On September 8, 2022, at the age of 96, Queen Elizabeth II would have celebrated her 100th birthday on April 21, 2026. In the latest issue of People magazine released this week of April 15, 2026, the focus was on the royal family, specifically on how the late queen could have supported Prince William and Prince Harry, who have been at odds for several years.
Elizabeth II always spoke to both princes
The rift between Prince William and Prince Harry began in 2016, when the future British sovereign expressed concerns about the speed at which his brother’s relationship with Meghan Markle was progressing. Despite the rift, Queen Elizabeth II still tried to keep in touch with them.
“She still saw both of them, even after their rift,” said a source close to Buckingham Palace to People. “She believed that people could have opinions, but not necessarily sides. She understood that families are complex.”
Former press secretary of the late queen, Ailsa Anderson, also commented on the situation, describing it as “very difficult.” “The only people who can fix things are themselves. She could have taken the initiative, but it’s up to them to take the first step.”
Ongoing tensions
Tensions between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and the rest of the royal family have only increased over the years, especially after their move to California in 2020.
In his new book William et Catherine: La nouvelle ère de la monarchie: Les coulisses de l’histoire, author Russel Myers claims that Prince William was “furious” about his brother’s decision. “He felt betrayed by Harry to the point of swearing never to speak to him again,” he wrote. “His anger was such that he told one of his closest advisors that he had ‘absolutely no time to spare for Harry and Meghan’.”
However, according to Russel Myers, Kate Middleton has been a strong support for her husband during this estrangement. “Her attitude was always the same: ‘It will pass.’ Whenever William got upset, she calmed things down and brought him back to what’s important: their family and their activities.”
