Queen Elizabeth II found her children getting divorced “upsetting”, according to a new book.
The 95-year-old monarch was “outwardly stoical” when three of her children - Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew - endured the break-up of their marriages, according to ‘Queen of Our Times: The Life of Queen Elizabeth II’ by author Robert Hardman.
In his new biography, which an excerpt appears in the new issue of PEOPLE magazine reads: “Outwardly stoical, as ever, the Queen was finding the divorce talks deeply upsetting. Another former member of the Household recalls that, every now and then, there would be a glimpse of her despair."
A former aide to Her Majesty - whose youngest son Prince Edward is still married to his wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex - told Robert: "It distressed her much more than she let on. 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."
According to the book, the Queen just “got on with it” during 1992, the year she quipped “annus horribilis” in her Christmas address.
Charles Anson, her ex press secretary told Robert: "I don't remember a single occasion when I went to see her and she exclaimed, 'No! What next?'bThe issue was sometimes embarrassing, but she got on with it. It is immensely reassuring in those situations to work for someone who isn't knocked back."
Former Prime Minister Sir John Major - who led the British government from 1990 to 1997 - spilled that Her Majesty lives by the adage of “this too shall pass”.
The 78-year-old politician said: "Storms will come and go, some worse than others. But she will always put her head down and plough through them. The Queen has always lived by the doctrine, 'This too shall pass.' "
Robert ruled that the Queen’s “default mode” during dark days is “stillness”.
He wrote in the book, which is out on April 5: "While the Queen has sometimes been accused of being slow to act, there has never been a charge of panic. Her default mode in the face of a crisis is stillness."
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