Queen Elizabeth II’s health rumors addressed by royal author; longevity and duty defined decades of reign

Britain’s late Queen Elizabeth II, the country’s longest-serving monarch, is described by royal author Valentine Low as having been the picture of health for most of her seven-decade reign, even as mobility challenges emerged in later years. The records and anecdotes portray a sovereign who rode horses into her mid-90s and traveled to 117 countries, the equivalent of more than 42 trips around the globe. She generally avoided serious health conditions, unlike her father, a heavy smoker who died of lung cancer at 56. Yet rumors persisted in a media environment that followed the Crown with relentless scrutiny.

In 1986, Sir Malcolm Rifkind joined the Queen on the royal yacht Britannia for a weekend cruise around Scotland. Low notes that Rifkind came to know the Queen as well as any minister ever had. That August, during a break on the western and northern coasts, the pair picnicked on the island of Oronsay when The Sunday Times ran a story suggesting the Queen might have a heart problem after she had been seen visiting a Harley Street consultant. A doctor later said there was no heart issue. Undeterred by the speculation, the Queen insisted on a climb to the top of Ardnamurchan Point lighthouse, a 114-foot tower with 152 steps. After reaching the summit, she greeted journalists with a smile and a wave, while the other officials struggled to keep up. The moment helped allay concerns and became a noted example of her stamina.

Beyond that episode, accounts from biographers and photographers paint a portrait of a monarch who maintained fitness and mental engagement throughout her life. In Balmoral in 1967, a young American photographer recalls being surprised to see the Queen move quickly to a fireside position and then ascend stairs two at a time. Public appearances over the years showed her climbing to meet dancers and attending high-profile events without obvious fatigue. Supportive routines—reading and learning for hours each day—complemented a balanced approach to eating, chosen to sustain steadiness rather than indulgence, despite the lure of a full royal larder.

Her corgis, walked twice daily, and her horses, ridden into her 90s, provided regular, practical exercise. The death of Prince Philip in April 2021 is commonly cited as a turning point in her health trajectory, after which observers noted a more rapid decline in vitality, even as she continued to fulfill her royal duties. Notably, she remained involved in state affairs and appointed Liz Truss as Prime Minister at Balmoral in 2022, the 15th leader named during her reign. Biographers emphasize that the late monarch drew strength from a sense of duty and an enduring bond with her husband, a partnership many say helped sustain her leadership for so long. Her mother, the Queen Mother, lived to 101, underscoring a familial pattern of longevity that observers say shaped the monarch’s decades-long service.

Even in her final months, the Queen maintained a steady pace of engagements and continued to guide the Crown with the same discipline that defined her public life. Contemporary portraits and interviews with aides describe a ruler whose sharp mind and quick wit remained intact, informing decisions and reinforcing a global image of steadiness through a period of immense change. The narratives compiled by Low and other biographers do not hinge on a single medical episode; rather, they present a portrait of resilience sustained by routine, duty, and family ties. As the world reflects on her life, many point to her longstanding stamina as a defining feature of her reign, a blend of public service and personal discipline that endured to the end.