Why ‘it’s been very difficult for the Royal Family just to keep going’ since Queen Elizabeth’s passing

On September 8, 2022, the world was rocked by the news of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing, marking the end of an impressive 70-year reign.

Since then, the British Royal Family has struggled not only with the weight of her absence but also with personal trials that have tested their strength as an institution.

Now as the world marks the second anniversary of her death, royal biographer Andrew Morton has reflected on the difficulty members of The Firm have been faced with since losing their beloved matriarch.

“It’s been very difficult for the Royal Family just to keep going, because so many of them have been seriously ill – and are seriously ill. King Charles has not been a particularly lucky monarch so far,” he told OK.

“I think they all miss her guiding hand. With the Queen as head of state and head of the family, they’d all bedded down quite nicely into their roles, and now everything’s been jolted around.

“All the illness which has assailed so many of the senior royals has knocked the whole edifice back on its heels.”

It’s no secret that the Royal Family has faced a series of challenges recently. Early into King Charles’ reign, the 75-year-old monarch was diagnosed with cancer, followed shortly by Princess Catherine’s own cancer battle. Alongside these health struggles, the family continues to grapple with their long-standing feud with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Ex-BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond also weighed in on the current burdens facing the Royal Family, explaining that “it would have been a great shock for Elizabeth to witness the difficulties of the past few months”.

“She would obviously have been deeply upset by her son and her granddaughter-in-law suffering from cancer,” she said.

“I think William, in particular, would have found his grandmother’s presence reassuring and she would have given him wise counsel. I suspect she would have told him to do exactly what he is doing: putting his family first until things improve.”