How Prince Philip’s death will change the royal family dynamic

Many royal fans have been wondering what the future holds for the royal fold after Prince Philip's funeral at St. George's Chapel on Saturday.

Acclaimed author and royal commentator Sally Bedell Smith spoke to E! News about what is in the future of the British monarchy with the Duke of Edinburgh now missing from the picture.

Speaking about Queen Elizabeth II’s personal life, Bedell Smith said: "We've become accustomed, since 2017, to seeing her on her own or with other children and grandchildren. And so, without him at her side, it's not that unusual. But that doesn't take anything away from the fact that this is going to be a big blow for her. She's been with him for 73 years, and...as she said, [he's been] her 'strength and her stay' for 73 years."

“We're going to see her moving along, doing her duty. She's not going to be like Queen Victoria, and retreat from public view. She'll be out, and she'll do whatever is required of her,” she added.

Bedell Smith also revealed who amongst the family members the monarch will lean on for support in tackling the loss of her lifelong companion.

"I think she's much closer to Prince Charles than she used to be. They've had their ups and downs over the years, but I think she does rely on him a lot. She is really close to all of her children...even Prince Andrew. She's close to Princess Anne. So she has children who are ready and willing to support her,” she said.

“She has her dresser, Angela Kelly, who is sort of her personal assistant and her confidant, and she has her page and the various people working with her for many years. She has a very supportive system of people around her,” she added.

She went on to explain how the family dynamic could get changed after Philip’s passing: "She is the queen. And from the very beginning, she made him the head of the family, and he made a lot of the decisions about what various members of the family did. And they would go to him for advice and guidance. I think that will be a real loss. They relied on him, he was sort of glue for the family."

About Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's rift with the royals, Bedell Smith believes that Kate and William are seeking reconciliation: "It may not be the right moment for the repair to take place because everybody is focusing on the queen."

"There may not be enough time and this is the kind of thing that's going to require time to mend. When you have a family rupture like that, nobody's going to wave a wand and say, 'We're all going to get together.' They need to better understand each other and I think that's still there's work to be done."