Queen was ‘full of fun’ on final weekend says friend who dined with her
A clergyman who spent the last weekend with Queen Elizabeth II before her death has said she was "full of fun" and "the life and soul of things".
Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields, 68, Moderator of the Church of Scotland General Assembly, stayed with the Queen at her Balmoral home following a sermon at Braemar and Crathie Parish Church.
Greenshields had dinner on Saturday evening and lunch on Sunday afternoon with Her Majesty, alongside her two children Charles, 73, and Princess Anne, 72.
Describing Her Majesty in the days leading up to her devastating passing, he told The Times: "It was a fantastic visit. Her memory was absolutely amazing and she was really full of fun".
Sharing his own heartbreak over the news, he continued: "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.
"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," he added.
Just days later, the final photo of the Queen was taken as she formally appointed Liz Truss as the new Prime Minister with a special audience at Balmoral – making it the first in history to be held outside of London or Windsor.
The monarch dressed in a white shirt with a grey blazer for the occasion, which she paired with a grey, black and red tartan skirt.
Wearing a pair of black low heels, the Queen held on to a black handbag and her walking stick as she dipped her glasses down to look at the camera before taking part in the "kissing of the hands" ceremony with Truss.
Truss donned a black long-sleeved blazer with a matching black skirt alongside a pair of nude heels and a red watch as she hook hands with the Queen.
At the time, a spokesperson said: "The Queen received in Audience The Right Honourable Elizabeth Truss MP today and requested her to form a new Administration.
"Ms Truss accepted Her Majesty's offer and kissed hands upon her appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury."
Since then, Truss has made a moving tribute in honour of Her Majesty following the announcement of her death. Speaking outside of Downing Street, she said: "Britain is the great country it is today because of her."
She continued: "She was the very spirit of Britain, and that spirit will endure," before describing her as "a huge shock to the nation and the world" and "the passing of the second Elizabethan age".
Truss went on: "It's an extraordinary achievement to have presided with such dignity and grace for 70 years. Her life of service stretched beyond most of our living memories.
"In return she was loved and admired by the people in the United Kingdom and all around the world. She has been a personal inspiration to me and to many Britons – her devotion to duty is an example to us all."
She ended her speech by adding: "God save The King".
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