How Queen Elizabeth Avoids Being Overwhelmed By Family Issues, Royal Duties: Report

Queen Elizabeth's mental discipline has helped her cope with a tough year, according to a report.

The 95-year-old monarch endured heartbreak and scandal in the 70th year of her record-breaking reign, including the death of her husband Prince Philip, her son Prince Andrew's ongoing legal turmoil and the fallout from her grandson Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to step back as senior working royals. She has also largely been confined to Windsor Castle after suffering health issues in late fall.

But the Queen manages to cope with personal and public setbacks due to her ability to compartmentalize. "She keeps things a little separate between family and official issues because otherwise, it becomes overwhelming," an unnamed "close insider" was quoted as saying by People.

Royal biographer Ingrid Seward, author of "The Queen and Di" and "Prince Philip Revealed," also said that this ability of the Queen has been "extremely helpful" in her life as she juggles family with her public role.

"Fundamentally, she puts things in a box and says 'that can be dealt with on Thursday,' for example," Seward explained. "She won't let things crowd in on her. She is mentally disciplined and that has helped her through these 70 years. It has enabled her to deal with all the things and not allow things to overwhelm her. It goes a long way towards explaining her ability to be able to still be working at this age."

The close insider went on to point out that while the Queen looks frail and is slightly stooped, the monarch's face is "clear and cheerful and wide-eyed."

"This is not someone who life is getting down. Her phlegmatic nature and her shock absorbers are such that she can take the setbacks," added the insider, citing "her temperament and religious faith. It feels to me she can carry on for some time."

The Queen will be spending Christmas with other members of the royal family at Sandringham House in Norfolk, England. She will stay there until after the anniversary of the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6.

It will be her first holiday without Prince Philip after her husband of 73 years passed away in April at the age of 99. "She will be missing his companionship deeply. But she is a very stoic person," People quoted an unnamed insider "who knows the Sovereign well" as saying.

Prince William and Kate Middleton will take their three children, Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3, to Sandringham for Christmas to see their great-grandmother.

However, Prince Harry and Markle are unlikely to fly to the U.K. with their two kids, Archie, 2, and Lili, 6 months, for the holidays.