Facts about Princess Margaret : The Queen’s “rebel sister”:

Princess Margaret Rose Windsor (1930–2002), Countess of Snowdon and the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, was arguably one of the most popular royals in modern history. Known for her rebellious nature and determined personality, she made headlines around the world for her 'party-girl' lifestyle and her relationship with her father's equerry Group Captain Peter Townsend – a romance that featured in the blockbuster Netflix series The Crown. But how much do you know about the royal?

Here, we bring you few facts about Princess Margaret…

Long before the rebellious Prince Harry came on to the scene, Princess Margaret – the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II – established herself as the royal family’s ‘wild child’. Known in the press for her vivacious personality and antics, Margaret was an enthusiastic ‘party princess’ – drinking, smoking and cultivating friendships with a variety of celebrities, actors and musicians.

It is arguably these elements of Margaret’s personality and lifestyle that made her such a fan-favourite on the Netflix TV series The Crown. Played by Vanessa Kirby, the first series charts Princess Margaret’s doomed relationship with Peter Townsend, while the second series explores her romance with Antony Armstrong-Jones (who Margaret married in 1960). In the third series of The Crown, which is due to air in 2019, Princess Margaret will be played by Helena Bonham Carter.

1. Princess Margaret was the first member of the British royal family to be born in Scotland for more than 300 years

Princess Margaret was born on 21 August 1930 in Glamis Castle, Scotland, the family seat on her mother’s side. At the time of her birth, she was fourth in line to the throne through her father, Bertie (later King George VI). Although her parents hoped to call her Ann, the name was vetoed by her grandfather King George V, so they instead opted for the name Margaret Rose – which was later affectionately shortened to “Margot” by those close to her. According to the Independent, the registration of Margaret’s birth was delayed for several days to “avoid her being number 13 in the parish register”.

Margaret has a number of other ‘royal firsts’ linked to her name: her wedding to photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960 was the first British royal wedding to be broadcast on national television, while her divorce, 18 years later in 1978, was the first for a senior royal since Queen Victoria’s granddaughter Princess Victoria Melita ended her marriage to Ernest of Hesse in 1901.

2. Margaret had a close relationship with her sister, Queen Elizabeth II – but fought with her as a child

Margaret and Elizabeth enjoyed a relatively ordinary upbringing for children of their wealth and social position, and like many sisters with a close age gap they weren’t averse to a bit of sibling rivalry. Marion Crawford, who worked for 17 years as a governess for the family, wrote in an unauthorised biography titled The Little Princesses that they were “two entirely normal and healthy” little girls. “Neither was above taking a whack at her adversary if roused,” she disclosed. “Lilibet [Elizabeth] was quick with her left hook. Margaret was more of a close-in fighter, known to bite on occasions.”

Biting aside, the pair maintained a close relationship into adulthood. Margaret served as a bridesmaid during Elizabeth’s marriage to Prince Philip in 1947, while Elizabeth gifted Margaret a 20-room apartment at Kensington Palace following the latter’s wedding to Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960. According to Vanity Fair, Margaret installed a direct line to Buckingham Palace from her desk at Kensington Palace, thereby allowing the two sisters to frequently call one another.

3. Margaret had nightmares of disappointing the Queen

Being the sister of a reigning monarch may have taken its toll on Margaret. According to the journalist Craig Brown, author of Ma’am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret, the princess had recurring nightmares about disappointing Elizabeth. When a novelist asked Margaret if she ever dreamt about the Queen, Margaret replied that she had nightmares of being “disapproved of”.

4. Margaret enjoyed a decadent lifestyle

As might be expected for a member of the royal family, Margaret lived a life of luxury. According to Brown, an average morning for the princess in her mid-20s began with breakfast in bed and finished with a “vodka pick-me-up” and four-course lunch

5. An estimated 300 million people watched Margaret marry Antony Armstrong-Jones…

In February 1960, Margaret announced her engagement to photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones. The revelation surprised the media, who speculated that Margaret accepted the proposal shortly after learning that her former flame Peter Townsend intended to marry a 19-year-old Belgian woman named Marie-Luce Jamagne.

Three months later, on 6 May 1960, Margaret and Armstrong-Jones exchanged vows in a spectacular ceremony at Westminster Abbey. It was the first British royal wedding to be broadcast on television, and an estimated 300 million people tuned in to watch the occasion. Some 2,000 guests were invited, including the former prime minister Winston Churchill, Queen Ingrid of Denmark, and the king and queen of Sweden.

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