7 Shocking Secrets Behind Queen Elizabeth II And Princess Margaret's Complex Relationship

The enduring fascination with the relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, continues to capture the public imagination, largely due to dramatizations like *The Crown* and a steady stream of new biographical revelations. As of December 18, 2025, fresh perspectives and controversial claims are still emerging, painting a picture of a bond forged in childhood but constantly tested by the rigid demands of the monarchy.

Their lives were a dramatic study in contrasts: Elizabeth, the dutiful monarch, and Margaret, the "Royal Wild Child." Yet, beneath the public facade of duty and scandal lay an unbreakable, intensely private sisterly love, a loyalty that defined their roles within the British Royal Family.

Princess Margaret: A Full Biography

Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Her life was marked by a vibrant personality, artistic flair, and a rebellious spirit that often clashed with the strictures of royal protocol.

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• Full Name: Princess Margaret Rose of York
• Born: August 21, 1930, at Glamis Castle, Scotland
• Parents: King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
• Sister: Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary)
• Spouse: Antony Armstrong-Jones (1st Earl of Snowdon) (m. 1960; div. 1978)
• Children: David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon, and Lady Sarah Chatto
• Key Title: Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
• Cause of Death: Stroke
• Died: February 9, 2002, in London, England, at the age of 71

Margaret’s early life was spent in the shadow of her older sister, a position that afforded her greater freedom from the pressures of the Crown until her father's unexpected death in 1952. This freedom allowed her to cultivate friendships in artistic circles and pursue a life less constrained by duty, leading to a colorful and often controversial public image.

The New, Shocking Theory About Margaret's Early Life

One of the most recent and controversial claims to emerge about Princess Margaret's earliest years comes from a new biography, which suggests a shocking root cause for her famously volatile personality and later health issues: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).

The book alleges that Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Margaret's mother, drank heavily during her pregnancy.

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This claim suggests that Margaret’s lifelong struggles—including her tendency toward rebellion, mood swings, and various health complications—may have been linked to this prenatal exposure, rather than solely to her position as the "spare" royal child.

While the claim is highly disputed and lacks official medical confirmation, it offers a dramatic, modern lens through which to view the "Royal Wild Child." It re-contextualizes her behavior not merely as petulance or a lack of discipline, but potentially as a consequence of biological factors, adding a tragic layer to the Windsor Sisters’ story.

This revisionist history challenges the traditional narrative, forcing a re-evaluation of the complex family dynamics at Clarence House and the pressures on the Queen Mother.

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Love, Loyalty, and the Crown: The Peter Townsend Tragedy

No event more dramatically defined the chasm between the two sisters than the Peter Townsend affair. It was the ultimate test of the Queen’s duty versus the sister’s happiness.

Group Captain Peter Townsend was a decorated war hero and equerry to King George VI, 16 years Margaret's senior, and a divorced man.

Their romance, which began before Elizabeth's coronation, became public fodder after Margaret was seen affectionately picking a piece of lint from his lapel at the 1953 televised ceremony.

Under the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, Margaret, being under 25, needed Queen Elizabeth II's permission to marry a divorced man.

The Queen, as Head of the Church of England, was placed in an impossible position. She was torn between her sisterly devotion and her constitutional and religious obligations, which effectively prevented her from giving consent.

In 1955, Princess Margaret ultimately announced her decision not to marry Townsend, stating she chose to put duty to the Commonwealth above her personal life. The decision was a massive sacrifice that many biographers believe fundamentally altered the course of her life and her relationship with the Crown.

The Wild Child vs. The Monarch: A Tale of Two Sisters

The stark difference in their roles—Elizabeth as the sovereign and Margaret as the support—created a lifelong tension. Elizabeth was famously reserved and focused on protocol, while Margaret was vivacious, theatrical, and often pushed the boundaries of royal decorum.

Their childhood, though shared, foreshadowed their adult roles. As children, Elizabeth was often seen as the responsible, serious one, while Margaret was the pampered, "naughty" one.

The sisters shared residences like Clarence House and Windsor Castle, and their bond was one of deep, mutual understanding, even when their lifestyles diverged wildly.

Margaret’s embrace of a more bohemian lifestyle led her to marry photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones, a break from the tradition of marrying a royal or aristocrat. She later became famous for her social life, particularly at her private villa, Les Jolies Eaux, on the Caribbean island of Mustique.

Mustique became Margaret's personal sanctuary and party venue, a place for "whiskey-fuelled parties and glamorous high-octane soirées," far from the scrutiny of Kensington Palace and the British press.

Despite the public perception of conflict, those closest to them, such as Lady Anne Glenconner, attest that the sisters remained fiercely loyal. They spoke on the phone almost daily and were each other's greatest confidantes.

In a final, poignant act of loyalty, when Margaret died in 2002 after suffering a stroke, Queen Elizabeth II was present. The Queen, known for her stoicism, was visibly emotional at her sister's funeral, a rare public display of her profound grief for the woman who was her only sibling and closest friend. Their relationship, complex and challenging as it was, remained the most enduring and important of their lives.