Queen Elizabeth has passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones.

While that's a relief to know, it does bring great sorrow for the whole world to lose the longest-reigning monarch to date. Her contributions cannot be discounted and just forgotten with her passing.

Her last few weeks on Earth however have been some of her happiest, even though the stress of the last two years certainly had a great impact on her health. 

The Queen spent one of her happiest summers in recent memory visiting family and guests at Balmoral. Her Highland estate, with every purple-hued twig bursting with memories of her beloved Philip, had been a tremendous source of solace during the most trying times.

Recent information from a person with intimate ties to the Royal Household indicated that she had not suffered from any chronic disease.

Another individual stated, 'She has lost a significant amount of weight and has been experiencing all the aches and pains that a 96-year-old woman would be expected to experience, as well as having awful problems with her aching feet.'

Undoubtedly, though, Her Majesty's unexpected fragility and health decline came as a shock to many of her close associates.

In addition, the loss of her 99-year-old husband, the turmoil surrounding Harry and Meghan's acrimonious exit from the family, and the extremely worrisome claims surrounding Prince Andrew have taken a "severe emotional toll" on the Queen over the past two years.

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One insider shared, "Her Majesty was always discreet but you can see with your own eyes what a toll it has taken on her emotionally. It brought her great heartache and has not been an easy time."

Still, when the Queen landed in Balmoral at the end of July - moving into the smaller, more comfortable seven-bedroom Craigowan Lodge on Royal Deeside before transferring to Balmoral Castle on August 9.

The Highland air seemed to provide a sense of comfort and relief. The Queen was accompanied by a handful of devoted servants who pledged to be at her side to the end. 

Her 6-foot-four-inch Page of the Staircase As usual, Paul Whybrew, nicknamed "Tall Paul," and Barry Mitford, her Sergeant-at-Arms, were accompanying her. The two men were her constant companions, bringing her the Daily Racing Post every day and watching her favorite sport on television with her. Angela Kelly, the daughter of a Liverpool dockworker, ascended to become her Personal Assistant, Advisor, and Curator. Angela, who was fiercely protective and humorously nicknamed "AK47," never left her side.

According to a person with deep knowledge of Balmoral, the Queen spent her final weeks savoring the country lifestyle she cherished. She and Philip were at their happiest in the Highlands, where they led a rather regular married life; it was no accident that she chose to distribute a photograph of them there after his passing.

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