Royals Queen Elizabeth’s Final Moments Before Her Death Revealed in New Book Intimate details about the Queen’s final moments have come to light in a new book by royal biographer Robert Hardman By Erin Hill Erin Hill Erin Hill is the Senior Editor, Royals at PEOPLE. She has reported on Royals for the brand since 2015. Erin previously worked at PARADE Magazine and The Knot. People Editorial Guidelines Published on January 12, 2024 03:40PM EST Queen Elizabeth on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on June 2, 2022. Photo: Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images More than one year after Queen Elizabeth's death, new details have emerged, casting a revealing light on the circumstances surrounding the iconic monarch's death. In an excerpt from royal biographer Robert Hardman’s new book, The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy (out Jan. 18), in Daily Mail on Friday, the author shares a memo of the monarch's final moments from her private secretary, Sir Edward Young, who was at Balmoral when the Queen died on Sept. 8, 2022. "Very peaceful. In her sleep. Slipped away. Old age. She wouldn't have been aware of anything. No pain," Young notes in the previously unseen memo that's now part of the Royal Archives, according to Daily Mail. The outlet also revealed that while there were concerns for the Queen's well-being at the time, her death occurred with such abruptness that King Charles (then Prince Charles) found himself hastily boarding a helicopter for an eleventh-hour journey to Balmoral. On the evening of Sept. 7, Princess Anne and Charles' private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, were advising him to be on standby. "They were both saying to him: 'Think how you would feel if you never said goodbye,' " says a member of staff, according to the excerpt. King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth in Sept. 2022. MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty At the same time, the Queen seemed stable. According to one of those involved, the consensus was "a day or two, not an hour or two." En route to Scotland, he read his "London Bridge" notes, a meticulously prepared protocol for the aftermath of her death. While at Balmoral, Charles and his wife Camilla (now Queen Camilla) spent an hour with the Queen privately at her bedside in the hours before she died, according to the book. Princess Anne, along with Angela Kelly, the Queen's senior dresser and trusted confidante, took turns by her bedside. The Rev Kenneth MacKenzie, a seasoned minister at the nearby Crathie Kirk, joined them, reading passages to the Queen from her Bible. Meanwhile, Charles personally reached out to both of his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, urging them to make their way to Scotland to bid their farewells, the outlet reports. During that moment, he still held the belief that the Queen had not mere hours, but rather days, remaining before her passing. Pegasus Books The book also includes the private moment when Charles learned his mother had died — and he was now monarch. While Charles was out gathering mushrooms at Birkhall (his home on the Balmoral estate) to clear his mind after visiting his mother, Anne called to summon the prince back to the castle immediately, according to the excerpt. He and Camilla got into their car with their team and drove back to Balmoral Castle. Charles received the news of the Queen's death while behind the wheel. His senior aide took the call from Sir Edward Young, prompting Charles to pull over. In that moment, he was addressed as "Your Majesty" for the first time, and in that moment he realized his mother had died. "We’re nearly there," the new King replied softly. As soon as he arrived at the castle, Charles went straight to his mother's bedside to say his private farewells with Camilla by his side. According to the excerpt, despite numerous attempts, the King tried to personally inform his younger son, Harry, but since he was already airborne, he couldn't get through to him. King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Queen Elizabeth's funeral in Sept. 2022. Andy Stenning - WPA Pool/Getty Prince Harry ‘Completely by Himself’ amid Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Exclusive Book Excerpt As Charles and senior staff members began mapping out the days ahead, a footman entered the room with one of the Queen's famous red boxes that contained sensitive state documents, according to the outlet. As Young turned the key to open it, he found two sealed letters: one to Charles and one to himself. While the contents of the letters may never be disclosed, it's clear that the Queen knew her death was near and planned accordingly. The Queen also left behind her list of candidates to join the order of Merit — her final royal duty. Upon the Queen's passing, the United Kingdom — where she reigned for a record 70 years — mourned. Around the world, including in the other nations that called her the head of state or sovereign, her death was grieved by those to whom she was an unwavering fixture amid the turmoil of ever-changing times. The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II with the Imperial State Crown resting on top is carried by the Bearer Party as it departs Westminster Abbey during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth on September 19, 2022 in London. Samir Hussein/WireImage Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! The loss was most profound for her large family, including her four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. The monarch's state funeral was held at Westminster Abbey in London on Sept. 19, gathering 2,000 leaders and royals from around the world. The service was followed by a committal service at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, where she was later buried in a private ceremony beside her husband Prince Philip, her father King George VI, her mother Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and her sister Princess Margaret.