A royal historian claims the Queen's decisions over Megxit were influenced by her memories of her younger sister Princess Margaret's dramas.
The monarch was likely to have sympathy for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's position - even though their decision to step back from royal life will have disappointed her, the expert claims.
Royal historian Robert Lacey told People the Queen remained haunted by the tensions with her younger sister that began as soon as she took the crown.
Her job is to "survive" and ensure the monarchy continues unbroken, Mr Lacey said of the Queen.
“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."
Vivacious Margaret struggled to live in her older sister's shadow.
The Queen was likely to see parallels between her tensions with her own sibling in the relationships in her grandchildren's generation.
Prince Harry is sixth in line to the throne after his father Prince Charles, and elder brother Prince William and the Duke of Cambridge's children with Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
“The younger sibling syndrome is an enduring problem,” Mr Lacey said.
“The system has not found a way of giving them the recognition that they need.”
Harry's bombshell announcement that he and wife Meghan would step back from royal life, along with their son Archie, sent a shockwave rippling through Buckingham Palace.
The Queen ultimately gave her reluctant blessing to the pair's bid to begin a new, independent life together - splitting their time between Britain and Canada.
But the situation has brought a crisis to the doorstep of the monarchy, as the Sussexes negotiate with the Crown about the boundaries of their new life of financial independence for non-core royals.
And as the Mirror revealed earlier this week, a row is emerging over who will foot the bill for continued protection for the family.
There are fears their security bill could mount to £20 million a year and place pressure on the stretched Met Police tasked with guarding the couple as they embark on their money-spinning adventures around the world.
