Queen Elizabethis increasingly bringing royal heirsPrince CharlesandPrince Williaminto the fold.
“They operate together — not as equals, because the Queen remains in charge — but William is a very active component in the way the monarchy protects itself,” says historian Robert Lacey tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story.
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Prince Charles, 73, andPrince William, 39, were among those with whom she “widely discussed"Prince Andrewbeing stripped of his patronages and military titles in January amid his sexual assault lawsuit, which recentlyreached a settlement agreementoutside court.
Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth and Prince William.Stefan Wermuth - WPA Pool/Getty
“When you start to think about your own mortality, there’s a very strong urge to do housekeeping,” says historian Amanda Foreman, author ofQueen Victoria’s Buckingham Palace.
Prince Charles, Camilla and Queen Elizabeth.Chris Jackson/Getty
While the Queen prepares to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee year (marking 70 years on the throne) with a long weekend of events in June, she is dealing with a “tumultuous time” in her life. In addition to health issues (from limited mobility to her recentCOVID-19 diagnosis), the monarch has faced family scandals, includingPrince Andrew’ssettlementwith his sexual assault accuser and aninvestigationintoPrince Charles' charity following cash-for-honors allegation.
“It’s a drip-feed of negativity for the monarchy,” says a palace insider. “I’ve not known such a tumultuous time as this.”
A royal insider adds: “It just feels to be one thing after another for the Queen. It’s going to take a toll.”
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However, she continues to remain resolute in the midst of difficult times.
“One of the lessons that shelearned very early from her own motherwas to focus on the positive,” royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith says. " ‘You see something bad, you see something good.’ And the Queen has always been very good at that.”
source: people.com
