THE Queen hates letting people down. It has been one of the strengths of her long reign.
Now she is being forced to do so, it must be both frustrating and upsetting.
She doesn’t think of herself as old. As far as she is concerned, she is 96 years young.
But she knows she has to begin to pass her duties on and she has been giving us clues to the future.
Her Platinum Jubilee photo, showing her sitting in the Victoria Vestibule at Windsor Castle overlooking the statue of King Charles II, was symbolic — hinting King Charles III will soon be with us.
So was Thursday’s balcony appearance with her son and heir and his son and his heirs — the present, the future and the hope for what is to come.
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But the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are clearly not part of the plan.
At yesterday’s service they sat on the opposite side of the cathedral from Charles, Camilla, William and Kate.
Harry and Meghan were sandwiched between Princess Eugenie’s husband Jack Brooksbank and the Queen’s niece Lady Sarah Chatto.
In Hollywood celebrities get annoyed if they don’t have a premier place in a restaurant.
So being plonked behind the Duke of Gloucester who is 31st in line of succession to Harry’s sixth in line must have rankled.
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The Queen does not enjoy her family being at loggerheads, though neither does she enjoy being taken advantage of.
When she eventually passes on her role to Prince Charles she knows that, unless things change radically, Harry will have his wish to be free.
