Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II. Known for her charm, royal rule-breaking and unintentional modernisation, she is a key player in The Crown and has been portrayed by Vanessa Kirby, Helena Bonham Carter and Leslie Manville.
In season three of the Netflix drama, it is heavily implied that the princess may have attempted suicide in the 70s.
'Did you mean it?' the Queen asks her, to confirm whether she intended to take her own life.
'I don't know. Possibly,' she replies.
In real life, whilst The Times reported that she suffered a nervous breakdown in 1976 following her marriage breakdown to Antony Armstrong-Jones, Margaret herself told a different story.
'I was so exhausted because of everything that all I wanted to do was sleep... and I did, right through to the following afternoon,' she said, according to The Telegraph.
Princess Margaret's death after suffering her fourth stroke occurred in the early naughties is covered in the second volume of The Crown's sixth season. Here is what happened to the late royal.
How did Princess Margaret die?
Margaret died following a series of heart and lung-related illnesses.
She was a heavy smoker for much of her adult life. In January 1985, she had a lung operation which was vastly similar to that of her father, George VI, 34 years prior. She gave up cigarettes in 1991.
Her health sadly deteriorated from there. In 1993, she was hospitalised for pneumonia, before having her first stroke five years later.
Between 1998 and 2001, she had three strokes which left her with partial vision and paralysis on the left side. She died after her fourth, aged 71.
What year did Princess Margaret die?
Princess Margaret died on 9 February 2002 in King Edward VII's Hospital, London, at 6.30am. She was 71 years old.
The day prior, she had suffered her fourth stroke which led to cardiac problems and ultimately her death.
The royal family's statement, provided by The Queen's secretary, read in full:
'The Queen, with great sadness, has asked for the following announcement to be made immediately.
'Her beloved sister, Princess Margaret, died peacefully in her sleep this morning at 6.30am, in The King Edward VII Hospital. Her children, Lord Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto, were at her side.
'Princess Margaret suffered a further stroke yesterday afternoon. She developed cardiac problems during the night and was taken from Kensington Palace to The King Edward VII Hospital at 2.30am. Lord Linley and Lady Sarah were with her, and The Queen was kept fully informed throughout the night.
'Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and other members of the Royal Family are being informed.'
Why was Princess Margaret cremated and when was her funeral?
According to The Guardian, Margaret was the first member of the royal family to be cremated since the practice became legal.
It has been widely reported that cremation was Margaret’s wish, so that her ashes could be laid to rest alongside her father, King George VI. Per a MailOnline report, there was is no more room in the royal vault at St George's Chapel, Windsor, where the late monarch is buried. meaning Margaret could’t be buried.
Her funeral took place on 15 February 2002 at St George's Chapel, 50 years after her father was laid to rest. It was her request to have a private ceremony for family and friends, and she was then cremated at Slough Crematorium.
Cremation goes against royal tradition, and no other senior royal has been cremated since.
Who was Princess Margaret married to?
Princess Margaret was married to photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones.
The pair met in 1958 at a party and were engaged the year later. They tied the knot on 6 May 1960, which marked the first royal wedding to be broadcast on television. It garnered a whopping 300 million views from all around the world.
But in 1978, they became the first British royal couple in 400 years to divorce, after both engaging in extra-marital affairs throughout their marriage. They remained good friends up until her death in 2002.
What happened between Princess Margaret and Captain Peter Townsend?
Prior to marrying Antony, Margaret had an affair with war hero and equerry Captain Peter Townsend, who she allegedly told friends she fell in love with in 1947 during the South Africa tour.
He divorced his wife in November 1952 to commit to Margaret and proposed to the royal five months later. However, they were unable to say, ‘I do’ as the 1772 Royal Marriages Act required that Parliament approve the marriage if the woman was under the age of 25. Margaret did not receive approval from her sister. The fact Peter was 16 years Margaret’s senior and a recent divorcé, the relationship was understood to be frowned upon by the Church and Parliament. Nonetheless, she remained engaged to Peter.
They may have dated for several years, but rumours of a romance only started doing the rounds at the Queen’s coronation in June 1953.
The Queen and Prime Minister Anthony Eden eventually reached an agreement in which Margaret could marry Peter, so long as she forfeited her rights to succession.
In 1955, Margaret called off their engagement, announcing on BBC Radio, ‘I have been aware that, subject to my renouncing my rights of succession, it might have been possible for me to contract a civil marriage. But, mindful of the Church's teaching that Christian marriage is indissoluble, and conscious of my duty to the Commonwealth, I have resolved to put these considerations before any others.’
Did Princess Margaret have children?
Princess Margaret and Antony are both survived by their son, David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon, 61, and daughter Lady Sarah Chatto, 59.