The deceased queen Isabel II He joked saying: “At least now I won’t have that idiot organizing my funeral,” following Boris Johnson‘s resignation as Prime Minister in September 2022, just days before his death. This is stated by Tim Shipman in his new book on Brexit, “Out, a political history of Brexit”.
On September 6, 2022, at age 96, Elizabeth II officially accepted Johnson’s resignation after various political controversies and, hours later, confirmed Liz Truss as her successor. Two days later, the monarch died at Balmoral Castle, Scotland.
His funerals in Edinburgh, London and Windsor became historic events with great media coverage. His reign, which began in February 1952, lasted 70 years and seven months, setting a record.
According to Shipman, the queen made the comment to amuse her family and inner circle during a night out at Balmoral. The joke, however, generated skepticism among sources close to the royals, since, according to The Telegraph, it was known that the Duke of Norfolk is the traditional person in charge of royal funerals, not the prime minister.
In his book, Shipman relates that The queen’s last days were happy. He enjoyed a gathering with his family and staff two nights before he passed away.
Elizabeth II About Boris Johnson
“When Boris Johnson was mentioned, the queen mischievously said: ‘Well, at least now I won’t have that idiot organizing my funeral,’” Shipman wrote, adding that this comment reflected a sentiment shared in the Royal Household.
The relationship between Johnson and the British royalty was not always easy. In 2019, the then Prime Minister’s decision to prorogue Parliament generated “absolute fury” between high-ranking members of the royal family and their courtiers.
In addition, Johnson was criticized for the “partygate” scandal in Downing Street during the covid lockdowns. One of these parties even occurred just before the funeral of Elizabeth II’s husband, Prince Philip, in April 2021. Police issued 126 fines for gatherings, including one for Johnson, which added pressure and led to his resignation in July 2021. 2022.
Although the queen’s comment about Johnson was humorous, Shipman assures that she maintained an “optimistic” view of the prime minister. He saw him as “a mischievous and comical character” and calmly accepted his controversies. However, then Prince Charles – now King Charles III – was “furious” and “outraged” by Johnson’s treatment of the queen, according to the book’s author.
