Thelate Queen Elizabeth IIbecame queen on February 6, 1952, while she was abroad in Kenya.
She returned to England and assumed the position of queen at age 25.
It marked an abrupt end toElizabeth’s more low-key life as a princess.
She was heavily criticized, and many lifestyle choices were restricted because of her adjacency to the throne.
While it’s tough to feel sorry for a princess,Margaret had a tragic life.
Much of this upheaval and difficulty came because of Elizabeth’s prominent, public role.
In fact, the sisters were raised to be almost twins, even though they were four years apart.
Elizabeth was only ten when she found out that she would be queen.
She also wasn’t educated as rigorously as her sister.
Margaret’s education suffered and she was kept behind so that Elizabeth could thrive.
She had tutors from Oxford University and Eton College, while Margaret continued to be taught by governesses.
For them, there was no shaking the sisterly bond.
Since Margaret was so outgoing and socially dazzling, she felt that she would have done the job better.
By contrast, Elizabeth could be much more reserved.
Elizabeth had been able to marry the man she loved, but Margaret couldn’t.
This certainly didn’t ease up the tension between the sisters.
A royal correspondent called Margaret’s feelings a “[subconscious] jealousy” inThe Telegraph.
Margaret famously missed her sister’s 10th wedding anniversary party at Buckingham Palace on November 20, 1957.
She left an hour later.
Obviously, this was a very public display of frustration towards her sister’s glittering life.
With her sister as queen, Margaret had to step into a public role.
As the royal family’sofficial websitenotes, Margaret took on engagements and duties when she was still very young.
Duties only increased with time.
She was frequently called upon to represent Queen Elizabeth II at events and on royal tours.
In 1955, when she was 25, Margaret went to the Caribbean for her first solo Commonwealth visit.
Long before that divorce went through, Princess Margaret was making separation headlines of her own.
This was initially evident in the thwarted love between her and Group Captain Peter Townsend.
Her marriage to Antony Armstrong-Jones was the talk of England.
It was major news.
Later, after her marriage to Armstrong-Jones failed, her 1978 divorce became a scandal.
While Margaret never remarried, she did have another relationship that became a scandal of its own.
She dated Roddy Llewellyn, who was 17 years younger than the princess.
The press had an absolute field day over the relationship, and hounded the couple.
The two dated for eight years.
At 12:30, she started drinking vodka.
The public often expressed concern over such excesses.
For one, Margaret became Elizabeth’s subject, a tough transition for any little sister.
Behind closed doors, she called her by her famous nickname, Lilibet.
When Margaret died in February 2002, Queen Elizabeth lost her closest friend.
Margaret and Armstrong-Jones married in 1960 and welcomed two children: David Armstrong-Jones and Lady Sarah Chatto.
When they were together, Margaret and Armstrong-Jones were the talk of the town.
“Stories about them were legion, with their star-studded parties at Kensington Palace.
If you were being invited by them you were being invited to breathe in rarified air.”
However, things turned sideways for the couple, with both of them having affairs during their marriage.
Their divorce, which was finalized in July 1978, was historical.
Divorce was uncommon in the royal family, making Margaret’s shock to the public.
Margaret’s divorce also changed the nature of marriage for future royals.
She showed complete grace and decorum to whomever she met."
This was not always the case for Princess Margaret.
Even when speaking to the Queen Mother, Margaret could be extraordinarily rude.
(viaVanity Fair).
The model Twiggy recalled her encounter with Margaret at a dinner party.
“Prince Margaret asked, ‘What’s your name?'”
Twiggy explained, perExpress.
“I said, ‘My name’s Lesley Hornby, Ma’am, but everyone calls me Twiggy.’
She just looked at me and said (that accent again) ‘Oh, how unfortunate’.
Then she didn’t talk to me again.
I was mortified.”
“Is that the famous diamond?”
Margaret asked (viaExpress).
“It’s so large!
How very vulgar!”
That sounds like Princess Margaret!
