by Teresa Wentz
April 11 2012
As Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrates reigning for sixty years as the head of the Commonwealth, she must surely feel a great sense of pride, gratitude toward God, and an undeniable sense of sadness.
It was ten years ago that she celebrated her Golden Jubilee – and mourned the death of her mother and sister.
All written accounts of the royal lives indicate that the Queen Mother was a kind, loving parent who always had the best interests of her children in mind.
These same biographies are also universal in their appreciation for the talent, wit, and charm that was the essence of Princess Margaret.With her honor bound devotion to duty and serious nature, the Queen must surely miss the humor and spontaneity that her sister brought to her life.
Royal biographer Anne Edwards recounts many of Margaret’s funniest moments in her 1990 book Royal Sisters: The Private Lives and Loves of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret.
From an early age, Princess Margaret had a natural talent for singing and acting.Her talents were enhanced with piano lessons and opportunities to showcase her gifts.
In the book, one unnamed source recalls starring with the two princesses in the annual Windsor Castle Christmas pantomime.“I for one admired Princess Margaret.I thought her a very good actress.She was the best in our little company.The star, I guess you would say.”
Marion Crawford the young governess who was employed to be responsible for the princess’s school lessons remembered Margaret’s vivid imagination.“Lilibet would listen with me, enthralled as the account of green horses, wild-eyed elephant stampedes, talking cats and other remarkable manifestations went into two or three installments.Margaret was never at a loss.”
Crawford also recalled that Margaret was a natural mimic, possessed perfect pitch, excelled in the game of charades, and showed a natural aptitude on the piano.“She was able to imitate anyone who she chose as a subject” Crawford recounts.One of her most popular imitations was of the Queen.“Using a stick for an umbrella, she would prod a tree and say ‘Get on with it George’.”The imitation left her regal audience rolling in the aisles.
She was apparently also never at a loss for a flirtatious remark.Edwards quotes another unnamed source who noted that as a single young woman one of her favorite comments to dance partners was to rehash a newspaper comment that caught her attention.“Do you know you are dancing with the owner of the most beautiful, seductive eyes in the world?” she would coquettishly ask.While Elizabeth Taylor might have raised a couple of doubts, it is unlikely that her dance partners would have expressed the same sentiment.
The two violet-eyed seductresses did have the opportunity to meet later at a film screening.The legend goes that Princess Margaret commented on Taylor’s “vulgar” ring (also known as the Krupp diamond).Without missing a beat, Taylor said “Isn’t it great?” and promptly encouraged the Princess to try it on.
Princess Margaret probably appreciated Taylor’s chutzpah.What other senior royal would have the moxie to sing “I’m Just A Girl Who Can’t Say No” during a lunch with the King George VI, his wife Queen Elizabeth, and a visiting Scottish minister? (Odds are that the current Queen is sorry that she missed that formal luncheon.)
Young Margaret’s legion of admirers was the lengthy but according to Lilibet author Carolly Erickson, King George VI was her most ardent fan.“When Margaret sat at the piano and played and sang popular songs, King George drank in every note”.Perhaps it was her security in her father’s love that encouraged her to pursue her gifts outside the royal realm.
In 1953, Margaret proved that her talent was not just stage worthy.She was chosen to direct a play on the West End called The Frog.Honors such as this are not given out lightly or without merit – even to royal princesses.
Her intelligence was often underutilized but publicly noted by intellectuals such as Noel Coward and Gore Vidal and almost led to a chance to shine in the world of politics.In 1963, by permission of the Queen, the Princess was set to embark on a State visit to France.The trip was canceled due to comments by President De Gaulle which were perceived to be anti-British.
As Margaret’s profile in the Royal family was pushed into the background with the arrival of the Queen’s four children, she still maintained her level of importance in the sovereign’s life.Carolly Erickson claims that the sisters continued their lifelong habit of speaking on the phone every day until the death of Princess Margaret ended the ritual.
No doubt Princess Margaret’s humor was in full sail to the very end.The woman who once replied to a cocktail party question about the Queen’s well-being with the response “Which one?My mother, my sister, or my husband?” [1]certainly never held back with her sister.Who else would have the temerity to be so bold with Her Majesty?Oh yeah, thank goodness Prince Phillip is still in good health.