Queen Elizabeth’s personal struggles for her children

According to a royal analyst, the Queen was personally affected by Prince Charles’, Prince Andrew’s, and Princess Anne’s divorces.

“Outwardly stoical, as usual, the Queen was finding the divorce talks profoundly disturbing,” author Robert Hardman writes in his new biography, Queen of Our Times: The Life of Queen Elizabeth II.

“Another former member of the Household recalls that every now and then, there would be a glimpse of her despair.”

“It distressed her much more than she let on,” a former staffer tells Hardman, recalling his attempt to put the broken royal marriages into some sort of perspective.

“I said, ‘Ma’am, it seems to be happening everywhere. This is almost common practice.’ But she just said, ‘Three out of four!’ in sheer sadness and exasperation. One shouldn’t underestimate the pain she’s been through.”