Queen Elizabeth II had a ‘form of bone cancer’ before she died, claims former PM Boris Johnson in memoir

By Divya Kishore
Published on : 22:57 PST, Sep 30, 2024

Boris Johnson remembers Queen Elizabeth II fondly in his memoir 'Unleashed' (Getty Images and Carl Court/Getty Images)

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has claimed Queen Elizabeth II was suffering from a form of bone cancer before she breathed her last on September 8, 2022.

Johnson revealed this in his upcoming memoir ‘Unleashed' where he mentioned his meeting with the late monarch, two days before her death, as reported by OK! Magazine.

Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96, marking an end to her reign of 70 years as monarch.

Queen Elizabeth II welcomes newly elected leader of the Conservative party, Boris Johnson during an audience where she invited him to become Prime Minister and form a new government in Buckingham Palace on July 24, 2019 in London, England. The British monarch remains politically neutral and the incoming Prime Minister visits the Palace to satisfy the Queen that they can form her government by being able to command a majority, holding the greater number of seats, in Parliament. Then the Court Circular records that a new Prime Minister has been appointed. (Photo by Victoria Jones - WPA Pool/Getty Images) — Boris Johnson claimed Queen Elizabeth II had bone cancer (Victoria Jones - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

At the time, the 60-year-old politician was reportedly informed by the Queen’s private secretary, Edward Young, about her deteriorating health.

Boris Johnson remembers Queen Elizabeth II's smile despite ill health

Boris Johnson wrote in his memoir 'Unleashed', “I had known for a year or more that she had a form of bone cancer, and her doctors were worried that at any time she could enter a sharp decline.”

Mayor of London Boris Johnson speaks on stage during the Opening Ceremony of the 124th IOC Session, prior to the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games at The Royal Opera House on July 23, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) — Boris Johnson recounts meeting Queen Elizabeth II two days before her death (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Explaining further, Johnson reportedly shared, “She seemed pale and more stooped, and she had dark bruising on her hands and wrists, probably from drips or injections.

“But her mind – as Edward had also said – was completely unimpaired by her illness, and from time to time in our conversation she still flashed that great white smile in its sudden mood-lifting beauty.

'Unleashed' will be released in the UK on October 10 and in the US on October 22.

Boris Johnson reveals advice he got from Queen Elizabeth II

Boris Johnson, former Leader of the Conservative Party, also reportedly disclosed in his book that he resigned during his final meeting with Queen Elizabeth II.

He noted that the monarch “had known all summer that she was going, but was determined to hang on and do her last duty,” and to watch over the "peaceful and orderly transition" of power from him to his successor, Liz Truss.

Johnson also reportedly mentioned the last piece of advice he got from the queen.

He added, “'There’s no point in bitterness', she said, and amen to that. If everyone in politics – and life – could see that as clearly as she did, the world would be a much, much happier place.”

Before Johnson, royal author Gyles Brandreth in his book ‘Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait’ had claimed that the queen was suffering from bone cancer.

Queen Elizabeth II greets Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the first in-person weekly audience with the Prime Minister since the start of the coronavirus pandemic at Buckingham Palace on June 23, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images) — Queen Elizabeth II greets Boris Johnson during the first in-person weekly audience with the Prime Minister since the start of the coronavirus pandemic at Buckingham Palace on June 23, 2021 in London, England (Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Queen Elizabeth II's death

However, the British royal family has not yet directly confirmed the diagnosis.

Even after Queen Elizabeth's death, the official statement just said, “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.”

Queen Elizabeth II attends an event in celebration of The Big Lunch initiative at The Eden Project during the G7 Summit on June 11, 2021 in St Austell, Cornwall, England. UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, hosts leaders from the USA, Japan, Germany, France, Italy and Canada at the G7 Summit. This year the UK has invited India, South Africa, and South Korea to attend the Leaders' Summit as guest countries as well as the EU. (Photo by Oli Scarff - WPA Pool / Getty Images) — Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022 at age 96 (Oli Scarff - WPA Pool / Getty Images)

Also, King Charles III’s statement read, “The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty the Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family. We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother.”

“During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held,” he added.

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