How Queen Elizabeth Felt About Princess Diana's Death? Why Margaret Defended Monarch

Queen Elizabeth II was criticized following Princess Diana's death due to her reaction.

According to Pop Sugar, the Queen sent a "business-as-usual" message after the Princess of Wales died by taking Prince William and Prince Harry to the church at Balmoral in Scotland just hours after Prince Charles broke the devastating news to them. Many didn't approve of the monarch's decision to stay in her Scotland residence for too long and for failing to appear to tributes near Buckingham Palace. They were expecting her to return to London immediately.

In an interview in 2012, the Queen's close friend Margaret Rhodes supported her decision. She believed that it was necessary to abandon the people temporarily due to the overwhelming concern for the welfare of her two grandchildren.

"She was castigated ... for staying up at Balmoral with the two little boys. She was being a proper granny. What was the point of bringing the boys down to sit in London with nothing to do but sit there feeling sad about mum. Personally, I think I would have behaved in exactly the same way," Margaret said.

Unknown to many the Queen was also devastated with Princess Diana's tragic death. In a letter addressed to Lady Henriette Abel Smith, Her Majesty poured her heart out

"It was indeed dreadfully sad, and she is a huge loss to the country," the Queen wrote.

"But the public reaction to her death and the service in the Abbey seem to have united people around the world in a rather inspiring way."

The Queen also praised Prince William and Prince Harry for staying strong during the traumatic time. "William and Harry have been so brave and I am very proud of them," the dukes' grandmother wrote.

Queen Elizabeth II broke a royal protocol following Princess Diana's death when she opted to not display the world-famous flag at Buckingham Palace. The royal standard is the flag never flies at half-mast because the country is never without a monarch, so the Queen opted to remove it which surprised many.

According to Penny Junor, the said move was symbolic because the Queen was seen as "stiff, hidebound and out-of-touch." She was very different from Princess Diana who was viewed as "warm, compassionate and loving."