The final season of The Crown features Princess Diana’s tragic car crash, the introduction of Kate Middleton, and the death of Princess Margaret. In honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s sister, the eighth episode of season 6 focuses entirely on Princess Margaret’s life in the years that led up to her death in 2002.
Lesley Manville gives a superb performance as Margaret in the episode, which includes the princess’s 70th birthday at The Ritz in London. The episode also delves into Margaret’s health issues, which affected her greatly in her final years. Here, we explore the true story behind Princess Margaret’s death, and how it compares to The Crown.
Princess Margaret was renowned for her decadent lifestyle.
Princess Margaret became known for her morning routine, which apparently included reading the newspaper while chain-smoking, according to Craig Brown’s book, Ma’am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret, via W magazine. At 12:30 p.m., she would reportedly reach for a “vodka pick-me-up” to properly get her day started. However, later in life, Margaret’s party lifestyle seemingly caught up with her.
The Telegraph reported that Margaret had been warned by doctors to quit smoking on numerous occasions, particularly as several royal family members, including her own father King George VI, had died from smoking-related illnesses. The princess allegedly smoked as many as 60 cigarettes a day, and her habit only worsened after her father’s death, per The Telegraph. A love of drinking Famous Grouse whiskey and gin only compromised her health further, the publication reported.
She developed health complications throughout her life.
Princess Margaret experienced a number of health problems throughout her life, which were likely impacted by proclivities such as smoking and drinking. The queen’s sister would experience “throat infections, laryngitis, migraine, gastroenteritis, bronchitis, pneumonia and mild hepatitis,” according to The Telegraph, before developing even more serious difficulties.
After contracting hepatitis, which is an inflammation of the liver, in 1984, Margaret reportedly quit drinking alcohol, but this abstinence led to her smoking even more, The Telegraph reported.
Princess Margaret faced a cancer scare in January 1985 after developing chest pain, which led to a section of one of her lungs being removed. Luckily, the sample wasn’t malignant, and it was deemed that Margaret didn’t have cancer, via The Telegraph. However, the episode seemingly couldn’t persuade the princess to quit smoking.
A serious bout of pneumonia caused Margaret to be hospitalized in January 1993, but again, within six months, she was reportedly smoking as many as 40 cigarettes each day, despite being urged to quit altogether, The Telegraph reported.
She had a stroke on the island of Mustique.
Princess Margaret owned a villa on the private Caribbean island of Mustique, where she was regularly photographed, including with her lover Roddy Llewellyn.
As noted by Town & Country, the island apparently stocked Margaret’s favorite whiskey, and it was crucial that hosts had the drink ready for the princess. “If you didn’t have her whiskey then that was probably the last time she would go to you,” neighbor Tatiana Copeland told Town & Country. “If you couldn’t be bothered to know what she liked to drink, she probably wouldn’t be bothered to come back to you.”
In February 1998, The New York Times reported that Margaret was being treated in a Barbados hospital after having a stroke during a dinner with friends on the island of Mustique. She subsequently flew back to England, and although friends claimed that the princess had actually quit smoking, rumors suggested otherwise, The Telegraph reported.
She was severely burned in a bath in 1999.
In early 1999, reports started to circulate that Princess Margaret had severely burned her feet while getting into a bath at her holiday home on Mustique, via the BBC.
A royal spokesperson downplayed the story, telling the news outlet, “She was seen by a local doctor in Mustique, and came back to London a week after the accident. She is now recuperating at Windsor, but these things do take some time to heal.” The royal family’s official website later noted that the princess had “severely scalded her feet,” and that the accident greatly impacted her mobility.
Princess Margaret scaled back her official royal engagements.
Following the scalding accident, Princess Margaret needed extra assistance to walk and would often use a wheelchair. Her health would worsen again after she experienced further strokes in 2000 and 2001, the royal family’s website noted. As a result, the princess was forced to reduce her workload, and only attended select royal engagements in her final years. According to People, symptoms including partial paralysis and vision issues persisted following her stokes.
Margaret’s diminished mobility reportedly caused the princess to experience depression, which was magnified when she was forced to sell her Mustique property in 2001, per The Telegraph. She made her final public appearance at HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester’s 100th birthday party in December 2001, the royal family’s website noted.
Princess Margaret died with her children by her side.
Princess Margaret passed away on February 9, 2002 at the age of 71. Announcing the sad news, the queen’s press secretary released a statement, saying, “Her beloved sister, Princess Margaret, died peacefully in her sleep this morning at 6:30 a.m., in The King Edward VII Hospital. Her children, Lord Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto, were at her side.”
The statement also revealed that Margaret died following a further stroke. “She developed cardiac problems during the night and was taken from Kensington Palace to The King Edward VII Hospital at 2:30 a.m.,” the statement explained.
Princess Margaret’s burial eschewed tradition.
The princess’s funeral took place at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, and was attended by close friends and family only, per the royal family’s official website. After the service, Margaret was cremated, with her ashes being placed in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, per the royal family’s website.
In the documentary Elizabeth: Our Queen, Princess Margaret’s lady-in-waiting, Lady Glenconner, explained why the royal had opted for cremation over a traditional burial. “Princess Margaret was cremated, one of the first members of the royal family [to do so], because she wanted to be buried between her parents and there was only room, really, for ashes,” Lady Glenconner said (via Town & Country).
Another option had been for Margaret to be buried at Frogmore in Windsor Great Park, where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were laid to rest. However, according to Lady Glenconner, Margaret thought that Frogmore was “very gloomy,” per Town & Country. So, her wishes were rightfully honored.
Amy Mackelden is a freelance writer, editor, and disability activist. Her bylines include Harper’s BAZAAR, Nicki Swift, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, ELLE, The Independent, Bustle, Healthline, and HelloGiggles. She co-edited The Emma Press Anthology of Illness, and previously spent all of her money on Kylie Cosmetics.