Did Boris Johnson Just Break Royal Protocol In New Memoir? Former PM Claims Elizabeth II Had 'Bone Cancer'

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has claimed in an upcoming memoir that Queen Elizabeth II was suffering from bone cancer before she died in September 2022. By doing this, he has controversially broken royal protocol in his new book that is set to release on October 10.

According to a report published by CNN, Johnson has broken royal protocol, if indeed, his account about the final days of Elizabeth II is accurate. There has been much speculation over her death for a long time now, while there have been no comments from the royal family on the matter.

The CNN said Buckingham Palace has a policy not to comment on books released about the royal family and, as such, has not confirmed or denied these assertions.

The former prime minister, who stepped down two days before the royal died in Balmoral, Scotland, said she had a “form of bone cancer”. His account is the first public indication by a former government official on the cause of her death.

The Daily Mail newspaper has been publishing excerpts from the book, one of which gives details about her illness. “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,” he wrote in the excerpt.

Elizabeth II’s cause of death has been listed as “old age” on her death certificate. After her death two years ago, in an announcement on social media, the royal family had said “the Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon”.

While Johnson is not the first PM to reminisce about his interactions with the late monarch during his time in office –Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron have all done so, but only in a general manner – his is, by far, the most vivid.

While stepping down as the PM, Johnson had made the customary visit to the royal residence of Balmoral. Upon arrival, he said he was greeted by the queen’s private secretary, who told him that she had significantly deteriorated over the summer. Later, he met the monarch in her drawing room.

“She seemed pale and more stooped, and she had dark bruising on her hands and wrists, probably from drips or injections,” the Daily Mail quoted the excerpt. “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.”

Elizabeth II never shared or discussed her private health and medical matters with the public. But, Catherine, Princess of Wales, had recently revealed that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was on the path to recovery. But, even in this case, the family did not reveal the specific form of cancer.

Aides in the royal household told CNN that the royals have the same right to medical privacy as anyone else. But, they said Catherine had bucked the trend in a bid to be more open as well as raise awareness about cancer.