Princess Margaret was known and loved for her acerbic wit, with many of her one-liners being praised as “legendary”.
The Royal died 23 years ago, on February 9 2002, and the anniversary of her death yesterday sparked remembrance of some of her most famous remarks. One response – to a question about the late Queen Elizabeth – has gone down a storm among fans.
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, was born on August 21 1930 and was the younger sister – and only sibling – of Queen Elizabeth II. A controversial though beloved figure, the Princess, who was affectionately known as ‘Margot’ by the Royal family, was known for her glamorous lifestyle and reported romances.
Often seen with a cigarette holder clamped between her fingers, she became known for her exuberant socialite tendencies in the 1950s. In her early 20s, she famously fell in love with married RAF pilot Peter Townsend.
The romance was not to be, however. By the time Townsend divorced his wife, Queen Elizabeth had ascended to the throne and the match was deemed wholly unsuitable for the Queen’s little sister. The Archbishop of Canterbury also refused to support the 22-year-old Princess marrying a divorced man. The couple subsequently separated.
Princess Margaret went on to marry photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960 after the pair met at a party two years prior.
In a series of posts on X, many of Princess Margaret’s “zingers” were shared and praised. X user and writer Tom Hulme shared a series of images from the course of the Royal’s life, as well as several of her most famous comments and musings.
Tom penned: “Today marks 23 years since the death of Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. Here’s some of my favourite Margaret one-liners, zingers and put-downs”.
In a follow up post, the social media user added: “When asked how the Queen was by a party guest, Margaret’s reply was ‘Which one? My sister, my mother or my husband?’”
This response, reported to have been said at a dinner partner in New York, proved popular online. Many X users flocked to the comments section to share their thoughts.
One person said: “What an awesome response” while another remarked: “That is too funny!” A third summarised: “Which one, my sister, my mother, or my husband. That’s hilarious”.
Another X user said: “I LOVE that!” and one more commented: “Now that’s a zinger. Up there with what the Queen Mum said to the bickering male staff who delayed bringing her morning breakfast.”
This is likely a reference to the time the Queen Mother reportedly pondered about the late arrival of her gin and Dubonnet. She is said to have called the servants’ quarters and quipped: “I don’t know about any of you queens down there, but this Queen up here wants a drink.”
Back on X, the praise for Princess Margaret continued. One person said: “Princess Margaret was a delightful combination of being a Lady and being a Broad. She was fascinating and fabulous”, while another added: “She was legendary. A wonderful combination of a lady and a broad!”
Princess Margaret died at the age of 71. In her later years, she suffered with illness and a series of strokes. Her death came after another stroke followed by cardiac problems.
