Why Queen Elizabeth Reportedly Is Confident Her Family's Rift Will Heal

The royal family has gone through its share of controversy and scandal over the years. However, they're currently in the middle of a family rift like never before, and Prince Harry is at the center of the drama. According to In Touch, reports of tension in the family first began in January 2017 when Prince William allegedly began to believe that Harry's relationship with actress Meghan Markle was moving too fast. Years of rumors persisted, but the chatter really began to heat up after Harry and Meghan's wedding when the couple opted to split their household from William and his wife, Kate Middleton.

In October 2019, Meghan hinted about her unhappiness during an interview with Tom Bradby, revealing that she told Harry it wasn't enough for them to simply "survive," but that they should "thrive" and "feel happy." By January 2020 Harry and Meghan had announced that they no longer planned to work as senior members of the royal family, and admitted that they were moving to North America. Talks of tension between Harry and his family didn't die down after his exit, and in March 2021 he and Meghan shocked many when they sat down for a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, where they dropped bombshells about living in the royal family (via USA Today). However, through it all Queen Elizabeth is said to still be hopeful that her family will mend their divide and that the brothers will put the pieces of their relationship back together.

Queen Elizabeth is the longest reigning monarch in history, and she's seen a lot of highs and lows in her 95 years of life. According to People, the queen is not worried about the rift within the royal family, and believes that things will work themselves out, especially where Prince William and Prince Harry are concerned. "She has been through so many difficult times. She knows things will come right in the end," a royal insider told the outlet. Elizabeth's former press secretary, Charles Anson, also admitted that she's the type of person who "absorbs things quietly," which is likely why she hasn't seemed outwardly concerned about her grandsons' relationship.

William and Harry reunited in the U.K. earlier this month to honor the life of their grandfather, Prince Philip. The queen sat alone at the funeral as she mourned her husband of over 70 years (via CNN). However, Elizabeth did reportedly meet up with Harry at least twice before he flew back to California to be with his pregnant wife, Meghan Markle (via Harper's Bazaar). "It was very much a family-focused period of time. Saturday broke the ice for future conversations but outstanding issues have not been addressed at any great length," a royal insider revealed of Harry's time in the U.K.