Queen Elizabeth II Fighting To Keep Monarchy Alive Following Prince Harry & Prince William's Rift, Prince Andrew Scandal
At 95, Queen Elizabeth is still proving her mettle and fighting to keep the monarchy alive.
According to a source, the head royal has been tackling the institution’s latest scandals and PR disasters head-on, even as she continues to grieve her beloved husband, Prince Philip, who died in April at 99 years old.
The queen got involved firsthand in the rift between the Cambridges and Sussexes, which deepened after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle relinquished their royal roles last year.
“With gentle firmness, she finally brokered peace between the two couples,” shares the source, explaining she spoke to them via a virtual conference call. “She neither scolded nor coddled but stated they must put an end to their feud for the sake of the institution.”
Thanks to her mitigation, Prince William and Harry “are talking again and often,” spills the source, adding that while Kate Middleton is bonding with Meghan over their children, “they still have a ways to go, but they’re feeling hopeful again.”
As OK! previously reported, William and Harry were all smiles at the unveiling of the late Princess Diana's statue in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace in July.
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The pair even issued a joint statement on the day of the unveiling. “Today, on what would have been our mother’s 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength and character – qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better,” Harry and William said, according to the palace.
“The queen’s ruled for 69 years,” explains the source. “When she speaks, her family is compelled to listen.”
Her Majesty is also determined to address the scandal surrounding her son Prince Andrew.
In August, after alleged Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre sued Andrew, 61, for sexual assault, “the royal family panicked,” says the source, noting that the queen made the painful decision to ease Andrew out of the monarchy.
"Stepping back from duties was no longer enough," adds the source. "She may be Andrew's mother, but she's also his queen — and that role always comes first."
