Queen Elizabeth's Final Words To Liz Truss Made Ex-PM Emotional, New Book Claims
Liz Truss thought she would meet Queen Elizabeth again after their last encounter.
The former prime minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the Conservative Party from September to October 2022 recounted her last meeting with the late British monarch less than two years ago at Balmoral in her new book "Ten Years to Save the West." According to her, when they were about to part ways, Her Majesty told her, "I'll see you again next week," The Sun reported.
Their subsequent encounter did not happen as Queen Elizabeth passed away two days later. Queen Elizabeth likely said those words because British monarchs hold weekly meetings with the prime ministers, per the outlet.
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In her book, Truss shared more details about their unforgettable encounter in September 2022. According to her, Queen Elizabeth was "standing up as she greeted me in her drawing room." She didn't have any idea how she was feeling at the time but was aware that the late royal exerted an effort to make the meeting happen.
"I was told she'd made a special effort to do so, but she gave no hint of discomfort throughout our discussion," Truss wrote.
"This was only my second one-on-one audience with her. On the previous occasion, after I'd been removed from a different job in the government, she'd remarked that being a woman in politics was tough."
They talked about politics for 20 minutes, and she noticed how "attuned" the Queen was to everything. She also complimented King Charles' mother for being "sharp and witty." Truss didn't have any clue that it would be their last meeting.
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"There simply wasn't any sense that the end would come as quickly as it did," Truss added.
Looking back at her moment with Queen Elizabeth, the politician said it was unforgettable. She also shared the advice she received from the Queen.
"I knew I'd never forget my last meeting with Her Majesty -- and especially what she said towards the end of our talk in her drawing room," Truss continued.
"Being Prime Minister, she warned me, is incredibly aging. She also gave me two words of advice: 'Pace yourself.' Maybe I should have listened."
(Photo : Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
She admitted in her book that she was overwhelmed with emotion when she learned about the Queen's condition before she passed away. She remembered how the "machine kicked into action" with the news that Queen Elizabeth's health was deteriorating.
"My black mourning dress was fetched from my house in Greenwich, south London. I started to think about what on earth I was going to say if the unthinkable happened," she shared.
"On Thursday, we received the solemn news that the Queen had died peacefully at Balmoral. To be told this on only my second full day as prime minister felt utterly unreal. In a state of shock, I found myself thinking: 'Why me, why now?'"
(Photo : Getty Images/Ben Stansall - WPA Pool)
Truss got very emotional as the PM in charge when the Queen died. According to her, she was "overcome by a profound sense of sadness" and broke down in "floods of tears on the sofa" when she watched the Queen's coffin return to London the following weekend.
The U.K. government declared a 10-day mourning period following Queen Elizabeth's passing. She received a state funeral on Sept. 19, 2022, and was laid to rest at Windsor Castle's King George VI Memorial Chapel in the Royal Vault, where her parents, sister and husband, Prince Philip, were buried.
"Ten Years to Save the West" hits the shelves on Tuesday.
