“There is no strict science around it. But it’s definitely an observed phenomenon," the doctor said.
Many people experience heartbreak in several forms, but losing a loved one is the most common factor contributing to a broken heart. While it is often used as a figure of speech, it is actually a medical condition, known as broken heart syndrome, where one could even die due to grief.
Ever since Quen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, people have been claiming she died of a broken heart, given how her health had been getting worse after her husband of over seven decades died in April 2021.
According to one doctor, the grief she experienced after the death of Prince Philip could have been a contributing factor to her death, Daily Mail reported. The Queen was photographed mourning her husband wearing a black mask in St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021, which served as a reminder of the unimaginable pain and suffering that she had to go through after the death of the love of her life.
Dr. Deb Cohen-Jones says broken heart syndrome may have played a role in the death of the Queen. “There is no strict science around it. But it’s definitely an observed phenomenon. It’s more about losing your ‘will’ than it is about your health in some ways,” Dr. Cohen-Jones said.
"From a physiological point of view, the loss of Prince Philip would have caused her severe stress, peaking her cortisol levels, and leaving her body to deal with that,” he said, explaining how it may have affected the Queen.
When under stress, the body releases the hormone cortisol, which, in large doses, can harm the body and raise the chance of developing a number of diseases. Stress poses physiological as well as psychological harm.
Nikki Stamp, a heart surgeon, told ABC Australia that the stress of losing your husband or wife can cause a 'chain reaction' that can contribute to death. "What we know is that for some people the stress of losing a loved one, or any kind of stressful event in your life, does precipitate a whole bunch of reactions in the physical body as well as in your mind that can cause disease and sometimes cause someone to pass away," she said. "It's certainly something that we're discovering more and more lately."
“She sorely, desperately missed him and he's waiting for her in St George's Chapel in Windsor and she will be beside him very soon. She will go to the other side and meet her parents and her sister. There are more people on the other side than there are on this,” said her ex-footman of 11 years Paul Burrell of the Queen.
Here's hoping the Queen has been reunited with her husband and the love of her life after over a year apart.
References:
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/can-you-die-of-a-broken-heart/10609960
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Alastair Grant - WPA Pool
