Having reigned for seven decades, Queen Elizabeth II's tenure as monarch was incomparable. But during her time as Queen, she endured a number of challenges and tragedies, some of which "would have broken" her heart, per one royal biography.
According to royal author Ian Lloyd, in his book The Queen: 70 Chapters in the Life of Queen Elizabeth II, "The [ex-Prince] Andrew case was no doubt awkward for The Queen." When Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor found himself embroiled in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, and was subsequently sued by sexual assault accuser Virginia Giuffre, the monarch reportedly found herself in an impossible situation.
Lloyd elaborated, "Once again, as the head of the Firm, her overriding concern was to preserve as much dignity and relevance for the monarchy, going into the next reign, as was possible. On the other hand, as a mother, it must have concerned her that her second son was in such a no-win situation."
The former Prince Andrew was widely believed to have been Queen Elizabeth's favorite child. "The Queen had always been close to her second son," per Lloyd. As such, it seems as though the late monarch allegedly protected the ex-Duke of York during numerous difficulties.
"The Queen's unconditional affection for her second son and her solidarity for him is understandable," Lloyd shared. "While it must have been a relief to her when, in February 2022, the prince made an out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre, the fact that he knowingly associated himself with a convicted pedophile has caused irreparable damage to his reputation and that of the monarchy."
According to the royal author, Andrew's perceived denigration of the British monarchy likely had a hugely negative impact on Queen Elizabeth.
"That would undoubtedly have broken The Queen's heart and cast a blight on the final phase of her long reign," Lloyd wrote.
