New claims suggest the late monarch found it difficult to respond to deeply personal conflicts within the royal family
Queen Elizabeth II was known for her composure and unwavering sense of duty, but a new account suggests that emotional situations were not her strength. According to royal author Ingrid Seward, the late monarch often struggled when faced with intense personal confrontations, particularly during the breakdown of Princess Diana’s marriage to Charles III.
In her book My Mother and I, Seward describes how Diana would approach the Queen in moments of distress. She reportedly waited for private opportunities to speak, then entered the room in tears, pleading for understanding and support. The emotional intensity of these encounters left the Queen unsure of how to respond.
Seward explains that the monarch’s upbringing played a key role in this. Raised in an environment where restraint and etiquette were valued above open displays of emotion, she found such confrontations unfamiliar and difficult to manage. Rather than intervening, she often chose to remain silent.
This distance marked a challenging period within the royal family. As tensions escalated, Seward claims Charles grew increasingly frustrated, at times raising his voice over the phone in an effort to make his mother grasp the seriousness of the situation.
The account offers a glimpse into a deeply private chapter of royal life, highlighting how even a figure as steady as the Queen could feel out of her depth when faced with emotional turmoil.
