Princess Margaret Dies

BBC.com ^ | Saturday, 9 February, 2002, 08:56 GMT | staff

[badfreeper]

Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, has died "peacefully in her sleep" at the age of 71. In a statement Buckingham Palace 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."

Her children Lord Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto were at her side at the London hospital.

Princess Margaret, who has suffered several strokes in recent years, suffered a further stroke on Friday afternoon.

She developed cardiac problems during the night and was taken from Kensington Palace to the hospital at 0230GMT.

She was born Margaret Rose on 21 August, 1930, at Glamis Castle in Scotland, the ancestral home of her mother's family.

Margaret was last seen in public before Christmas at Princess Alice, the Dowager Duchess of Gloucester's 100th birthday party.

She was confined to a wheelchair and wore heavy dark glasses, her sight having been affected by a stroke. Margaret's face also appeared puffy, understood to be the effects of medication.

© MMII

[BunnySlippers]

In truth, she was far more beautiful and vivacious than Elizabeth. And lead a sad life.

[Polybius]

Princess Margaret, the younger sister of the Queen, formally announced that she would not marry her constant companion, the dashing - but divorced - Peter Townsend............."Mindful of the Church's teaching that marriage is indissoluble and conscious of my duty to the Commonwealth, I have resolved to put these considerations above all others."................ She and Townsend were clearly in love.

It is ironic that the Church of England became so dogmatic about divorce since the Church of England was founded in order to make possible the divorce of Henry VIII from Catherine of Aragon.

[onedoug]

#14: Very nice.

[Ditter]

I met Princess Margaret 40 years ago in Scotland. She was very nice to a young Texas lady. May God Bless her soul.

[TopQuark]

kellynla: I am not here to educate you... Thank you, this is very kind indeed.

if you are not aware of the 700 years of English control over Ireland which continues to this day. I am aware of this.

Your latest post confirms that the issue we discuss has nothing to do with education: it is about the heart, not mind. Specifically, you do not appear to differentiate between political views and attitude toward individual human beings.

I'll try one more time, from a different starting point.

For millennia, every year, the Jews and some Christians celebrate exodus of Israelites from Egypt. As part of this ritual, one is supposed to put a drop of (red) wine on his plate and recite aloud, since this is important, the reason for this gesture. To wit:

This is the blood of our enemies, who perished by the act of G-d, when he led His people out of Egypt. We do not rejoice in this. Although this was done by G-d and done to out enemies, out celebration is darkened because our freedom was acquired at the expense of the blood of our enemies.

To me, this is an essential part of Judeo-Christian morality, with which you appear to disagree.

That is your right. Just do not assume, please, that this has anything to do with history itself or someone's knowledge thereof.

[Salvation]

I always liked Margaret. She seemed much more personable than her sister, Elizabeth.

[strela]

My condolences to the Royal family and the people of the UK on this sad day.

Almost without exception, the people of London were kind to a jet-lagged, loudmouthed, scared American kid at his first overseas duty station, and I'll carry the good times I had and my pleasant memories of the people of those islands with me to my grave.

(God, I miss that sauce the Brits eat with their eggs instead of catsup. It beats Heinz 57 six ways from Sunday).

[pray4liberty]

It is ironic that the Church of England became so dogmatic about divorce since the Church of England was founded in order to make possible the divorce of Henry VIII from Catherine of Aragon.

Good point!

[Arkle]

It's a shame that you choose the occasion of the death of a woman of 71 to air your age-old grievances. Princess Margaret was not alive at the time of the Potato Famine, and neither were you. Her uncle (also not alive at the time of the Famine) was murdered by IRA terrorists while on holiday in Ireland, but I'd be surprised if she hated every Irishman as a result.

[Tofa Swiftgoat]

Why should they feel ashamed? It's hardly their fault they were born into the family that they were.

Well let's see....For starters, living extravagantly and flagrantly off the backs and wallets of their countrymen while being basically worthless "jewelry props"?

Besides, I think it's kind of nice to have some cultures that revere tradition. We got away from it, and while freedom is wonderful, it's also bought us a very vulgar, uncouth society.

Give me vulgar anyday. We have enough problems with people who THINK they are royalty (aka Hillary).

And for those of you who didn't care much for her, remember, she was only human and it's not such an easy job having a sister that everyone bows down before while they're ignoring you. How would you like to be known as the "spare"?

Oh yeah, she had it tough alright. Pullllllleeeeze. I feel bad when anyone dies but I felt worse when Mother Theresa died than either this death or that airhead princess Diana.

[Tofa Swiftgoat]

hereditary royalty is nonsense

Well said and I believe at last poll about 60% of the British "commoners" agree with you.

[Tofa Swiftgoat]

You might just want to put on your thinking cap and consider the King of Kings, who was born to his lot in life and did all that the Father asked of him without demanding his due, but he was royalty, and the finest example there ever will be.

I assure you that none of those self-important humans who call themselves "royalty" and live off the backs of their countrymen are on the same level as Jesus Christ.

[TEXICAN II]

Some of us had benefit of college level courses in Political Science-amoung the courses at most major schools one may find either or both, "Comparative Political Systems of Europe" & "British Government" ( also concurrent, mirror courses in British History ), usually upper level courses. Not to suggest we all benefited from such exposure. I would also suggest that many excellant works exist on the British political & cultural system.

I am crude & many think very rude-but I understand that some other nations have valid, positive political systems for the articulation, assimilation & adjudication of the many competing political wants & needs of their people ( took an entire two semester course based on those three words & found it instructive ).

Some institutions are built in a sort of cultural 'supers-structure' above & beyond other institutions. I leave it to the citizens in those cultures to find good or ill with their own government & tradition.

[mewzilla]

was not able to...(marry Townsend)

Britain is not and was not a dictatorship. Margaret was a big girl. She could have married him if she had wanted to, but it would have meant giving up her royal title and perks probably. I guess she loved that life more than she did Townsend. She made her choice, and I think that choice made her miserable for every day of the rest of her life.

Here's hoping she's with him now.

[Arkle]

I believe at last poll about 60% of the British "commoners" agree with you

Source please.

[billbears]

Well from my American upbringing, although we are no longer under the rule of the Crown, I still respect the royalty and would send my condolences to the family.

[It's me]

She sure is mor attractive that the queen

[Lib-Lickers 2]

The majority of Irish approve of Briish rule, thank goodness the bunch of drunks have a power such as England to keep them pointed in the right direction,, at least they don't have to worry about the Vikings kicking their ass anymore,,,

[TrueBrit]

I'm sorry to be here and posting amongst people who know better than I, but I have to say that I have just been on the streets of our fayre village, and there are literally dozens of people walking round, crying, wringing their hands and asking "why her? why now? has God forsaken us in the jubilee year?"

I feel empty inside that such a wonderful person can be taken away from us at such a time. Unlike Diana, who plotted with the Zionists and Communists to rid us of royalty, Margaret was one of the people - truly - she enjoyed the odd drink and smoked the odd cigarette, yet the subversives who run the media over here are inplyig that these directly caused her death.

To everyone - bless you - here on FR, I would ask one simple question: you recall that Margaret scalded her feet in an 'accident' around two years ago? Ask yourself, why was nobody ever implicated or brought to book for such an act? It's easy to say it was a poor confused old lady having an accident, but I assure you, these things don't just happen.

Anyhow, I must away to the Church to pray for her soul. The local cub and brownie packs are assembling in the village square as I write - I wish Margaret could have seen another Spring in her own fayre land.

[Arkle]

Good to see that you find such a rich vein of comedy in the death of an old woman. I bet you've got some cracking lines ready for when the Queen Mother goes.