The Queen Would Have Wanted Prince Harry and the Royal Family to "Patch Things Up" Before She Passed, Royal Author Says

It was, unsurprisingly, a source of great sadness for Queen Elizabeth II that her grandson Prince Harry was all but estranged from the rest of the family in the latter years of her reign.

She "adored Harry right to the end, and Harry adored her," royal historian Robert Hardman told People this week.

"I think she was one of the conduits between Windsor and California, and it would have been one of her dearest wishes that [the family] patch things up."

The rift between Prince Harry and his brother Prince William is especially visible, and though they and their wives joined forces for a public walkabout in Windsor shortly after the Queen's death, this alone wasn't enough to build real bridges, and their future relationship remains up in the air.

"It was awkward. Both couples found it hard," an insider told People. "They were in a stoic spirit of just getting through it for the Queen."

Though it's important to remember we don't know what happens behind closed doors, and the circumstances surrounding the Queen's death were necessarily difficult, many commentators have appeared to confirm that Harry and William are still not on good terms.

For example, one source said that the Waleses wouldn't be ready to trust the Sussexes until they could clear the air surrounding their interview with Oprah Winfrey.

And while King Charles made a point to send his love to Harry and Meghan in his first speech as monarch, even he isn't at ease with his youngest son and daughter-in-law: A source close to him told Vanity Fair that Charles is waiting to make decisions on Archie and Lilibet's royal titles until there is some closure around the Sussexes' media projects.

So there's a long way to go yet, let's put it that way.