The late Queen Elizabeth II was always calm and composed, despite any challenges she faced during her 70-year reign.
Author Gyles Brandreth, her old friend, has opened up about new details in the Queen's life in his new book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, revealing a tragic loss she once experienced.
Speaking on HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast this week, he revealed for the first time that witnesses and friends of the Queen told him she once had a miscarriage.
He explains that he references the loss "in passing" in his book by quoting witnesses. "I decided I am telling my story of Elizabeth II, so I’ll put it all in," he told us.
Listen to the latest episode of A Right Royal Podcast below
In a passage in the book, he compares the late Queen to her ancestor, Queen Victoria. He writes: "Elizabeth had four children and, so her childhood friend Sonia Berry told me, one miscarriage. Victoria, despite the discomforts and indignities of childbirth, had nine children."
Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, had four children: the now King Charles, Princess Anne, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and Prince Edward. It's not known when the Queen experienced the pregnancy loss.
Her late Majesty would have turned 100 on 21 April. In her memory, the royal family is coming together for a series of events in her honour.
Listen to A Right Royal Podcast now
During the discussion, Gyles also opened up about the Queen's 74-year marriage with Prince Philip, calling their relationship "fascinating".
© Getty ImagesHe says: "To live with the same person for so long and to get along so well is extraordinary. They were an amazing double act.
"And I was very pleased that one of her friends who had been at the wedding actually wrote to me when they'd read the book and said, 'I think you're the first person to get them right.' They had this understanding because nobody could treat her normally."
To listen to the full conversation, the latest episode of A Right Royal Podcast is out now.
