile, and there was still that part of her that enjoys some fun.”
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, meanwhile, revealed he had met with the Queen just a few months ago, saying she was “on sparkling form.” Alister Jack, the Conservative MP and secretary of state for Scotland, shared the same sentiment regarding a June meeting.
The Queen died Thursday afternoon, just hours after a spokesperson for the royal family announced that her health had taken a turn for the worse.
Her immediate family members rushed to be by her side, though Page Six reported that grandson Prince Harry did not make it to Scotland until hours after her death.
The Queen had raised concerns for her health over the past year, having canceled several royal engagements, though she regularly resumed conducting her duties upon recovery.
The longest-reigning British monarch celebrated her 96th birthday in April and her Platinum Jubilee in June. She also appeared with a big smile on her face as she met the new British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, just two days before her death.
Her son King Charles III has since taken the throne.
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