People either loved Margaret or they didn’t — she just had that kind of personality. She was often described as being high-spirited and rebellious in contrast to her more demure sister, Queen Elizabeth II. Margaret was an example of a modern-day princess, one who had no problem telling off movie stars like Elizabeth Taylor and shaking up the entire palace. Margaret proved that princesses are far from perfect...
"Ready to burst out"
As a young woman, it was obvious that Margaret didn't always love royal life. She was described as "bored, mécontente, ready to burst out against it all: A Duke of Windsor among the women of the royal family” by historian A.L.
Rowse.
Not-so-gracious host
According to some stories, Margaret wasn't always gracious to her guests. She once had visitors wait late into the night while she got ready for a dinner party, only to emerge looking like “a huge ball of fur,” as Nancy Mitford recalled..
Yes, ma'am
Most young ladies (and many older ladies) would detest being called “ma’am," but not Margaret. In fact, she insisted upon it, if witnesses’ accounts are to be believed.
According to them, she’d be friendly until you called her anything other than “ma’am” or “your highness.”
Sore loser
According to an anonymous dinner party guest, Margaret and the gang were happily playing Trivial Pursuit until she answered a question incorrectly. “She got so furious that she tossed the whole board in the air, sending all the pieces flying everywhere.”.
Royally outspoken
Despite literally being royalty, Margaret still felt threatened by other worldly people, according to some sources. She allegedly told Robert Evans that she disliked his movie Love Story, and she made her dislike of Boy George and Stephen Sondheim known, often to their faces..
Razor-sharp wit
Margaret had a razor-sharp wit, and she didn’t always use it for good. She had some choice words for Grace Kelly, former actress and the Princess of Monaco, when they met.
“Well, you don’t look like a movie star,” she reportedly told her.
"How unfortunate"
Sometimes, celebrities left the palace feeling worse than when they walked in. When Margaret finally asked ‘60s model Lesley Lawson about herself and Lawson replied with “my friends call me Twiggy,” Margaret had just one response: “How unfortunate.”.
Margaret vs. Judy
Still, Margaret found herself up against a worthy opponent from time to time, such as when she met Judy Garland. While at a party, Margaret sent a message across the room to Garland, asking her to sing.
Garland wasn’t impressed by the request and had a fiery response.
"Rude little princess"
“Go and tell that nasty, rude little princess that we’ve known each other for long enough...that she should skip the ho-hum royal routine and just pop over here and ask me herself,” Garland angrily replied. We can only imagine how Margaret reacted!.
Margaret vs. Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor didn’t let Margaret get away with insulting her, either. When she overheard Margaret comment that Taylor’s new diamond ring was “the most vulgar thing I’ve ever seen,” Taylor immediately hatched a plan for revenge..
Getting even
When the two met at a party later on, Taylor graciously offered to let Margaret try on the ring herself. When she did, Elizabeth Taylor went in for the kill.
“Doesn’t look so vulgar now, does it?” she quipped at an astonished Margaret.
Scandalous love affair
For all the bad rumors swirling around Margaret, it can’t be denied that she endured some tough times. She wasn’t permitted to marry Peter Townshend, her first love, because of his divorced status, and their affair was a huge scandal at the time..
First royal divorce
Ironically, Margaret herself paved the way for future royals to get divorced: After a series of affairs (one reportedly with Mick Jagger and another with Roddy Llewellyn, who was 17 years her junior), she and her husband divorced. It was the first royal divorce since 1901. .
Spoiled brat
According to royal protocol, no one was allowed to go to bed until Margaret did, a rule she used to her advantage. She once arrived hours late to dinner, forced the exhausted staff to wait on her every whim, and didn’t go to bed until 4 AM..
Queen "Margaret"
Margaret even expected her sister, the Queen, to cater to her every need. Whenever Margaret burned her feet in the sun during a family trip to Mustique, she’d dramatically use a wheelchair to get around...
which annoyed Elizabeth to no end.
"For God's Sake, Margaret!"
In retaliation, Elizabeth would only provide one wheelchair at Mustique which was meant for the Queen Mother, not Margaret. When Margaret once dashed to claim the wheelchair for herself, Elizabeth reportedly called out, “For God’s sake, Margaret — get out! That’s meant for Mummy!” .
Unpopular princess
By the end of her life, Margaret was so unpopular with the public that supposedly Sotheby’s had to bribe guests to chat with her for a few minutes at a time. This is only a rumor, but judging by her past behavior, we wouldn't be surprised!.
Fact or fiction?
It’s hard to know whether any of these stories are true or just exaggerated tall tales. In reality, Margaret had close friends her whole life, all of who claimed that these outrageous stories were simply ways for Margaret to amuse and connect with the public..
The "evil" sister?
Margaret herself once commented on her complicated reputation. “It was inevitable, when there are two sisters and one is the Queen, who must be the source of honor and all that is good...
the other must be the focus of the most creative malice, the evil sister,” she said. Elizabeth was the heir, and Margaret, according to the press, was the "spare" — a harsh term that only a few other royals could understand.
A nontraditional princess
And Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth's second child, is one of them. Like Margaret, Anne was born into the role of "the spare," and knew early on that most of the attention would often turn to her eldest brother, Charles.
But unlike Margaret, Anne has chosen not to dwell on her second-born status. Instead, her life and personality have thoroughly shaken the status quo — and made her, perhaps, the most admired of Queen Elizabeth's children.
Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise
Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise was born August 15th,1950, and was celebrated with an honorable ceremony. Since she was the second-born and only daughter of Philip and Elizabeth, a 21-gun salute was held.
In time, she would prove more than worthy of that honor.
Her mother, the princess
When she was born, her mother was still a princess herself and hadn't yet been crowned Queen Elizabeth II. As she grew up, Princess Anne adjusted to her parents not being around.
She understood and respected her responsibilities all over the country.
Their mother-daughter bond
Princess Anne remained close to her mother, the Queen, who, according to sources close to the family, was as loving and caring as any mother could be. Their mutual love for horseback riding helped them remain close, even as Anne grew into her teenage years.
These normally-difficult times were eased by their shared passion...
A special gift from mom
And at the age of 13, Queen Elizabeth II gave her daughter a special present: her own thoroughbred horse named Doublet. Much like Elizabeth and Anne themselves, Anne and Doublet formed a unique bond.
It was every growing equestrian's dream; Anne and Doublet were always in sync. So they started making big moves in the word of equestrians.
Anne won gold
Princess Anne excitedly entered competitions with Doublet. In 1971, the 21-year-old Princess made history winning gold at the European Eventing Championships, becoming the first member of the British Royal family to win a European title.
She went on to enter another competition two years later — but not with Doublet.
Every equestrian's nightmare
After entering another European championship with another horse, it was clear to Princess Anne that she worked best with her longtime steed, Doublet. So, she happily started training with her beloved Doublet again.
But in 1974, she and Doublet were training at Windsor Castle when the unthinkable occurred. It was every equestrian's nightmare.
Broken
Along the castle's field, Princess Anne and Doublet were training for their next competition together when Anne heard a sickening sound: the crack of a bone breaking. Sadly, the horse suffered a broken leg that could not be healed.
Princess Anne loved this creature, so she couldn't imagine Doublet living life with such a terrible injury. She knew she had to say goodbye to her dear friend.
Determined to persevere
Princess Anne had no choice but to let Doublet pass peacefully. Veterinary medicine in the '70s just wasn't what it is today.
The heartbreak was hard for the Princess, but she was determined to pick up where she left off with a different horse. In typical royal fashion, Anne picked herself up, dusted herself off, and continued to make her mark on the equestrian world.
A daring move
Two years later, at the age of 26, Princess Anne dared to reach an even higher prize in her sport: a 1976 Olympic medal. This was another feat that no other British royal had ever attempted.
Actually competing in the Olympics as a member of the royal family instead of watching from the stands was a daring move, but Anne went for it.
At the Olympics
It was the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada. Nearly 50 other competitors from around the world competed in the equestrian events.
It was to be an eventful competition for the Princess, and not just because of her royal standing. For one, her horse that day was her mother's horse, Goodwill.
A harsh blow
All was going well until she was in the middle of the Eventing competition. Suddenly, she was thrown from Goodwill, and suffered a concussion as a result.
But Anne was determined to finish the event, so she remounted her horse and did just that — not that she can remember doing any of this, given her head injury.
Princess Anne for president
Although the British team didn't place at the 1976 Olympics, Princess Anne was still enamored with equestrianism. In the late '80s, she was appointed President of the FEI, the Fédération Équestre Internationale, which is the international governing body of equestrian sports.
She was 36 at the time, and she happened to be following in her father's footsteps.
Like father, like daughter
Back in his day, Prince Philip was also President of the FEI. Though he reportedly had a somewhat difficult relationship with his children (he was rumored to have a blunt, even abrasive, sense of humor), Princess Anne seemed to stand out as his "favorite" child.
With her sharp wit and thick skin, Anne was more like her father than her brothers. Not that the Princess didn't get along with her brothers, though!
Her "favorite" brother
Throughout the years, she and her older brother, Prince Charles, always remained close. Princess Anne also shared her love for horseback riding with her older brother, and she helped him overcome his fear of riding.
She also made sure to see all his plays when he was in school. They were very supportive of each other, even though they were, as the press called them, "the heir and the spare" — with Anne as the rudely-phrased "spare."
Glitz and glam
In her youth, Anne was considered to be a tomboy and held no interest in the glam and glitz of royal life. She definitely wasn't the kind of princess you'd find in a Disney movie! Anne avoided the frills and tiaras that attracted most girls her age, but she didn't avoid the boys for long..
Lovestruck
Before she made history in horseback riding, Princess Anne aimed to make history in her own love life. Back when she was 18, she became infatuated with fellow horse lover Mark Philips.
She had to go through a bit of drama before she could capture his heart, however.
The dating game
Princess Anne had her first boyfriend two years later in Andrew Parker Bowles — does that last name sound familiar? — whose family had close connections with Anne's. Andrew had just broken up with none other than Camilla Shand, daughter of Britain's Vice Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, but they soon after got back together after being pressured by their families..
The four young royals
Princess Anne's older brother, Prince Charles, also became involved, dating the Vice Lord Lieutenant's daughter until she and Andrew Bowles went back to courting. Surprisingly enough, there didn't seem to be any hard feelings among the four young royals — at least, none that were made obvious to the public..
Happily ever after...kind of
Andrew Parker Bowles and Camilla Shand married some years later, with Shand's family happy to see their ship set sail. But after raising children together, the couple divorced, and Camilla married Prince Charles in 2005.
And although their relationship was short-lived, Princess Anne remained close friends with Andrew — even when she set her eyes on Mark Phillips in 1968.
Their fairytale day
Princess Anne still had a thing for the very handsome Mark Philips, and after years of dating, they married in 1973. Their wedding was was even declared a special holiday for the public! But that fairytale day didn't last forever.
In fact, it unexpectedly brought the couple into a nightmare.
A terrible night
Chaos erupted one night in 1974 when a white Ford slammed into the side of Anne and Mark's car. But this was no accident.
The driver, Ian Ball, pointed a gun at the royal vehicle and demanded that the couple come with him. With a deadly weapon pointed in her direction, what else could Anne do but obey?
Ball's violent plot
Well, Anne wasn't one to blindly obey orders. Although the assailant planned to kidnap the royals in exchange for a ransom of 3 million pounds, Anne wasn't about to make it easy for him.
So when Ball ordered Anne to come with him, she retorted, "Not bloody likely." As she fled, he fired a barrage of shots.
Justice is served
Three nearby men were shot before police apprehended Ball. Anne, to show her thanks, visited her defenders in the hospital.
It was a grisly incident, but the Princess looked forward to the next chapter of her life.
Unconventional family
Princess Anne and her husband became an unconventional family. Mark didn't take on any courtesy titles, and they decided not to push any titles onto their children, Peter and Zara.
Sadly, the happy-looking couple would not last. Despite being married for almost 20 years, the couple couldn't hide their troubles any longer.
Distance between them
After distant behavior began to surface between the two, and rumors and scandals began to spread, Princess Anne and Mark Philips divorced in 1992. But this wasn't the end of Princess Anne's love life, nor the last time she stirred up royal drama..
Timothy Laurence
Timothy Laurence, senior attendant of Queen Elizabeth II's, married Princess Anne immediately after she divorced Mark Philips. It wasn't the fairytale wedding she'd had 20 years prior, especially with the accusations of cheating while Princess Anne was married.
Nonetheless, the couple are still happily married to this day. There is still so much more to the Princess than her love life.
Order of the Garden
Two years after her divorce, Princess Anne pushed for her induction into the Order of the Garden — but that's not all. Still being the tomboy that she is, she demanded she be titled a Knight, rather than a Lady.
With her candid attitude, she was given another title by the media.
Her Royal Rudeness
Known for her blunt, no-nonsense attitude, very reflective of her father, the media dubbed her "Her Royal Rudeness." While she was a bit standoffish with the public, not wanting to shake hands or pose for pictures, many citizens of Britain still loved and admired her for her candor. She seemed determined to be the one thing many royals weren't — authentic..
Her good deeds
And it wasn't just her honest authenticity that the public loved. With her impressive feats as a young adult athlete, the country could be proud of a Princess who was not just in the sport for the show.
It was especially impressive how much good she did for the world outside of equestrian sports.
Shropshire
Since she was 18, Princess Anne has been helping those in need. It started when she opened an educational and training center in Shropshire, England.
From then on she engaged in charities and nonprofit organizations, many of which have taken her across the world.
The Princess Royal
Also given the more proper title "The Princess Royal", Princess Anne is involved with over 300 charities, organizations, and military regiments in the UK and overseas. She has another official title within the British military, too — and she made history by receiving it..
Royal Marines
In her later years, Princess Anne became the first female Captain General of the Royal Marines. Anne has never stopped trying to outdo herself — and perhaps even her mother — when it comes to fulfilling her royal duties.
She has been such a crucial leader in the guidance of her country, even in international affairs.
A special award
On top of being involved in so many varying organizations, Princess Anne is also a British member of the International Olympic Committee, and played a hand in the country's bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. There, she watched as a special award was given to someone very close to her heart..
London 2012
In the 2012 London Olympics, Great Britain had a strong team of horseback riders — including Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Anne Elizabeth Philips! Like her mother, Zara had trained for that moment all her life. She had generations of accomplished equestrians cheering her on from afar..
A proud mother
Zara not only made her mother proud, but she also made her entire country proud by helping her team earn a silver medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Princess Anne could not be more proud, but she isn't ready to let the younger generation take over just yet..
A symbol of hard work
The Princess may have the busiest schedule in the royal family, but she prefers it that way. All her hard work has made the world a brighter place, and she herself has become a symbol of inspiration to women all over the world.
She's even drawn some comparisons to an unexpected family member.