Princess Margaret was a rebel, and as it turns out, quite the enigma. The wildest stories from Princess Margaret's party days rival those of her spare counterpart, Prince Harry, as her free time was filled with plenty of debauchery, and punctuality was beneath her. Even her obituary in The New York Times touched on the princess' penchant for coloring outside the lines. "To many people, Princess Margaret was the black sheep of her generation of royals. But that reputation did not necessarily trouble
her," the obituary read. Margaret even told the French poet and filmmaker Jean Cocteau that "Disobedience is my joy." Everything indicates that she lived by that motto.
With a life dictated by disobedience, Margaret's name was often thrust into the rumor mill. Every relationship she entered and every party she attended became a headline — her marriage was sandwiched between affairs and her wild antics at her Caribbean vacation home earned her the nickname "The X-Rated Queen of Mustique."
The late princess' life is remembered as being ribald, ignominious, and the antithesis of her sister, Queen Elizabeth II. But Margaret's appetite for partying was not the only inspiration for the rumors surrounding her life. Other sensationalized stories started before she could even talk — in fact, one rumor suggested an infant Margaret was incapable of speaking. Not only was this incorrect, but the royal spare would go on to deliver many iconic statements about her life as the fun sister, the one with all the privileges of a queen without any of the responsibilities.
Read more: 14 Times Princess Diana Broke Strict Royal Rules
The Public Once Believed Princess Margaret To Be Deaf And Unable To Speak When She Was A Child
In the book detailing the life of royal fashion designer Norman Hartnell, author Michael Pick chronicled Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret's childhoods. The tome, titled, "Norman Hartnell: The Biography," includes quotes from one of Hartnell's assistants, who revealed that the public suspected Margaret had a learning disability because she was rarely seen exhibiting the behavior of most children in public. The young royal was apparently quite reserved and didn't speak. "There was a rumour going around that Princess Margaret was deaf and dumb," the assistant told Pick.
The rumor ended up having no merit, as the assistant would later discover when Hartnell had to dress Elizabeth and Margaret for Prince Henry's wedding in 1935. The young royals were set to be bridesmaids, but they weren't exactly excited about it and were a bit of a handful. Still, before Margaret made her first official public appearance at the wedding, rumors about her cognitive and physical health abounded. In fact, some who visited Buckingham Palace were shocked to find that Margaret was quite the talkative little royal. Her father would joke, "This is my deaf and dumb child," upon seeing the visitors' surprise (via The Telegraph).
A Bombshell Book Claimed Princess Margaret Had Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Years after her death, rumors still haunt Princess Margaret, whose real-life story is as tragic as they come. In the book, "Princess Margaret and the Curse: An Inquiry into a Royal Life," Meryle Secrest claimed that the rebellious royal's often-questionable behavior might have been the result of fetal alcohol syndrome. Secrest argued that the condition wasn't yet officially identified when The Queen Mother was pregnant with Margaret, and therefore it's unlikely that doctors would have strongly advised her against drinking (which is something she did plenty of and often).
The Mayo Clinic notes that fetal alcohol syndrome can lead to a slew of problems, most notably an array of disabilities ranging from physical development, behavior, thinking, and learning. According to Secrest, Margaret showed telltale signs of all of the above, but lacked the facial features associated with the syndrome, which include a flat nose, small eyes, and a notably thin upper lip. Secrest noted that the princess was very short at only 5 feet, 1 inch. She reportedly had a hard time learning and writing, and her erratic behavior is well documented throughout her life. Secrest recounted how Margaret allegedly once set her hair on fire and attempted to sink a boat during a rowing lesson. Such behavioral issues are associated with the syndrome.
Of course, Margaret was never officially diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome, and her antics might just have been part of her personality — or the result of some other ailment. We'll never truly know.
Princess Margaret Is Rumored To Have Had An Affair With Mick Jagger
Princess Margaret famously had three lovers, and an additional clandestine affair here and there, if reports are to be believed. For years, rumors have run rampant that the rebellious royal had a romantic relationship with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. The gossip was revived in 2012 when Christopher Andersen published a biography of the rock star. "Mick: The Wild Life and Mad Genius of Jagger," chronicles Jagger's friendship and rumored relationship with the royal.
Margaret first met Jagger at Lady Victoria Ormsby-Gore's 16th birthday party. One glance from the royal was enough to prompt Jagger to abandon his girlfriend and get to know Margaret better. Lady Elsa Bowker, wife to Sir James Bowker, Britain's former ambassador to Austria and Burma, told Andersen the princess and Jagger got on like a house on fire. "There was a flirtation going on there, definitely. Princess Margaret was only in her 30s and quite attractive. And as everybody knows, she was attracted to younger men," Lady Bowker said. A royal courtier imparted some additional information, claiming that Jagger and Margaret stayed in touch after that night. "She found him sexy and exciting. If you saw them laughing together, dancing, the way she'd put her hand on his knee and giggle at his stories like a schoolgirl, you'd have thought there was something going on," they claimed.
It's well known that Margaret used to have affairs while she was still married. A source told author Tom Quinn for "Scandals of the Royal Palaces" that some of those affairs were with "a famous pop star, several actors, and a politician." Queen Elizabeth II reportedly didn't approve of Jagger and Margaret's friendship, especially given his party lifestyle.
Picasso Reportedly Wanted To Marry Princess Margaret, But She Thought Him Atrocious
Princess Margaret might have fraternized with an array of men, but one she didn't have affection for was Pablo Picasso, who reportedly had a big crush on the royal, so much so that he apparently told one of his friends, Roland Penrose, that he was dreaming about Margaret. The celebrated artist believed Margaret was his one true love and wanted to marry her. Her most attractive qualities, according to Picasso, were her skin, her teeth, and her height (she was shorter than him). At least, this is what Craig Brown asserted in his quasi-biography of the royal, titled "Ma'am Darling."
In 1960, Margaret, who was apparently blissfully unaware of Picasso's obsession with her, visited the Picasso exhibition at the Tate Gallery. Penrose was with her and told her about the artist's crush on her. He later told Picasso he thought he saw Margaret blush ever so slightly. But he might've misread her body language, because Picasso's biographer, John Richardson, would later recall in the biography, "A Life of Picasso," that Margaret was anything but taken with the artist. "Many years later, I told Princess Margaret the story of Picasso's quest for her hand," Richardson penned. "Like her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria, she was not amused; she was outraged. She said she thought it the most disgusting thing she had ever heard."
Rumor Has It MI5 Broke Into A Bank To Acquire Compromising Photographs Of Princess Margaret
History nerds will know all about the Baker Street bank heist of 1971. Rumors abounded that more than just money was stolen — there was scuttlebutt that incriminating photographs of politicians and raunchy snaps of Princess Margaret were hidden in safety deposit boxes at the bank. A 2008 film titled "The Bank Job," indulged the rumors, depicting the heist as an undercover operation by MI5 in an attempt to recover the photographs of Princess Margaret in an effort to ensure it would never make the front page of any tabloid.
The rumor seemed believable because of the princess' penchant for a good time. Princess Margaret's relationship with Roddy Llewellyn made headlines in the '70s, and the two were often spotted by eagle-eyed paparazzi in Mustique. Gossip flourished that the photographs MI5 wanted to acquire of Margaret were of her and Llewellyn, taken on Mustique. The film's writers claimed they had inside information confirming that the bank heist was a ploy by MI5 to get hold of the photographs. Margaret's ex-husband, Antony Armstrong-Jones, told the media at the time that he wasn't buying the story about the photographs' existence. "I would have thought it unlikely," he said (via The Standard).
Some Who Knew Her Claimed That Princess Margaret Was Spoiled
If reports are to be believed, Princess Margaret was spoiled rotten as a child. She was a fun-loving kid adored by her father and is said to have grown up with a warped sense of how one treats other people. Those who knew her claim she loved being the center of attention and wasn't afraid to use her royal privileges to her advantage. She could become wildly unpleasant if things didn't go her way and once threw a temper tantrum when she got the answer wrong while playing a game of Trivial Pursuit.
In "Princess Margaret: A Biography," one acquaintance had some choice words when it came to describing the royal. "I have been at the same house parties as her and her arrogance, her petulance, her rudeness and her plain bad manners were awful," they alleged. And indeed, in "Ma'am Darling," Craig Brown wrote how Margaret would make a habit of showing up late to dinner, once arriving at midnight for supper, which was set to commence at 8:00 p.m.
Then there was the princess' tendency to treat people like a friend one moment only to remind them that she was their superior the next. Whether it was disparaging someone at the dinner table or reminding people that they didn't get to refer to Queen Elizabeth II as her sister and had to address her by her title. She also relished in criticizing artists' work, often telling them to their faces that she was unimpressed by their creations, whether it was paintings, films, or music.
Princess Margaret Reportedly Had Some Serious Beef With Sarah Ferguson
There's nothing pundits love more than a little bit of royal drama, and Princess Margaret provided plenty of that throughout her lifetime. Prince Harry and Prince William's feud might be dominating headlines in this era, but Margaret's beef with Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, was where the tea was at in the '90s.
Sarah, like Margaret, was responsible for some of the royal family's biggest PR disasters, most notably the incident where she was caught with American businessman John Bryan seemingly sucking her toes by the poolside. The duchess would eventually discard her bikini top, making the whole affair that much more scandalous. Ironically, Margaret was reportedly one of the royals who was the most upset by her niece-in-law's antics, and Sarah even tried to make up for it by sending Margaret flowers. The princess was not impressed, according to reports, responding with a scathing letter that left Sarah very upset. "You have done more to bring shame on this family than could ever have been imagined," she allegedly penned (via Express). "Not once have you hung your head in embarrassment even for a minute after those disgraceful photographs."
In the 1997 documentary "Fergie: Downfall of a Duchess," royal correspondent Judy Wade also addressed the reported letter Margaret wrote, noting it was "the worst example of a pot calling a kettle black in history" (via Express). Sarah's biographer, David Leigh, also weighed in, recalling that one time Margaret drove the duchess to tears during the Royal Ascot.
Princess Margaret Allegedly Had A Rocky Relationship With Princess Diana
Sarah Ferguson isn't the only royal that Princess Margaret had beef with — she and Princess Diana apparently had some drama of their own. Those who knew her recall that Margaret loved being the center of attention, so when she was dubbed "Charlie's aunt" when King Charles III was born and subsequently pushed down the line of succession, she was likely none too pleased. When Diana came into the picture, Margaret reportedly didn't mind having the media focusing on another royal. In fact, the two became friends, with the princess showing Diana the ropes and guiding her through her new royal life. That was, until Diana sat down for her bombshell BBC Panorama interview.
Diana spoke openly about Charles' affair with Camilla Parker Bowles and questioned whether he was really fit to be king. The tea was piping hot and the royal family was feeling the heat. Margaret, however, was feeling betrayed. "Not only did she cut off all contact with the princess, she also made it clear to her children that she did not want them fraternising with the enemy," Andrew Morton penned in the book, "Elizabeth & Margaret." Margaret also reportedly tried to get rid of any trace of the Princess of Wales in her home, burning magazines featuring the royal, along with letters Diana had written to her.
It's said the two royals never really made peace. Even after Diana's death, Margaret seemingly remained unforgiving, notably refraining from bowing her head in respect as Diana's coffin passed her and Queen Elizabeth II on the day of the princess' funeral. Margaret gave a curt nod while the queen bowed her head in honor of the late royal.
Rumor Has It That Princess Margaret Used Cocaine
It's no secret that Princess Margaret was a party animal, so rumors that she experimented with drugs shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Royal biographer Tom Quinn claimed in his book "Scandals of the Royal Palaces" that Margaret's ex-husband, Antony Armstrong-Jones, used to leave drugs lying around their home. "He used to offer her all sorts of drugs in the time before they really fell out," a former royal servant claimed. "We heard they tried LSD and cocaine, but then a lot of people tried things like that at the time."
As the couple's relationship went from bad to worse, Armstrong-Jones would reportedly leave his wife notes alongside the drugs with messages like, "Why don't you take all these and do us all a favour," according to the royal servant. "We were told to remove any packets that we saw and not to mention them to Margaret," they told Quinn.
This isn't the only instance where someone insinuated that Margaret may or may not have used drugs. In 1976, the princess attended a Rolling Stones concert and made her way backstage afterward where cocaine was reportedly being used openly. Former tour manager for The Rolling Stones, Peter Rudge, told the Mirror in 1985 (via UPI) that Margaret didn't seem bothered by the drug use. "I looked apprehensively at the princess — but to my astonishment she was smiling broadly," Rudge recalled. Margaret proceeded to tell Rudge, "Ah, cocaine, such an amusing drug, don't you think?" However, he insisted that Margaret didn't partake in the drug use that night.
There Were Whispers That Princess Margaret Was In A Relationship With Another Woman
In 2015, the Daily Mail published letters Princess Margaret wrote to American socialite Sharman Douglas, whom she met in 1947 when she was 17 years old. Douglas was 19. The two reportedly hit it off instantly and became fast friends. Douglas spent a lot of time in the U.K. — her father, Lewis Douglas, was the U.S. ambassador to London — and she and Margaret would hang out at the U.S. Embassy, often hosting parties.
As the years wore on, there were rumors that Douglas was a lesbian. Thanks to her close friendship with Margaret, there were whispers that the two women were, in fact, more than just close friends. Even Margaret's ex-husband, Antony Armstrong-Jones, would later be asked to comment on the whole affair during an interview. "I remember Sharman Douglas. She did look rather butch," he admitted. "Do I think Princess Margaret had an affair with her? Highly unlikely." The correspondence between the two women didn't exactly expose a romantic relationship, but it has been described as rather intimate, with Margaret divulging things to Douglas that many believed she'd never have trusted with her sister.
In the biography "Margaret: The Last Real Princess," which was published shortly after her death, author Noel Botham claimed the royal had a clandestine relationship with Douglas. "One is not suggesting that she became a life-long lesbian," Botham said (via IOL). "One is simply putting the facts in there of what happened."
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