And then, yesterday afternoon, it happened: Buckingham Palace announced she had passed away.
Charles, 73, now King Charles III, has been next in line to the throne for seven decades - by a distance the longest wait in the history of the British monarchy. Neither he nor his courtiers have ever wished to speak publicly about the moment it is over.
The prospect of the Queen's death has always been considered a matter of great private sadness. "He never wanted to think about accession because it meant the death of his mother," a former aide said yesterday.
But with the Queen's doctors voicing concern for her health and her other children and grandchildren scrambling to be with her, the role of heir that has defined Charles's life since the age of three, when his mother acceded to the throne in 1952, appeared to be drawing nearer.
A new, inevitably shorter, chapter of Charles's life will begin. Becoming monarch of the UK and 14 Commonwealth realms from Canada to Australia will allow him to answer a question that has followed him for decades: after a lifetime of outspoken interventions in public life, what kind of king will he be? In the immediate days he faces the twin challenges of personal bereavement and leading the nation in mourning.
"He will be focused on the personal and the family, but for the palaces it will be a question of [choosing] the right things to say and do that lead the nation in mourning but also establish the first steps of the new reign," said another former aide.
Charles, they added, had a "deep emotional facility" with bereaved people, which they predicted would serve him and the country well in any period of mourning.
Denne historien er fra September 09, 2022-utgaven av The Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra September 09, 2022-utgaven av The Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Poundland's owner warns of lower earnings and says chain may be sold off
Poundland's owner could put the chain up for sale, saying it faces tough competition and increased wage costs from next month under Labour's tax-raising plans.
Theatre review Stellar cast balances the comic tragedy of thwarted lives
Chekhov described his country-house drama as a comedy, creating its serious yet silly characters \"not without pleasure\". Still, it is a test of tone and performance to render with humour a story that scales so much thwarted life.
Kylie is among King Charles's top artists, royal playlist reveals
Kylie has a legion of fans around the globe, but it might come as a surprise to many that the king is one of those who can't get her out of his head.
Four in 10 Britons did not read a book in the past year - survey
Four in 10 Britons did not read or listen to a book in the past year, a survey has found.
Girl, 10, who died in car collision at Kendal sports pitch is named
The child who died in a car collision at a sports pitch in Kendal, Cumbria, has been named as 10-year-old Poppy Atkinson.
Trade war China says it will fight US 'to the end'
China's ministry of foreign affairs has promised China will \"fight to the end\" with the US in a \"tariff war, trade war or any other war\", marking Beijing's strongest rhetoric on Donald Trump since he entered the White House.
Nasal surgery shown to restore sense of smell in trial among long Covid patients
Doctors in London have successfully restored a sense of smell and taste in patients who lost it owing to long Covid with pioneering surgery that expands their nasal airways to kick-start their recovery.
Hamilton tour dates scrapped in protest at Trump's arts centre coup
The hit musical Hamilton is pulling out of plans to perform at a major Washington venue, citing Donald Trump's shakeup of the art institution's leadership.
UK construction activity drops at its fastest rate in nearly five years
Steep declines in housebuilding and engineering work have led to the biggest drop in UK construction activity since May 2020, according to a survey of building companies.
Zelenskyy's rivals deny plot to oust him despite holding talks with US
Ukraine's opposition leaders yesterday confirmed having discussions with members of Donald Trump's entourage but denied being part of any White House plot to remove Volodymyr Zelenskyy from power.
