8 ways Princess Margaret was the OG British royal rebel: Queen Elizabeths sister was dubbed th
As Queen Elizabeth once put it, per The Telegraph, Margaret was a “total enigma”.
Here are eight reasons that make Princess Margaret Britain’s biggest royal rebel and the “Diana of her day” ...
1. Royalty through scandal
Margaret was born in 1930, four years after Elizabeth, to the queen mother and King George VI, in Glamis Castle, Scotland.
As Elizabeth’s only sibling, it’s said that the two grew up very close despite their polarising personalities. Elizabeth was prim and proper, while Margaret was lively and extroverted.
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They weren’t initially in direct lines to the throne. Everything changed when their uncle King Edward VIII infamously abdicated his title to pursue his romance with American divorcée Wallis Simpson. This made their father the new king, with his daughters joining the line of succession.As the siblings adjusted to their new life as royal heirs, reports suggest that Margaret was “full of character” and “very sure of herself”, according to courtiers. They also added that she “might get into trouble before she’s finished”. And yes, that trouble ensued.
2. The ‘world’s most eligible bachelorette’
With fewer responsibilities and access to the world’s most exclusive events, Margaret took advantage of her royal heritage and became a socialite in her own right.
By the time she hit her 20s, she was considered one of the family’s most beautiful heiresses and, according to Fascinate, this earned her the title of “the world’s most eligible bachelorette”.
3. She dated an older man – which became taboo
When her father King George VI died in 1952 and Princess Elizabeth became queen, Margaret, then 17, turned to group captain Peter Townsend – who was 15 years her senior – to cope with her grief, per Royal Central. People reported that he was married at the time of their meeting.
Tabloids went wild as their romance blossomed. And because the flight lieutenant was later divorced with two children, per Royal Central, it caused complications within the royal household. Margaret had wanted to marry him but needed the queen’s permission, though if she were to proceed, she and any of her children would be removed from the line of succession.
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In an unexpected turn of events, Princess Margaret issued a statement in 1955 saying that she had changed her mind and no longer wanted to marry Townsend in favour of her completing her royal duties.
4. The wedding and alleged affairs
Margaret found love elsewhere when she married photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960. According to the BBC, it was the world’s first televised wedding and a whopping 300 million people tuned into the event. One extravagant wedding gift included a four-hectare (10-acre) piece of land on the island of Mustique.
But according to Royal Central, the earl and countess of Snowdon suffered a troubled marriage early on, which led to subsequent alleged affairs in their later years. Margaret was photographed with Roddy Llewellyn in News of the World, which fuelled romance rumours and, by 1978, Margaret and Armstrong-Jones’ divorce was finalised.
When Margaret received the news from her private secretary Nigel Napier about the divorce she said, per Vogue, “I think that’s the best news you’ve ever given me.”
5. A party girl who loved to smoke and drink
Margaret was notorious for attending the most exclusive parties of society’s upper echelon, dancing the night away at Soho clubs and joining a bohemian crowd in the Swinging Sixties London, per Vogue. Andy Warhol even dedicated a piece to her.
But she was also known for her love of smoking and drinking. In fact, she loved these habits so much that according to the book 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret, she would try to combine the two by gluing matchboxes onto tumblers so she could strike matches as she was drinking.
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6. Her ultra-extravagant lifestyle
As the book 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret states, even Margaret’s morning routine was indulgent. Apparently, she started her days with breakfast in bed followed by two hours of reading the newspaper and listening to the radio. Then, she’d spent an hour in the bath with a “vodka pick me up” at precisely 12.30pm, per Vogue.
What’s more, per Vogue, she had a six-week honeymoon on the royal yacht Britannia, which cost US$115,000 in 1960. In 1995, she reportedly took US$10,000 worth of clothing for her trip to the US.
7. Her biting wit
Margaret was also said to have a biting wit, which didn’t go down so well with everyone – and celebrities weren’t exempt from her bluntness.
According to British media, Margaret called Elizabeth Taylor’s ring “vulgar”, while another report by Honey states that she allegedly told Grace Kelly, “You don’t look like a movie star.”
Rupert Everett recalled that the princess called him “leggy” and Judy Garland’s meeting with the princess apparently didn’t go well, with The List claiming that Garland thought she was a “nasty, rude little princess”.
In another controversial interaction, Honey reported that when Margaret met supermodel Twiggy, she asked “Who are you?” to which the model replied, “I’m Lesley Hornby, ma’am. But people call me Twiggy.” Margaret allegedly responded, “How unfortunate.”
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8. Did she have an affair with Mick Jagger?
British reports indicate that the Rolling Stones singer and the princess would attend wild parties in London and Mustique, with friends claiming she was “smitten” with the rock star.While the rumours of whether they were hooking up or not remain open for speculation, it’s clear that the two were good friends, at least. Other putative lovers included actor Warren Beatty, per The Cut.
Margaret died in 2002 from long-time health complications and will be remembered for her rebellious charm, even though it was controversial at times.
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