When Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne after the death of her father, King George VI, she vowed to serve her country until her last breath. Seventy years later, she stayed true to her word and served her people until the day before she died. His last public appearance showed signs of death.

September 8, 2022 was a sad day for Britons and the world at large, following the death of the Queen, who had ruled since her accession to the throne in 1952, at her Scottish estate, where she spent much of the summer.

Having been the UK’s longest-serving monarch, the Queen’s reign effected many huge social changes and lasted 15 prime ministers, starting with Winston Churchill.

Many see her as the rock on which modern Britain was built, with new Prime Minister Liz Truss saying the monarch provided Britain with the stability and strength they needed.

She remained dedicated to her work and served her people until her last breath. A day before her death, she had a meeting with the Prime Minister, and although she retained her wry sense of humor, she appeared frail, and doctors admitted that she was, indeed, showing signs that death was near.

Buckingham Palace declared the Queen dead at 6.30pm on Thursday evening September 8 with King Charles III saying her loss would be deeply felt around the world. Speaking shortly after his mother’s death, he said:

“I know his loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people across the world.”

On Tuesday she had her last royal appointment, the only one ever held during her summer retreat, with all the others taking place at Buckingham Palace. The ceremony, known as the ‘kissing the hands’, was held in Scotland due to the Queen’s mobility issues, to ensure timing certainty.

Elizabeth’s powerful speech in her twenties

On April 21, 1947, Princess Elizabeth’s 21st birthday, April 21, 1947, she, her sister and her parents were on a tour of South Africa when she made her first vow to always serve her people. The Princess dedicated her life to Commonwealth service, during the speech which was broadcast on Cape Town radio.

She began her speech by addressing all members of the British Commonwealth and Empire, wherever they live, whatever their race and whatever their language. She continued:

“I declare before you all that my whole life, whether long or short, will be devoted to your service.”

She thanked everyone who had sent her birthday messages of goodwill, saying that while it was a happy day for her, it also made her think seriously about life ahead with its challenges and opportunities.

She admitted that she would not have the strength to carry out the resolution to lead her country alone and said she was counting on everyone’s support. She ended the speech with:

“May God help me keep my vow.

After the death of King George VI on February 6, 1952 at Sandringham Estate, UK, Princess Elizabeth took over the throne and became Queen.

On June 2 the following year, she was crowned in a coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey before setting off on a Commonwealth tour, visiting places such as Bermuda, Fiji, Tonga, Australia and Gibraltar.

After her coronation, the Queen made a broadcast that evening, thanking the public for their support and promising, once again, to serve the nation.

She shared that throughout the day she had been uplifted and supported by the fact that the thoughts and prayers of her people were with her. She said the coronation was not a symbol of power but a declaration of the people’s hopes for the future. She added:

“And for years I may, by the grace and mercy of God, be given to reign and serve you as your queen.”

The appearance of the queen one day before death

For the past 70 years, the Queen has kept her promise, serving her people tirelessly until her dying day. On Wednesday September 7, she met her newly appointed Prime Minister Liz Truss and later outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

When she named Truss, doctors say she had mottled hands and a frail appearance, signs that she was going to die within days.

Photos of the Queen as she posed next to Truss showed a possible sign of declining health, Dr Deb Cohen-Jones said, adding there was possible evidence of peripheral vascular disease. The disease is a circulation disorder that causes narrowing, blockage or spasm of blood vessels outside the heart and brain.

This often leads to heart failure because other organs don’t get a good blood supply. “It can be a sign of multiple organ failure.” He said.

Some of the symptoms she may have experienced as a result of the condition leading to ‘marbled’ hands would be tingling, numbness, ‘coldness’ of the affected area, muscle cramps and fatigue and intermittent pain .

Dr Deb revealed that if, in fact, the Queen had the disorder, she must have been in a lot of pain even when she performed her last appointment, but she still managed her signature smile.

There’s no way to know, for sure, how long the ‘marbling’ has been there, as the monarch hadn’t been seen in public for some time and often wore gloves.

NBC News Senior Medical Correspondent Dr. John Torres took a different view, observing that the skin and connective tissue underneath become fragile and can easily be bruised with age.

The condition, known as solar purpura, is common in older people and occurs on arms where the sun is beating down, particularly after a patient has had a blood draw or an intravenous line inserted.

Further speculation had circulated in recent months regarding the Queen’s health, including because she has avoided the public since arriving at the estate on July 21 for her summer vacation.

Journalist Nicholas Witchell speculated that the Queen suffered from cancer, a fall, gout and a cannula in her hand, opinions that Anita Singh, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh , said were “grossly intrusive”.