Queen Elizabeth missed for two key reasons as family mark three years since her death

Even with her remarkable 96 years of wisdom and experience, it is unlikely that the lateQueen Elizabeth IIcould have fully envisioned the monumental shifts that have defined the three years since she passed away on 8 September 2022.

From the shockwaves that followed the January 2023 publication of her grandson Prince Harry’s explosive autobiography, Spare , to the gravely concerning cancer diagnoses of her son, King Charles III, and her granddaughter-in-law,Princess Catherine, in 2024, the royal family has faced some profound challenges.

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During the last year alone, the House of Windsor has been under more pressure than ever before, with the responsibility of royal duty falling on the shoulders of an increasingly fragile – and much depleted – family.

“It was always known that the King wanted a slimmed down monarchy, but now it is a bit too slim,” warns royal author Phil Dampier. “Harry and Meghan have departed, you’ve got Andrew in disgrace and Princess Anne is in her seventies.

“A lot of the older royals, like the Duke of Kent [who is 89] and Princess Alexandra [88], are at the end of their working lives. So all of a sudden you’ve got a hell of a lot on William and Kate – and then, of course, Kate got ill.”

While the public may have rejoiced at Princess Catherine’s recovery following her cancer treatment, in recent months life for the royal family has been far from plain sailing.

Earlier this year, in March, the King was forced to cancel a string of engagements after he was readmitted to hospital after experiencing “temporary side-effects” from his ongoing cancer treatment. Although royal sources described the setback as a “most minor bump in a road”, it was a stark reminder that Charles, 76, is by no means out of the woods as far as his recovery is concerned.

“It was a bit of a wake-up call and a bit of a reminder that he is not invincible,” says royal commentator Katie Nicholl. “And a reminder of the potential fragility of the monarchy.”

Despite bouts of ill health during her final years, the public never saw Queen Elizabeth battle serious illness. Her tireless dedication to duty – few could forget her greeting newly appointed Prime Minister Liz Truss at Balmoral, just two days before her death – was a constant source of reassurance to the British public.

“I think we’re missing a sense of stability and a sense of unity,” says Phil. “One thing that immediately springs to mind about her that is different from the King relates to the VE Day celebrations. When it comes to commemorating the Second World War, the fact that she and Prince Philip were alive at the time – Philip actually fought in the war, and the Queen was in the Auxiliary Territorial Service [ATS] – is something that you simply cannot replace.

“She had that experience and that’s why people had so much respect for her when she was at military commemorations.”

Not only was Queen Elizabeth held in high esteem on British shores, she was also deeply admired across the globe. “She was so respected throughout the Commonwealth, and her life’s work was very much bringing people together,” says Phil. “The experience that she had is something nobody else can possibly achieve.

“When she met [former Canadian PM] Justin Trudeau, she knew his father from when he was Prime Minister of Canada. So, again, no one can compete with that kind of experience.”

While the Queen’s famous “soft power” might have been invaluable in forging connections between different nations, even she was tested when it came to building bridges between members of her own family.

Shortly before she passed away, she had to accept her grandson Prince Harry’s shock decision to step down as a working member of the royal family and his subsequent relocation to the US. She also bore witness to the controversies surrounding her middle child, Prince Andrew, which have since led to him being all but ostracised by King Charles and Prince William.

In fact, Phil believes one of the late Queen’s greatest strengths may, sadly, have been a weakness when it came to navigating the indiscretions of her nearest and dearest.

“I think her best quality, which Prince Philip once referred to in a speech [made on his and Queen Elizabeth’s golden wedding anniversary], was her tolerance,” he says. “But I think she was possibly over-tolerant of Prince Andrew, who was often said to be her favourite son.

“I think she supported him through thick and thin, as any mother would do, but maybe she had a bit of a blind spot about him. She was prepared to see the good in him and ignore some of the bad.

“Obviously, she was put through the wringer with several scandals that other members of the family got involved in. But she always tried to see the positive side and tried to resolve issues.”

Despite her frailty in her later years, there was no denying that the Queen’s very presence brought a sense of safety and security that is now much missed. Who could forget her rallying address, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, which helped soothe our fears and bring hope to millions?

“With problems besetting the nation, be they economic, or be they something like Covid, she brought people together,” says Phil, referring to her late Majesty’s famous line: “Better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.”

“That was her main quality,” he says. “That people of all persuasions, all political parties and all different views looked up to her because she had an overall view. Sometimes she expressed it in very, very short sentences and short speeches, but each word was carefully thought out.”

Of course, King Charles – despite his health setbacks– has done a stellar job of continuing his mother’s legacy and guiding the royal family into a new era. Few could forget the reassurance of his first speech as monarch, in which he vowed to continue his mother’s tireless work. “That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today,” he pledged.

“While we miss the late Queen – and we certainly do – I think we feel very reassured in King Charles III, despite it obviously being a difficult time for him regarding his health,” says Katie. “He is continuing that legacy of duty that was so established by the late Queen.”

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