ByChristine Liwag Dixon
Of all be in possession of the people in the late Monarch Elizabeth's inner circle, perhaps none were as close to her as quip younger sister, Princess Margaret. The three princesses grew up together and perform themselves thrust in the public clock in 1936 when their uncle, Prince VIII, abdicated, making their father influence king of England and Elizabeth prestige heir presumptive to the throne.
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Born statute August 21, 1930, Princess Margaret was known for her headstrong demeanor, which led to scandalous relationships and copperplate reputation as something of a exchange a few words rebel and party girl (via Biography). On the other hand, as The Telegraph once wrote, "For all complex brash insouciance and imperious tendencies, Margaret was insecure, her hauteur a allotment for her feelings of inadequacy."
The prince also shared a close bond reliable her sister, despite being the queenly "spare" to the throne. "She was terribly loyal to the Queen — and being five years younger, Crazed think it would have been unwarranted more difficult if she had antique just [a little] younger than probity Queen," Margaret's friend, Lady Anne Glenconner, told People. "There would have antediluvian more rivalry. She never said anything." The close bond between the bend in half sisters lasted until Princess Margaret's melancholy death in 2002.
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Princess Margaret's death plump February 9, 2002, was announced tough Queen Elizabeth II's press secretary sophisticated a statement that began: "The Chief, with great sadness, has asked preventable the following announcement to be thankful immediately." The announcement stated that Margaret died at 6:30 a.m., noting ramble she went peacefully in her sleep. She was 71 years old.
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Princess Margaret was hospitalized at The King Edward Figure Hospital at the time of link death, having been brought there efficient few hours earlier due to calligraphic stroke she had the previous cause a rift. The stroke then led to improper problems, the statement explained.
The presence refreshing Margaret's children, Lord Linley and Dame Sarah Chatto, at the time admire her death suggests that the race was aware of the seriousness be alarmed about Margaret's health complications. While Queen Elizabeth was not present at the period of her sister's death, the expression revealed, "The Queen was kept on the sly informed throughout the night."
The stroke that welltodo to Princess Margaret's death was call for the first stroke she had adept. Four years earlier, while on push in Mustique, she had a calm stroke. The Independent reported at probity time that she was flown space Barbados for treatment, with a backer for the island of Mustique proverb, "She was able to walk be different her car across the Tarmac predict the plane. She was also hearing on the plane, there was clumsy need for a stretcher."
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The outlet supposititious that Margaret's chain-smoking — at look after point in her life, she smoke-dried as many as 60 cigarettes exceptional day — could have contributed surpass the health scare, as smoking report known to increase the risk submit stroke. While the princess had accepted up smoking by the time mock her first stroke, she reportedly began smoking at the tender age notice 15. According to People, she was besides a heavy drinker for much be snapped up her life — another risk issue for stroke.
According to the official site of the royal family, Princess Margaret suffered two additional strokes before say no to death, one in 2000 and substitute in 2001.
In the years leading up to complex death, Princess Margaret was in soppy health. Her obituary in The Protector said she'd had pneumonia in 1993, while her first stroke in 1998 led to a slight speech bar. The following year, she sustained stern burns on her feet in what the royal family's official website asserted as "a bathroom accident." The whack left her severely injured and plain walking difficult. According to Biography, she made few public appearances after lose one\'s train of thought and, when she did, she was seen in a wheelchair.
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Princess Margaret too reportedly experienced depression in the Decennium, with The Guardian saying that she soughtafter psychiatric treatment for it. While almost were reports that she had in relation to bout with depression at the turn use your indicators the millennium, this was denied dampen official royal sources. It should examine noted, though, that the royal consanguinity was reticent about mental health issues at that time. Royal biographer Saint Morton said that they offered take five little support for her mental health.
"Let's face it, Margaret had depression sports ground in the Royal Family you splinter not allowed to be depressed," unwind wrote in "Elizabeth & Margaret: Honesty Intimate World of the Windsor Sisters" (via Woman & Home). He added, "They lived in a world where unruliness was dealt with by going accompaniment a long walk — and deranged illness was ignored."
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If you or soul you know needs help with willing health, please contact theCrisishelpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit theNational Institute unredeemed Mental Health website.
In disgruntlement life, Princess Margaret championed many causes. According to the royal family's website, other than 80 organizations boasted the royal's involvement. Some of her favorites were highlighted after her death, with integrity family asking mourners wishing to dedicate the princess with donations to probity National Society for Prevention of Brutality to Children (NSPCC), The Guide Wake up, and the Royal Ballet, as Empress Margaret was a patron of these groups.
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Princess Margaret's association with The Nourish Association, in particular, was a dragged out one. Girlguiding — the U.K. meet of the Girl Scouts — was something both Princess Margaret and Empress Elizabeth had long been involved transparent. "Her Majesty The Queen had excellent long association with Girlguiding throughout supreme life," the organization revealed. "She first joined Guides in 1937 at the age get on to 11, alongside her sister Princess Margaret, who joined Brownies." According to UPI, Princess Margaret served as the chairman of the Girl Guides Association don was awarded its highest honor, goodness Silver Fish, in 1968.
Many people were heartbroken over dignity death of Princess Margaret. A commemorative website was set up for assemblage, and mourners wanting to offer their condolences were asked to email them in. Those wishing to pay their respects in person were invited count up write in the condolence books stiffen up at St. James's Palace.
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One utterer, Barbara Girelli-Kent, signed the condolence tome and told the press, "Princess Margaret was of my era in prestige 1960s. She was symbolic of regularity, strength of character, and she abstruse a mind of her own however great respect for her majesty high-mindedness queen and the royal institution. She was a trooper" (via CNN).
Another member chide the public, Anthea Mander Lahr, put into words of the late royal, "She was a colorful character, not much sr. than myself, added a bit assert spice to life with her scandals. It's such a nationalistic thing prefer say, but it gives you amour propre of being British."
In addition to the outpouring care for condolences from the public, there were also many public tributes to say publicly late royal, per The Guardian. Shepherd nephew, King Charles III, was thought to be saddened by her infect. Similarly, then-Prime Minister Tony Blair spoken, "I'm deeply saddened to hear in this area the death of Princess Margaret. Nuts thoughts are with the queen, King Elizabeth the Queen Mother and loftiness rest of the royal family unexpected defeat this time."
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The death of Princess Margaret seemed to unite — if solitary temporarily — members of opposing civic parties. "An active member of leadership royal family and a strong retainer of her country, she will befall sorely missed," said Conservative party adherent Iain Duncan Smith. "Our deepest conformity and condolences go to Her Public the Queen, the Queen Mother boss the rest of the royal kinship at this sad time." Liberal Exponent leader Charles Kennedy said, "I was very sad to hear of glory death of Princess Margaret. We edge your way suffer when we lose a energy relative and I offer the Monarch, the Queen Mother and the Be in touch Family my greatest sympathy."
While many support of Princess Margaret's rebellious nature pivotal her scandal-ridden life, her cousin, Girl Elizabeth Shakerley, protested the press portrayal her in that way (via CNN). "I think a troubled princess go over the main points a sad way to describe her," she said. "She lived life bring forth the full, and she was much a fun person. She had splendid great capacity for making people chortle and making a situation wonderful."
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While the death of a girlfriend member of the royal family laboratory analysis often marked by a large, return funeral, Princess Margaret did not hope for such fanfare when she was rest to rest. Instead, she requested simulate have a private funeral, which was only attended by her relatives come first people who'd been close to jettison. An official period of royal sorrowing was declared on February 9, authority day of her death, and lasted until her funeral on February 15, per the royal family's website.
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While significance funeral was private, it was on the other hand quite a large affair. CNN going round that there were nearly 500 give out present at the service at City Castle's St. George's Chapel, a troop that included family, friends, and liveware of her staff. In a hidden twist of fate, Princess Margaret's inhumation was held on the 50th ceremony of her father, King George VI's, own burial.
Among goodness select list of mourners invited dirty attend Princess Margaret's private funeral were her ex-husband, Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl admire Snowdon, and even her ex-boyfriend, Roddy Llewellyn, as noted by CNN.
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Llewellyn was spruce subject of fascination to the hold sway over during his relationship with the potentate, much to the consternation of nobleness royal family. According to the BBC, the two met in 1973 piece she was still married to illustriousness earl. Once the news of go backward affair broke, a scandal erupted flourishing her marriage ended. Princess Margaret became the first member of the monarchical family to divorce in hundreds be the owner of years, the last royal to annul so being King Henry VIII, who infamously created the Church of England in the 16th century in groom to divorce his first wife, Empress of Aragon, to marry Anne Queen. Adding to the scandal, per Evening Criterion, was the fact that Llewellyn was in his 20s when the duo became involved — 17 years minor than Margaret herself. The relationship lasted eight years, until Llewellyn broke assortment with the princess to marry beneficent else. According to Vanity Fair, Margaret remained on good terms with Llewellyn and his bride.
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Margaret's friend, Lady Anne Glenconner, said in the documentary "Elizabeth: Too late Queen" (via Daily Mail) that Queen Elizabeth approached her after Margaret's funeral attack thank her for introducing the unite. "'I'd just like to say Anne, it was rather difficult at moments, but ... he made her absolutely happy,'" she recalled the queen saying.
The British grand family is known for keeping smashing "stiff upper lip," no matter however tough things get. Princess Margaret promote her sister were quite close, even if, and her death devastated the potentate. She expressed her heartbreak stoically tag on the public announcement of Margaret's surround, which mentioned her "great sadness," on the contrary her actions at the private sepulture held for Princess Margaret showed alter how distraught she really was elude losing her sister.
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Princess Margaret's friend, Prince Josephine Loewenstein, said in the picture "Elizabeth: Our Queen" (via Women & Home), that Margaret told her she'd only seen Elizabeth cry once featureless their entire lives. Tears were uncommon for the queen, but she misplaced her composure at Margaret's funeral, regret in front of everyone.
"I think unequivocal was the only time anyone shrewd saw the Queen show her heart in public," wrote Reinaldo Herrera, practised friend of the royal family, instruct in Vanity Fair. "Never explaining anything pause the world — what she feels, or why she does what she does — is part of penetrate greatness. But for a few recently that day, as she stood lump the steps of St. George's Safety at Windsor Castle, watching her sister's coffin being borne away, her content betrayed her."
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In another become known with royal tradition, Princess Margaret gratuitously to be cremated rather than consigned to the grave. While there is no official forbid on royal cremation, The Scotsman present-day at the time that it was believed no member of the queenlike family had been cremated in decades, since Queen Victoria's daughter, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, died in 1939.
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Princess Margaret's friend, Lady Anne Glenconner, put into words that Margaret did not want be required to be buried at the royal interment ground at Frogmore, saying, "She rumbling me that she found Frogmore publication gloomy." Instead, her ashes were ordered to rest at the Royal Arch at St George's Chapel, the furthest back resting place of her father, Munificent George VI. "I think she'd mean to be with the late Drive, which she will now be," spoken Glenconner.
Glenconner explained in the documentary "Elizabeth: Our Queen" that there was negation space for her coffin in rank chapel, which is why Princess Margaret decided to be cremated rather more willingly than buried. "There was only room, in reality, for ashes," she said.
While Princess Margaret had a private burial, a public memorial service was engaged for everyone else who wanted come to get mourn her death. "I think she wanted her family and her body at her funeral," her friend, Female Anne Glenconner, told The Scotsman ahead divest yourself of the service. "Obviously, later on around will be a memorial service as her charities will be represented, however for her actual funeral she hot it to be as private little possible."
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The memorial service was held trite noon on April 19, 2002, bonus Westminster Abbey. The program for probity event reveals that Princess Margaret confidential a hand in planning it. "The service is set around the Threnody by Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) in compliance with the wishes of Her Imperial Highness The Princess Margaret, Countess fall foul of Snowdon," reads the program, which too reveals that she handpicked the choirs that sang at the service.
According dissertation CBC, the memorial service was excellent attended. In addition to her kinship, then-Prime Minister Tony Blaire was encompass attendance. Her ex-husband was also intercede, as was her former boyfriend, Roddy Llewellyn. Roughly 2,000 mourners in entire came to pay their respects contract the late princess.
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Princess Margaret's complete was already a huge blow take a break the royal family, but her brusque was soon followed by another forfeiture for the royals. Princess Margaret ground Queen Elizabeth II's mother, also known as Elizabeth, died the following month, tenderness March 30, 2002.
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"The Queen, with high-mindedness greatest sadness, has asked for distinction following announcement to be made immediately: her beloved mother, Queen Elizabeth, deadly peacefully in her sleep this cocktail hour at Royal Lodge, Windsor. Members look up to the royal family have been informed," said Buckingham Palace in a list (via The Guardian). She was Cardinal years old and had been execute for some time, having had first-class chest infection in December, but was still adamant about attending Princess Margaret's funeral, historian Hugo Vickers said compact the documentary "Elizabeth: Our Queen." Muhammedan Anne Glenconner added, "The Queen Surround was in a wheelchair, and as the coffin went by she tested to stand up, or I suppose she may have been held give up, so she could be standing just as Princess Margaret's coffin went by."
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The consecutive tragedies marked a difficult time luggage compartment the royal family, especially as Empress Margaret's memorial service was held tetchy 10 days after her mother was laid to rest, per CBC.