History repeating itself?
The Queen is 'sensitive' to what Prince Harry is going through after watching her sister
Princess Margaret struggle in her shadow, royal historian claims.
Queen Elizabeth II has been sympathetic to her grandson Prince Harry's desire to set
out on his own after watching her younger sister Princess Margaret struggle with being
in her shadow, according to a royal historian.
Harry, 35, was raised as a royal spare to the heir, just like his late great aunt, who
was King George VI's second-born child.
Both Harry and Margaret had to play second fiddle to their older siblings, and the Queen,
93, understands the tensions that can arise because of that.
'She has a particular sensitivity to what Harry has been going through because of her
closeness to Margaret and seeing the same dramas and tensions played out two generations
ago,' royal historian Robert Lacey told People.
Harry and Prince William were incredibly close growing up, but they have reportedly grown
apart since his marriage to Meghan Markle.
'The younger-sibling syndrome is an enduring problem,' Lacey said.
'The system has not found a way of giving them the recognition that they need.'
Harry has been nothing but a doting uncle to William's three children with Kate Middleton,
but the historian noted issues between the Queen and her sister arose when she got married
and had children — pushing Margaret farther and farther away from the throne.
'Until Elizabeth produced heirs, Margaret was a possible future Queen,' he said.
'It is a family situation of conflict that goes back over generations.'
In addition to trying to carve out their own path in the royal family, Harry and Margaret
both lost parents at young ages.
Princess Diana died when he was just 12 years old, and he has been in therapy for the past
three years to try and overcome the trauma of losing his mother.
Margaret, meanwhile, was 21 when her father passed away and her sister was crowned queen,
forever changing their relationship.
With the focus on their older siblings, they were far more rebellious in their youth and
favored media attention as fans followed their every move.
Long before Harry made headlines for wearing a Nazi costume and getting naked in Las Vegas,
Margaret was known as a party princess.
She had an affair with her father's equerry Group Captain Peter Townsend — who was 16
years her senior and a divorcee when he proposed to her.
Margaret later called off the proposal, citing her 'duty to the Commonwealth.
She married photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960, and they divorced 18 years later.
Harry also followed his heart when he married Meghan, a divorced actress.
They have since made waves with their highly publicized Megxit.
Lacey said 'the Queen will be very disappointed' with his decision to leave royal life because
'her job is to survive' and protect the monarchy.
Harry and Meghan's new arrangements will be reviewed in a year, and royal biographer Ingrid
Seward told People that the Queen 'won't dwell on the exit.'
'She is very pragmatic.
She has left the door open for Harry especially — the year of review was with Harry in mind,'
she explained.
Following Harry and Meghan's announcement that they will be spending more time in Canada
and earn their own income, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the couple is banned from using
the 'Sussex Royal' name for their projects.
When Prince Harry attended the Travalyst sustainable tourism summit in Edinburgh, Scotland, on
Wednesday, the summit's host, Ayesha Hazarika, told the crowd that he simply wanted to be
referred to as 'Harry.'
'I got the impression he is very focused on what he wants to do.
He was pretty defiant as well.
I didn't sense that he thinks 'this has all been a nightmare, I'm going to hide away,'
Hazarika told Good Morning Britain the next day.
'From the reaction he got and the way he conducted himself, he clearly doesn't need a title to
be a big deal.'
On Thursday, the Queen brightened up an otherwise dreary day in a pair of dark sunglasses while
she was photographed arriving at Windsor Castle.
The monarch, who was seen sitting in the back of a chauffeur-driven black Range Rover, donned
a black dress complete with colorful floral detail, and a green gilet for a layer of extra
warmth.
The Queen has publicly supportive of her grandson's decision to step away from royal life, but
the stress is reportedly taking a toll on her.
'She’s exhausted, both physically and emotionally,' a source told Us Weekly.
'She’s approaching her 94th birthday in April and should be at a stage in her life
where she can ease up and be supported by her loved ones.'
Prince Harry and Meghan's departure from their royal duties has become more than just a headache
for the royal.
'The drama’s never-ending,' the source added.
'She’s so frustrated.'
The couple is to reunite with the Queen and the rest of the royal family next month at
the annual Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey, which takes place on March 9.
The Queen is 'sensitive' to what Prince Harry is going through because of Princess Margaret