Mundella died unexpectedly. On 13 July 1897 he told a friend, "I have never felt better in my life". The following morning Mundella's butler went to wake him but found him "prostrated and unconscious" on his bedroom floor. He remained paralysed after his stroke with a complete loss of speech, and he was barely conscious for eight days. Many people, including Queen Victoria (who telegraphed a number of times for news) and leading politicians of all shades of opinion, expressed grave concern. At 1.55 pm on 21 July 1897 he died, at the age of 72.