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Tomorrow would mark Princess Margaret’s 95th birthday, and if she were still with us today, the princess would surely have thrown a grand celebration to commemorate the event.
During her life Margaret was known as something of a party animal, someone who could smoke and drink most of her guests under the table.
Princess Margaret is famously remembered as the fun-loving royal, a persona vividly brought to life in the third season of Netflix’s The Crown.
In one episode, Margaret – played by Helena Bonham Carter – is sent to the United States to woo the American president Lyndon B Johnson.
Her shenanigans in the White House charm President Johnson who agrees to help the British Government in a financial bailout.
Nevertheless, this cheerful image has come under scrutiny, mainly due to how her heavy drinking and smoking contributed to her passing in 2002, as well as experts suggesting that she might not have been as lively as her reputation implies.
In his memoir, When The Going Was Good, famed Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter shared an account of a dinner disaster when Princess Margaret visited his New York apartment.
Carter recounted being approached by Reinaldo Herrera—a socialite and a friend of Margaret’s—who assured him he’d find the Princess delightful.
Princess Margaret, seen here enjoying a cigarette and drink at a party in 1980, was known throughout her life as a party enthusiast capable of out-drinking and out-smoking many of her guests.
Former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter (pictured) invited Margaret for a dinner at his house which turned into a disaster
The house was then prepared meticulously for the visit.
‘Reinaldo went through a number of advance items that Margaret would require for the night. These included bottles of Famous Grouse whiskey, Highland Spring mineral water and barley water,’ he wrote.
‘She would be accompanied by Anne Glenconner, her lady-in-waiting, and Anne’s husband, Colin Tennant who had developed Mustique in the 1950s, having bought it from the Grenadines for about $50,000. They, too, were close friends of Reinaldo and Carolina’s.’
Carter was also ‘exhaustively instructed’ on royal protocols including how to address Margaret.
‘You were to lean forward from the waist, hold her hand gently, and say “Ma’am.” That was it.
‘After this was accomplished, you were to let her pick up the conversation. I had no idea what we could talk about, but I did know that the royal family’s ice-breaking standby of saying “Have you come far?” couldn’t be applied in this situation. I practiced my bow in front of the mirror a few times.’
Even Carter’s children were prepped for the visit, with his three sons being instructed to practise their bow should they bump into Margaret during the evening.
‘The evening was choreographed in a manner that would have made the master of the New York City Ballet tip his hat,’ he recalled.
Margaret dancing with her husband Lord Antony Snowdon at a ball. Margaret was not as fun to party with as history suggests
Margaret smoking at Windsor. She allegedly smoked up to 60 cigarettes a day
Carter’s memoir – titled When The Going Was Good – details his encounter with the princess
The most important detail of the evening was that no one was to sit for dinner or leave the table before Margaret.
‘Nobody was supposed to sit for dinner until Margaret did. And nobody was to rise from the table until she did. Furthermore, no guest was to leave the apartment before the princess herself,’ Carter said.
Once the journalist had greeted Margaret with all the correct etiquette. It was the last crucial protocol of not leaving which caused issues for the other guests when Margaret outstayed her welcome.
On top of this, rather than being the life and soul of the party, Carter paints a picture of a rather boring dinner guest.
Carter said: ‘In time we sat down for dinner. Starter, main course, dessert. And then Margaret just stayed. And stayed. She wasn’t being particularly festive. She wasn’t being particularly un-festive. She was just staying. And smoking and drinking.
‘Now I should tell you, as if you don’t already know, that New York dinner parties generally break up around 10pm because people have to go home, get to bed and wake up early to go to work.’
And yet Margaret remained for another two hours.
‘On this evening, 10.30pm went by, and then 11pm. People were starting to panic. Margaret finally got up from the dinner table and we made our way the short distance to the living room. We were all waiting for her to start making her way toward the exit.’
President Lyndon Johnson and his wife Lady Bird Johnson joined by Margaret and Lord Snowdon in the White House
As per royal etiquette, no one was allowed to leave Carter’s apartment until Margaret was finished
Carter had to practise his bow and other royal protocols ahead of Margaret’s visit
Guests started leaving out of the backdoor out of annoyance with the princess.
As the evening did slowly draw to a close, the faux pas started.
Carter wrote: ‘At one point, Peggy Noonan leaned over in a half curtsey to Princess Margaret, who was sitting on the sofa, and as she leaned forward I guess she nicked her gently in the shin, whereupon Princess Margaret shrieked, “You’ve wounded me. You’ve wounded me!”.’
Margaret finally left at just after midnight, which Carter claimed left his other guest with faces like ‘survivors of a difficult airplane landing have as they step onto the tarmac’.
Disaster then struck outside Carter’s apartment when the wrong car pulled up for the princess while it was pouring with rain.
‘Princess Margaret turned and said, “Thank you so much,” stuck out her hand to me, and stepped down to get into the car,’ Carter said.
‘A little man jumped out of the driver’s seat. “No, no, not for you! Car for Mr Hamilton South! Car for Mr South!” I thought I was going to have an aneurysm. Reinaldo gave me a filthy look. “Hamilton, will you get that f***ing car out of here!” I whispered loudly.
‘Princess Margaret climbed back out on to the sidewalk. Hamilton screamed at his driver to leave. By this time, the rain was getting people’s legs wet. A few minutes later, an older and slightly less polished town car backed its way in and Margaret and the Glenconners scrambled to get inside and out of the rain.’
Margaret at a party in 1990. In her final years, Margaret’s heavy drinking and smoking took its toll on her health
He added: ‘Reinaldo drew himself up and shot us another filthy look. “You have ruined the party!” he spat at us. “This is a complete disaster.” Reinaldo didn’t speak to Hamilton for three months. Hamilton says I didn’t speak to him for two weeks. He also claims that if you ever mention “Car for Mr Hamilton South,” I go into an apoplectic rage. I deny the charge. But such is the mysterious and lasting power of the royal family.’
In her final years, Margaret’s heavy drinking and smoking – with the princess allegedly smoking up to 60 cigarettes a day – took its toll on her health.
Margaret had a number of strokes in the late 90s and early 2000s with the fourth and final stroke taking her life in February 2002.
Upon her death Margaret made the unusual request that she be cremated and her ashes were placed in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.
