WhatsApp data lost? New phone, same SIM.

Hi All,
Updated my phone from old Galaxy3 to Moto G7 Plus.
Same SIM = same phone number.
Used Moto app to copy settings/apps etc from old phone to new by bluetooth.

Started WhatsApp on the new phone expecting everything to be there. No, I had to set it up from zero, keying in phone number, name etc. Expected groups/chats/contacts etc would automatically appear, because that's how people write software nowadays, right?
Wrong. No contacts, no groups no chats

Found this site, seems I have to restart the old phone, save everything to google drive, import into new phone. Simple.

No.
Restarted the old phone, opened WhatsApp, and it tells me my account has been cancelled/moved/or something and I have to start again from zero, keying in phone number, name etc.

So is all my data lost forever?
Or is it recoverable? Presently trawling through the old phone's files looking for data.

Thanks in anticipation,
Rob

Thank-you.
The data was still there, so I could re-establish my account in the old phone. Then upload all the data to Google, sign into the account on the new phone and import the data. All good...

...except...

...I trust Google even less than I trust the Chinese government (or the US government, or the Russian government) and I am really annoyed at having to upload via google account so they can read all my messages and target me and my friends for spam, ads etc.