THE Queen sees Meghan Markle as a "very useful tool" for the monarchy, a royal expert has claimed.

Her Maj is said to be very fond of the Duchess of Sussex - despite reports of a seething rift between Meghan and sister-in-law Kate Middleton.

But a royal expert says that the Queen also views Meghan, 37, as a "useful tool" for modernising the royal family.

And she claims in a new documentary that the former Hollywood actress - who married Prince Harry in May - may have helped secure the House of Windsor for decades.

Imogen Lloyd, Royal Contributor for US station ABC, appears in the new documentary Meghan’s New Life: The Real Princess Diaries.

In the programme, Ms Lloyd says: "The Queen is incredibly smart.

“The Queen sees Meghan as a very useful tool in securing and symbolising the future of the monarchy for decades to come.”

The Queen was quick to immerse Meghan into royal life as soon as possible after her Windsor Castle nuptials.

She invited her new granddaughter-in-law to a royal engagement in Chester just weeks later.

And The Queen has been leading the effort to end the royal rift between Meghan and Kate, wife of Prince William.

The Sun told how the feuding duchesses smiled and walked side by side as the royals went to church at Sandringham on Christmas day - on the orders of Her Majesty and Prince Charles.

A royal source said: “It was a bit uncomfortable.

"The Queen and Charles have allowed the situation to play out without overtly interfering — but they both made it clear that Christmas was for the whole family to really come together.

“That meant the two couples walking into church together as the Fab Four just like they had last year. Yes, it was awkward and uncomfortable given what's gone on over the past 12 months.

“But the alternative of even more negativity on Christmas Day wasn’t worth thinking about.”

Her Majesty also wanted Kate and pregnant Meghan to be on good terms by the time they sat down as a family to watch her Christmas speech at 3pm.

The Queen said in the broadcast: “It’s been a busy year for my family, with two weddings and two babies and another child expected soon.”