iPhone message, recent message strings missing

When forwarding a photo, or other item to a text message, the recent conversation list is not shown on my screen.

In the image below, the left image show's my Wife's phone with recent message groups show above the type selection bar. On my phone (right image), the recent address bar is missing.

In example: if I want to forward a photo, i have to select message, then type in the contact, and essentially re-create the recent message group (e.g. "family"). This is a general PITA, and would be much more convenient to simply select the groups as I used to be able to do.

Both phones are identical iPhone XS, same IOS 14.4.2, same settings as far as I can tell. Both phones are on the same account, same carrier, and have been updated together since they were new.

This feature worked on my phone up until IOS 14, then it disappeared.

How do I get this recent conversation listing back?