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By CNN Royal Correspondent Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse in London

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Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has controversially broken royal protocol and claimed in his upcoming memoir that Queen Elizabeth II was suffering from bone cancer before her death.
 
In the book, which hits shelves on October 10 and has been serialized this week in the Daily Mail newspaper - which Johnson also writes for - he recalled the monarch's final days at Balmoral, Scotland.
 
Johnson formally stepped down just two days before Elizabeth II's death in September 2022, and in the years since, there has been fierce speculation about exactly what caused her passing. 
 
"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.

Johnson's account is the first public indication by a former senior government official of what might have caused the 96-year-old Queen's death. Her death certificate attributes it to "old age."
 
Johnson isn't the first prime minister to reminisce about his interactions with the late Queen in an autobiography. Former British leaders Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron all did so but only in generalities and without the same level of vivid detail as Johnson.
 
Buckingham Palace has a policy of not commenting on books released about the royal family and as such has not confirmed or denied Johnson's assertions.
 
Johnson, who served as prime minister between 2019 and 2022, recalls traveling to the royal residence of Balmoral for the customary outgoing audience and resignation. Upon his arrival, he describes being greeted by the Queen's private secretary, Edward Young, who suggested to him that the monarch had deteriorated significantly over the summer.
 
Read the full story on CNN.

Watch: King Charles shows off his moves.

The British monarch joined in a Samoan dance during a reception celebrating the Commonwealth diaspora at St. James's Palace on Wednesday, ahead of his visit to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting later this month. Take a look:

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Princess Beatrice is pregnant!

Happy news from the royal household this week with word that Princess Beatrice, the elder daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, is pregnant. Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, announced they are expecting their second child together in early spring, according to Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. The pair are already parents to 8-year-old Christopher Woolf, Mapelli Mozzi's son from a previous relationship, and Sienna, 3. The palace said the King had been informed and "both families are delighted with the news."

King Charles celebrates Jimmy Carter's 100th.

The monarch privately congratulated former US President Jimmy Carter on becoming a centenarian on Tuesday. Carter is the first former president to reach the milestone. It's understood Charles' message expressed warm greetings and the sovereign's deep admiration for Carter's lifetime of duty and public service.

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Prince Harry celebrates 'little legends."

The Duke of Sussex returned to London briefly at the start of the week to attend the annual WellChild awards in London. The duke, who has been patron of the charity, which supports critically ill children and their families, for over 15 years, saluted the "little legends" in attendance for their courage and perseverance. Speaking as a father of two little ones, he also paid tribute to the tireless parents in the room, telling them "your love and dedication are nothing short of heroic."

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It was an A-list appearance in London when Prince William popped by RAF Northolt with soccer superstar David Beckham to check out two brand-new London's Air Ambulance Charity choppers on Tuesday. The charity received the new H135 helicopters through a fundraising campaign, which was launched in 2021 and raised a total of £16 million ($21 million).

"My late mother especially treasured the time spent at Balmoral, and it was there, in the most beloved of places, where she chose to spend her final days."

– King Charles III

The British sovereign spoke from the heart last weekend as he hailed Scotland as a "uniquely special place" for his family while marking the 25th anniversary of the Scottish parliament. At a special ceremony at Holyrood, he said: "Speaking from a personal perspective, Scotland has always had a uniquely special place in the hearts of my family and myself. My beloved Grandmother was proudly Scottish." He also spoke of how many are "united by our love of Scotland," citing its "natural beauty," "strength of character" and "the extraordinary diversity of its peoples."

CNN's Catherine Nicholls contributed to this newsletter.