The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Princess Margaret

This article contains mentions of overdose.

Being a royal may look glamorous, from the castles and the outfits to the fun-filled events; it seems like a life many would dream of. But in reality, being a royal isn't all it's cracked up to be. Many members of the royal family have had to live tragic lives, including Princess Margaret.

Born in April 1930, Princess Margaret was the youngest daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Being the younger sibling, Margaret was not the heir to the throne, and instead, her older sister, Queen Elizabeth II, would take the place of her father. Although she would never have to deal with the stress and turmoil of becoming the monarch of England, Margaret still faced her own set of tragic situations during her lifetime.

Even Prince Harry revealed in his memoir, "Spare," that despite not knowing her well, he knew his great-aunt lived a tragic life. He wrote, "Like most Britons, I mainly knew of her. I was conversant with the general contours of her sad life. Great loves thwarted by the Palace. Exuberant streaks of self-destruction splashed across the tabloids..." Prince Harry gave royal enthusiasts a taste of what Princess Margaret has had to deal with in her life in his memoir. But, there were so many more difficulties and sad situations that she had to come across that many may not even be familiar with.

Princess Margaret had a forbidden love with British official Peter Townsend. After knowing one another for years, Townsend and Margaret fell madly in love, but their whirlwind romance wouldn't last because Townsend was a divorcee. 

Margaret thought she found her happily ever after when Townsend popped the question in 1953, but those dreams would be crushed. The princess, who hadn't yet hit age 25, had to have the approval of her sister, Queen Elizabeth II, due to the 1772 Royal Marriages Act. During this time, the Church of England had strict rules about marrying a divorcee, and to Margaret's dismay, the queen denied the marriage. Townsend was sent away, but that didn't stop the romance.

As soon as she turned 25, no longer needing her sister's permission, she reconsidered marrying Townsend. Unfortunately, Margaret still required permission from the British parliament, who were willing to let her marry Townsend on the condition she gave up her succession and royal affiliation. Eventually, Margaret ended her engagement with Townsend. In a sad statement released to BBC Radio, she said, "...mindful of the Church's teaching that Christian marriage is indissoluble, and conscious of my duty to the Commonwealth, I have resolved to put these considerations before any others. I have reached this decision entirely alone, and in doing so I have been strengthened by the unfailing support and devotion of Group Captain Townsend."

Having to move on from Peter Townsend was difficult for Princess Margaret, but the royal eventually found a new man. Princess Margaret met a charming photographer named Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1958. Although, it wouldn't be until a couple of months after the first meeting that sparks would fly. The two were drawn to one another, but this wouldn't stop Armstrong-Jones from exploring other relationships, which would become a big problem in their marriage.

Princess Margaret got engaged to Armstrong-Jones in 1959 after receiving a letter that her former lover, Townsend, was set to be married. She reportedly told a parliament member, "I received a letter from Peter in the morning and that evening I decided to marry Tony. I didn't really want to marry at all. Why did I? Because he asked me!" The couple's engagement became public news in February 1960, and by May, they were walking down the aisle.

Affairs riddled Princess Margaret and Armstrong-Jones marriage, who was now Earl of Snowden. In the weeks that followed their nuptials, Jones would welcome a secret child, although it wouldn't be discovered until years later. He continued to have affairs throughout their marriage, but so did Margaret. The royal was said to have several affairs, but it was her relationship with Roddy Llewellyn that took off. Eventually, Margaret and Armstrong-Jones decided to split in 1978, 18 years after saying "I do."

One of the most pivotal moments in Princess Margaret's storyline in "The Crown" was when the princess overdosed — but how true was this?

Cosmopolitan reports that several biographies insist Princess Margaret did overdose in 1974, but it wasn't an attempted suicide. At the time, Margaret's personal life was in much dismay. Her marriage to Antony Armstrong-Jones was falling apart, and she was falling in love with another man, Roddy Llewellyn. There are many rumors as to why Margaret reportedly decided to take the pills. According to Christopher Warwick's biography, "Princess Margaret: A Life of Contrast," Margaret was exhausted and simply wanted to get some rest. The book read, "At the height of her distress, and unable to sleep, she took a handful of Mogadon tablets and anxious staff found they were unable to wake her. Friends have always denied that it was an attempt at suicide." The book claims the royal even spoke on the scary situation and blamed her difficulty in getting rest. She reportedly said, "'I was so exhausted because of everything that all I wanted to do was sleep...and I did, right through to the following afternoon. "

A close confidant seemed to confirm the overdose to the Daily Mail in 2007. They said, "Yes, she did take an overdose. Although how much it was done to create a drama, I shall never know. Remember, she was a great actress." The statement, although insensitive, shows the princess was going through some troubling times.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

There always seems to be one person in each royal family labeled the black sheep, and that's exactly what Princess Margaret was to the public. She was so much different from her prim and proper sister, Queen Elizabeth II. 

Margaret had much more of a rebellious spirit and wanted to live her life her own way. Her scandals landed her a lot of attention, but Margaret would always be second to her sister, and according to Andrew Morton, a royal biographer, she seemed to know this at an early age. He shared with Vanity Fair, "She was four years younger and tried to make up for the age difference by wearing the same clothes and doing the same things as her older sister, but there was a hierarchy and Margaret always came behind the Queen. She found out very soon in life that she would be number two."

Margaret constantly lived in the shadow of her sister and even once made note of the differences between the two in a statement, according to Express. Margaret shared, "When there are two sisters and one is the queen who must be the source of all honor and all that is good, the other must be the focus of the most creative malice, the evil sister." Margaret alluded to herself as the "evil sister," knowing she would never be like her Queen Elizabeth II. 

Princess Margaret was known to be a heavy smoker, but it eventually led to some serious health issues. According to People, the first of her health struggles began in 1985 when she had to have part of her lung removed. From then on, it was just a snowball of difficult situations. From 1998 to 2001, Margaret dealt with several strokes in the years leading up to her tragic death. Some of the strokes even affected her sight and mobility. Margaret eventually passed away in February 2002 after a stroke caused her to have "cardiac problems." Many in the royal family were left distraught by the sudden loss, especially her sister, Queen Elizabeth II.

In the wake of Margaret's death, Buckingham Palace released a statement at the queen's demands, shared by Hello! They said, "The Queen, with great sadness, has asked for the following announcement to be made immediately. Her beloved sister, Princess Margaret, died peacefully in her sleep this morning at 6.30am, in The King Edward VII Hospital." King Charles later shared a statement alluding to his mother's sadness in the wake of her sister's death. He wrote, "This is a terribly sad day for all my family, but particularly of course for the Queen, my mama..." The queen, known to be stoic, even shed rare tears at her sister's funeral, showing how much she was mourning the loss.