AMP in the post
British royal family news divulges that Queen Elizabeth’s younger sister, the late Princess Margaret, was a good bit different from her much more staid and conservative sibling. In fact Margaret managed to cultivate a wild reputation during her lifetime, which was in equal turns lively and tragic.
She earned the nickname “party princess” among her social circle but the nickname “Her Rude Highness” due to the way she treated her staff.
Princess Margaret Was A Wild Party Girl And Never Denied It
What nickname did the Countess of Snowdon give herself? More on that in a minute! First, let’s take a look at how the way in which she treated others earned her a rude nickname.
In Vanity Fair Writer Anne de Courcy wrote that Margaret treated, “those who looked after her inconsiderately and with maddening demands that often caused endless extra work.”
AMP in the post
And, in the documentary Royal Servants, Peter Russell, who was a palace aide from 1954 to 1968, said bluntly that working for Princess Margaret was “difficult.” He said that she thought it was perfectly ok to use her aides as human ashtrays because she simply couldn’t be bothered with trying to find an ashtray when she needed one.
According to him, the princess had someone follow her around at all times and hold an ashtray for her use whenever it was needed. Actually, that doesn’t sound like a very demanding job description, does it?
Princess Margaret Staffers Thought She Was Rude And Too Demanding
Journalist Craig Brown wrote in the biography Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret, that she got upset if anyone dared to leave a room before her. He said that if she caught someone doing it she would demand, “No one leaves my presence until I give them permission to do so.”
And, apparently Madame Margaret made odd demands of her friends as well.
AMP in the post
According to Brown, she had a name for herself that she insisted those close to her use when referring to her. What was it? How about: “Ma’am Darling.”
But there was a perfectly good reason for the request, so says Brown: She never wanted anyone to forget her royals status. “I am unique. I am the daughter of a king and the sister of a queen,” the princess was known to utter.
To be fair, her nephew Prince Charles also insisted that his friends refer to him a specific way–Margaret wasn’t the only royal who taught her station in life deserving of a special moniker.
Royal expert Catherine Mayer claimed that Charles likes it when his friends, and all his staffers, bow to him and call him “sir.” Don’t say we didn’t warn you next time you encounter Sir Charles.
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