Margaret: The Rebel Princess

MAY I PRESENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY IMPERSONATION, IN 11 SECONDS FLAT, BEFORE YOUR VERY EYES, OF HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, PRINCESS MARGARET!

WOMAN: SHE WAS THE QUEEN'S SISTER, BUT SHE DID THINGS WHICH NOBODY ELSE IN THE ROYAL FAMILY HAD DONE.

WOMAN 2: WHAT PEOPLE OBJECT TO IS ONE MINUTE, SHE'S BEING VERY GRAND AND EXPECTING PEOPLE TO CURTSEY AND THE NEXT, SHE'S IN BLACK LEATHER ON A MOTORBIKE.

PRINCESS MARGARET: SINCE THE AGE OF 17, I'VE BEEN MISREPORTED AND MISREPRESENTED.

WOMAN: SHE BLAZED A TRAIL BY MARRYING A PHOTOGRAPHER.

EVERYONE SAID THIS IS SO UNSUITABLE.

WOMAN 2: HE LED A BOHEMIAN LIFE THAT WAS THE TOTAL OPPOSITE TO THE LIFE SHE'D HAD.

MAN: SHE WAS BORN IN AN ERA OF DEFERENCE AND SHE'D SURVIVED INTO AN ERA OF EGALITARIANISM.

WOMAN: THE PRESS, DO YOU REMEMBER, THE ONLY WAY THEY CAME WAS BY BOAT, BUT LUCKILY, IT WAS QUITE ROUGH.

THE CAMERAS WERE TRYING TO TAKE A SHOT.

MAN: SHE WAS DOING LESS AND LESS IN THE WAY OF PUBLIC DUTIES AND YET SPENDING AN INCREASING AMOUNT OF TIME ON THE ESTATE.

MAN 2: MARGARET BECAME A LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR FOR THE FEELING THAT THE TIME HAD COME TO DO AWAY WITH THE WHOLE GANG.

MAN: PRINCESS MARGARET WAS THE GOOD MOTHER, BUT MORE ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CHILDREN WERE GROWING OLDER.

SHE WASN'T REALLY THE MOST MATERNAL OF WOMEN, SO, SHE WASN'T PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN BABIES AND TODDLERS.

AND MARGARET AND TONY HAD NO COMPUNCTION ABOUT GOING OFF ON HOLIDAY AND LEAVING THE CHILDREN BEHIND, AND VERY OFTEN THEY WERE LEFT IN THE CARE OF THE QUEEN.

THE QUEEN HAD DAVID AND SARAH, YOU KNOW, AND THEY LOVED IT.

OF COURSE, THE QUEEN HAD AND ALWAYS DID HAVE ANY NUMBER OF PUBLIC OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS, BUT MARGARET'S LIFE WAS QUITE, QUITE DIFFERENT.

MARGARET AND TONY WERE ROYALTY ON THE KIND OF THE JET SET LEVEL.

MAN: PRINCESS MARGARET AND LORD SNOWDON ARRIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO AT ROUGHLY 6:30 P.M. TONIGHT, AND THEY'RE ALREADY BONING UP ON THE PROPER CARE AND FEEDING OF BRITISH ROYALTY.

THE SERVANTS ARE BEING TAUGHT TO STAND 5 FEET AWAY.

WARWICK: ROYAL TOURS THEN AS NOW WERE DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS, REALLY.

IT'S WAVING THE FLAG FOR THE U.K.

BRAND.

MAN: THE IMAGE OF A BRITAIN THAT'S YOUNG, INTELLIGENT, AND GAY AND NOT JUST SMOTHERED IN THATCH AND IVY IS WORTH MILLIONS.

AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO THINK OF BRITAIN AS A LAND OF WEARY EDWARDIANS ANYMORE.

WOMAN: IT WAS A VERY, VERY BIG STORY.

"ON HER FIRST TRIP TO THE UNITED STATES, "THE PRETTY, 35-YEAR-OLD PRINCESS "WILL BEGIN BREAKING OLD HABITS IN THE NEW WORLD "AS SOON AS SHE ARRIVES.

"SHE'LL HAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE, "SOMETHING ROYALTY NEVER DOES BACK HOME, "BUT IT WILL BE MORE IN THE STYLE OF GENERAL CHARLES DE GAULLE "THAN PRESIDENT JOHNSON.

"QUOTE, THE ROYAL FAMILY DO NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE PRESS.

"THEY ONLY MAKE STATEMENTS, AND WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED, SO ARE THE NEWSMEN."

AND IT WAS FRUSTRATING BUT WE FIGURED WE'D FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

THAT WAS OUR JOB.

MAN: NEXT STOP IS AT BERKELEY FOR A VISIT TO THE LAWRENCE RADIATION LABORATORY, WHERE SHE SEES A MODEL OF THE FAMED BEVATRON ACCELERATOR.

WELL, WE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT EITHER, PRINCESS.

WARWICK: BECAUSE SHE WAS SO FAMOUS, WHAT SHE DID ON THESE FOREIGN TOURS MATTERED BECAUSE SHE WAS THE REPRESENTATIVE NOT ONLY OF THE U.K.

BUT OF THE MONARCHY.

BACON: THEY DIDN'T WANT TO JUST SPEND ALL DAY SHAKING HANDS; THEY WANTED TO HAVE FUN.

IN HOLLYWOOD, THEY STAYED AT THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL.

IT WAS KIND OF THE PLACE IN THOSE DAYS.

THEY CALLED IT THE PINK PALACE.

AND HOLLYWOOD WAS ALWAYS ENCHANTED BY ROYALTY, AND EVERYBODY WHO WAS ANYBODY WANTED TO MEET THE PRINCESS.

MAN: THE PRINCESS AND LORD SNOWDON WERE VISITING ONE OF HOLLYWOOD'S DREAM FACTORIES.

ON THE SET OF "TORN CURTAIN," THEY MET THE STARS OF THE FILM: JULIE ANDREWS AND PAUL NEWMAN.

BACON: REMEMBER THAT THESE PEOPLE, MOST OF THEM, THE MOVIE MOGULS, FOR EXAMPLE, JACK WARNER AND LOUIS B. MAYER, HAD COME FROM VERY MODEST BEGINNINGS.

AND THE ACTORS CAME FROM LITTLE TOWNS IN THE MIDWEST, SO THAT TO HAVE A REAL-LIFE PRINCESS WAS REALLY SOMETHING.

THERE WAS A NEW RESTAURANT.

IT WAS OWNED BY SOME HOLLYWOOD PEOPLE, AND IT WAS A BIG COUP TO HAVE PRINCESS MARGARET'S PARTY.

EVERYBODY WANTED TO BE THERE.

SHARMAN DOUGLAS, WHOSE FATHER HAD BEEN U.S.

AMBASSADOR IN LONDON, WAS HER HOSTESS ON THE WHOLE TRIP AND KNEW ALMOST EVERYBODY IN HOLLYWOOD.

SINATRA WAS THERE WITH HIS VERY YOUNG FIANCE MIA FARROW.

THE BURTONS, ELIZABETH AND RICHARD, WERE THEN THE KING AND QUEEN OF HOLLYWOOD.

THEY WERE THE FIRST ONES TO ARRIVE.

THEY WENT IN THERE.

THEY WERE ALL READY TO HAVE A GREAT TIME.

THE ONLY SLIP-UP THAT SHARMAN DOUGLAS MADE WAS PUTTING HER FAVORITE PEOPLE AT THE MAIN TABLE WITH THE PRINCESS.

AND THE BURTONS FOUND THEMSELVES SEATED NEXT TO THE KITCHEN, WHICH DID NOT SIT VERY WELL WITH ELIZABETH AND RICHARD.

EVERYWHERE THEY WENT, THEY WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, AND HERE THEY WERE NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, SO THEY UPPED AND LEFT, AND THEY LEFT BEFORE THE PRINCESS GOT THERE, AND THEY DIDN'T COME BACK.

THEY WERE UP TILL 3 A.M.

THERE WAS A LOT OF DRINKING.

AND FOR THE REST OF THE VISIT, PRINCESS MARGARET WAS SLIGHTLY INDISPOSED.

SHE HAD TO DO A LOT OF RATHER ROUTINE, BORING THINGS AS WELL.

IT'S REALLY NOT THAT MUCH FUN TO VISIT A STORE THAT'S SELLING BRITISH GOODS, BUT SHE DIDN'T CANCEL ANYTHING.

AND THEN SHE GOT AWAY FROM ALL THE GLITZ AND WENT TO ARIZONA, HAD A LOOK AT THE REAL AMERICA.

MAN: SHE CAME IN '65.

THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF OUR VERY FIRST ISSUES.

SO, HERE WE GO.

"PRINCESS MARGARET PLANS TO VISIT PAGE."

"THE DIGNITARIES, INCLUDING LORD SNOWDON, "WILL FLY IN ON ROYAL AIR FORCE AIRCRAFT.

"THIS PHASE OF THE ROYAL COUPLE'S VISIT WILL BE A REAL VACATION."

THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT HERE YET IN 1965.

PEOPLE PROBABLY WEREN'T GETTING SHOT IN THE STREETS, BUT IT WAS PROBABLY PRETTY WILD, YEAH.

I REMEMBER IT VERY PLAINLY.

HA HA!

IT WAS A BIG DEAL FOR US THAT A PRINCESS WOULD VISIT OUR TOWN.

SHE WAS HERE BECAUSE THE GREENS, MY AUNT AND UNCLE, WERE FRIENDS WITH THE AMBASSADOR DOUGLAS.

WHEN SHE CAME TO TOWN, THERE WAS ONLY ONE MOTEL IN TOWN, AND IT WAS NORTH OF TOWN, LAKE POWELL MOTEL, AND THAT'S WHERE THEY STAYED.

ONE THING THAT I REMEMBER IS WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT THE RESTAURANT WHERE SHE WOULD GO TO EAT.

OH, I'D BROUGHT SOME OF MY STUFF OVER, MY SILVERWARE, AND I THINK SOMEBODY BROUGHT A BEAUTIFUL LINEN TABLECLOTH.

ALL OF US TRIED TO MAKE THINGS NICE FOR HER.

BACON: THE PRESS PACK WENT DOWN TO PAGE AS WELL AND WE ALSO STAYED AT THAT MOTEL.

THE OWNER, WHO WAS ABOUT 72 YEARS OLD, LIVED DOWNSTAIRS, AND ALL THE GUESTS WERE UPSTAIRS, AND THE PRINCESS HAD RECOVERED BY THAT POINT, AND THEY WERE PARTYING VERY, VERY LATE AND IT WAS VERY NOISY.

AND RATHER THAN TAKE A BROOM AND HIT THE CEILING TO HAVE THEM QUIET DOWN, HE JUST FIGURED, WELL, IT WAS THE PRINCESS, THEY WERE HAVING A GOOD TIME, AND HE WOULDN'T INTERFERE.

THE NEXT DAY, WE ALL WENT OUT ON A FLOTILLA WITH PRINCESS MARGARET IN THE LEAD AND ABOUT 20 BOATS SCURRYING BEHIND HER.

UH, AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

IT WAS A NICE REMEDY FOR A HANGOVER.

KNIGHT: WE HAD THE WHOLE MOUNTAIN THERE COVERED WITH HAWAIIAN STUFF AND WE SANG THE HAWAIIAN SONGS.

AND DANCED.

WE WERE ALL DRESSED IN THE GRASS SKIRTS AND STUFF.

WELL, AS I RECALL IT, THEY WERE JUST AMAZED AT WHAT WENT ON.

NOT MUCH SAID, JUST, YOU KNOW, SHAKING THEIR HANDS.

BACON: CHARLOTTE CURTIS WAS THE SOCIETY WRITER AT THE "NEW YORK TIMES," WHICH WAS A VERY IMPORTANT POST.

I THINK THE STORIES THAT SHE WAS SENDING BACK WERE PRETTY BLAND AND THEY WEREN'T VERY EXCITING, AND I THINK EITHER SHE OR THE CITY DESK DECIDED THAT THEY NEEDED SOMETHING THAT MADE A MORE INTERESTING STORY.

AND THE NATURAL THING TO ASK IS WHO'S PAYING FOR ALL OF THIS?

PEOPLE STARTED TO ASK, IS THE PRINCESS SWANNING AROUND WITH MOVIE STARS AT THE CHECKBOOK OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT?

WARWICK: THIS TOUR DID INVOLVE SOMETHING LIKE 40 OFFICIAL AND SEMI-OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS.

BUT THE WHOLE THING DID HAVE THE AIR OF A JOLLY.

AND THERE WAS A LOT OF CRITICISM.

I DO HOPE THAT WE CAN COME BACK SOON AGAIN.

IN FACT, IT WOULD BE HARD PUT TO KEEP US AWAY.

WARWICK: UP TO THIS POINT, THERE'D BEEN NOTHING, REALLY, TO DENT THE POPULARITY OF PRINCESS MARGARET.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC WERE NOT AWARE OF THE CRACKS APPEARING IN THE CEILING, IN THIS MARRIAGE.

MAN: I THINK THROUGH THE VISION OF THE PALACE, TONY AND MARGARET WERE MODERN WITHOUT BEING TOO MODERN OR TOO RACY, WHEREAS, IN FACT, THEY WERE VERY RACY.

SO, THAT WAS THE FIRST PART OF THE MISJUDGMENT.

WOMAN: IT'S ONLY, YOU KNOW, EXPLOSION AND ANYTHING WENT, AND PEOPLE HAD PARTIES WITH EVERY TYPE OF PERSON, YOU KNOW.

DRUGS, OF COURSE, FUELED A LOT OF IT.

NOT THAT I'M SAYING PRINCESS MARGARET TOOK DRUGS, OR I NEVER DID.

I RATHER DOUBT IT, UM, BECAUSE WE ALL LIKED TO DRINK.

WOMAN 2: MY FATHER'S FRIENDSHIP WITH PRINCESS MARGARET, IT STRUCK ME AS SLIGHTLY PECULIAR.

HE WAS A REPUBLICAN AND ONE OF THE PROPONENTS OF THE NEW KIND OF THEATRE, THE KIND OF ART FORM THAT WAS GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

HE WAS VERY SEXUALLY PERMISSIVE, AND IT COINCIDED WITH A TIME WHEN THAT WAS HAPPENING.

WELL, HE WAS CERTAINLY AN INTERESTING CHARACTER.

I REMEMBER WE HAD DINNER TOGETHER SOMETIMES.

EITHER HE CAME TO KENSINGTON PALACE OR WE WENT TO THEIR HOUSE.

TYNAN: "WHILE IT IS IN MY MIND A BRIEF ACCOUNT "OF ONE OF THE ODDEST EVENINGS OF MY LIFE, "OUR GUESTS WERE PETER COOK, HAROLD PINTER, "HIS WIFE VIVIENNE MERCHANT, AND THE SNOWDONS.

"WE HAD RIGGED A DOUBLE FILM SCREEN MADE OF A SHEET "AND PLANNED AFTER DINNER TO SHOW "SOME AMERICAN EXPERIMENTAL FILMS "AND JEAN GENET'S EROTIC FILM "CHANT D'AMOUR."

"AFTER DINNER, WE SETTLED DOWN TO THE FILMS, "WHICH AT FIRST WENT WELL.

"I HAD WARNED TONY THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME PRETTY BLUE MATERIAL "AND HE SAID IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR M, "AND SO FOR A WHILE IT SEEMED.

"THE ENGLISH BITS WERE AMATEURISH AND CHARMING.

"WHEN THE GENET STARTED, THE ATMOSPHERE BEGAN TO FREEZE.

"GENET'S FILM IS ABOUT CONVICTS "IN LOVE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND THEMSELVES.

"SILENCE BECAME JELLIED IN THE ROOM.

"NO ONE WAS LAUGHING NOW.

"SUDDENLY, THE INSPIRED PETER COOK CAME TO THE RESCUE.

"HE SUPPLIED A COMMENTARY, TREATING THE MOVIE AS IF IT WERE "A LONG COMMERCIAL FOR CADBURY'S MILK FLAKE CHOCOLATE.

"WITHIN 5 MINUTES, WE WERE ALL "HELPLESSLY ROCKING WITH LAUGHTER, "PRINCESS M INCLUDED.

"IT WAS A PERFORMANCE OF GENIUS "THAT SAVED A SITUATION, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN DISTINCTLY TRICKY."

[CROWD CHEERING] MAN: SHE WAS BORN INTO A WORLD WHERE, YOU KNOW, HER GRANDFATHER, GEORGE V, AND QUEEN MARY, EVEN IF THEY WERE JUST WITH THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY DINING ALONE, QUEEN MARY WOULD PUT ON A TIARA, HE'D PUT ON ALL HIS MEDALS, IT WOULD BE FULL DRESS, UH, FAMILY MEALS.

AND THEN SUDDENLY, SHE WAS IN THIS KIND OF COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW, A SOCIETY WHICH WOULD MAKE PEOPLE TODAY BLUSH.

AND SO, IT WAS QUITE A KIND OF CATASTROPHIC THING FOR HER.

GLENCONNER: TONY LOVED ALL THE ROYAL THING AT THE BEGINNING.

AND THEN HE GOT BORED.

AND THEN OFF HE WENT.

I MEAN, HE WAS A BRILLIANT PHOTOGRAPHER, AND HE WANTED TO GO ROUND THE WORLD PHOTOGRAPHING INTERESTING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, AND SUDDENLY, THERE HE WAS HAVING TO DO WHAT HE, I THINK, CONSIDERED RATHER BORING THINGS WITH PRINCESS MARGARET.

WARWICK: HE DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE HIS OWN IDENTITY.

HE DIDN'T WANT JUST TO BECOME MR. PRINCESS MARGARET WALKING TWO PACES BEHIND.

STEVENS: HE STOPPED GOING WITH HER ON ANY OF THE PUBLIC THINGS, AND AFTER A BIT, SHE REALIZED THAT, YOU KNOW, HE WASN'T GOING TO, SO SHE DID ALL HER PUBLIC THINGS ON HER OWN.

IT WAS NAUGHTY IN A WAY BECAUSE HE'D MARRIED PRINCESS MARGARET AND HE, THEREFORE, KNOWING WHO HE WAS MARRYING, HE SHOULD HAVE HELPED HER, BUT HE DIDN'T.

HE STUCK WITH THE JOB THAT HE HAD, WHICH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ROYAL FAMILY.

AND THAT WAS HARD FOR HER, YOU KNOW.

PRINCE PHILLIP DID A LOT WITH THE QUEEN.

WHENEVER HE WAS WANTED, HE WENT.

AND, UM, TONY WAS NOT GOOD AT THAT.

HA!

GLENCONNER: HE SPENT MORE AND MORE TIME AWAY, AND SHE WAS QUITE POSSESSIVE, PRINCESS MARGARET.

SHE LIKED TO BE IN TOUCH WITH HIM AND WONDERING WHAT HE WAS DOING THE WHOLE TIME, AND I THINK THAT ANNOYED HIM, YOU KNOW.

WOMAN: IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT.

BOTH OF THEM WERE PEOPLE WHO HAD MANAGED NEVER TO HAVE "NO" SAID TO THEM.

THEY WERE BOTH VERY CENTER STAGE AND VERY DETERMINED AND, UH, NOT GIVEN TO COMPROMISE.

WARWICK: AND ONE THING THAT WE KIND OF HAVE TO REMEMBER IS THAT THE ONE RELATIONSHIP THAT SHE REALLY DID WANT TO WORK WAS HER MARRIAGE, AND SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE A DIVORCEE.

I MEAN, TONY WAS A SERIAL ADULTERER, AND TO MAKE HIM FEEL BETTER ABOUT HIS COLORFUL SEXUAL LIFE, HE KIND OF ENCOURAGED MARGARET TO DO THE SAME THING.

MAN: WHEN DIVORCE IS UNAVOIDABLE, OUR PRESENT LAWS CAN BE CURIOUSLY INHUMAN.

THE REFORM BILL MAY CHANGE ALL THAT, THOUGH LEGISLATION CAN HARDLY CHANGE THE HUMAN SITUATION.

[PLAYING PIANO] MAN: HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF MARRYING AGAIN?

I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND COME TO THE ABSOLUTELY INESCAPABLE CONCLUSION THAT IT WOULD BE A FINAL MARK OF INSANITY.

IRVING: ROBIN DOUGLAS-HOME WAS A VERY CLOSE FRIEND OF MINE.

HE WAS OLD-FASHIONED MAN ABOUT TOWN, PLAYED COCKTAIL PIANO IN NIGHTCLUBS, HE WAS A POETIC ROMANTIC, HE FELL DEEPLY IN LOVE WITH MARGARET, AND FOR A WHILE, THEY HAD A THING GOING.

BROWN: ROBIN DOUGLAS-HOME NEVER KIND OF QUITE FOUND HIS NICHE.

BUT I THINK HE PROBABLY LOVED HER AND SHE LOVED HIM.

I MEAN, THERE WERE LOVE LETTERS FROM HER TO HIM, AND YOU REALIZE THAT SHE HAD A COMPLETELY SENSITIVE SIDE TO HER.

DE COURCY: ROBIN DOUGLAS-HOME, WELL, THAT WAS REALLY A LONGING FOR LOVE AND AFFECTION WHICH I THINK IS DEEP IN ALL OF US, AND SHE FELT IT VERY STRONGLY.

THE REASON THEY BROKE UP AFTER 6 WEEKS WAS THAT, UH, TONY FOUND OUT AND FURIOUSLY TOLD HER THAT MAN MUST NOT COME INTO KENSINGTON PALACE AGAIN.

HE WAS VERY JEALOUS.

AND SHE WROTE HIM A LETTER SAYING, I MUSTN'T SEE YOU AGAIN.

I WANT MY MARRIAGE TO WORK.

MAN: AT KENNEDY AIRPORT, BRITAIN'S PRINCESS MARGARET AND HUSBAND LORD SNOWDON ENJOY A REUNION FOLLOWING RECENT RUMORS THAT THEIR 7-YEAR-OLD MARRIAGE WAS LESS SOLID THAN THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR.

HIS PHOTOGRAPHY ASSIGNMENTS IN JAPAN AND NEW YORK HAVE KEPT THEM APART.

WARWICK: FEBRUARY 1967 CAME THE FIRST OF THE NEWSPAPER HEADLINES.

"TONY DENIES RIFT WITH MARGARET."

AND THIS IS WHEN THE STORY STARTED.

MAN: A FLIGHT TO THE NASSAU HOME OF BRITISH PUBLISHER JOCELYN STEVENS FOR A SECOND HONEYMOON VACATION PUTS THE ROYAL COUPLE IN A HAPPY MOOD.

THEY COOPERATED FULLY WITH ALL THE CAMERAMEN.

STEVENS: SHE DID TALK TO ME QUITE A LOT ABOUT IT AND HOW HE MADE HER UNHAPPY.

THEY GREW APART IN EVERY WAY.

IT JUST IN THE END DIDN'T WORK AT ALL.

GLENCONNER: COLIN HAD LAND ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND HE ALWAYS SORT OF LOVED AN ISLAND.

I MEAN, HERE THERE WAS AN ISLAND FOR SALE IN THE CARIBBEAN, AND HE JUST WENT OFF AND BOUGHT IT.

AND WHEN HER MARRIAGE STARTED TO GO WRONG, SHE RANG UP AND SAID, "OH, COLIN, DID YOU MEAN WHAT YOU SAID AND HAVE I GOT A BIT OF LAND?"

AND HE SAID, "OF COURSE, MA'AM."

"WELL, CAN I COME OUT AND HAVE A LOOK?"

BECAUSE THE WHOLE PLACE WAS SCRUB AND JUNGLE, WE DRESSED HER IN COLIN'S PAJAMAS, AND SHE DIDN'T SEEM TO MIND.

SHE WASN'T AT ALL VAGUE.

AND WHEN WE GOT UP HERE, COLIN HAD PUT STAKES SORT OF ABOUT THAT DISTANCE, AND, UH, AND I SUDDENLY SAW PRINCESS MARGARET TAKING THE STAKES UP AND TROTTING OFF, WALKING OFF DOWN THAT WAY, AND COLIN SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, MA'AM?"

"JUST THINK I NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE LAND, I THINK.

I'VE GOT TO HAVE GATEHOUSES."

OLIVER MESSEL DID A VERY NICE HOUSE FOR PRINCESS MARGARET.

AND THEN WHEN, ONCE SHE'D MOVED IN, SHE USED TO COME ABOUT TWICE A YEAR.

THIS IS MY GREAT FRIEND PRINCESS LOEWENSTEIN.

WE WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE TO STAY AT THE PROPER HOUSE.

DO YOU REMEMBER?

HERE WE ARE SITTING TOGETHER.

I KNOW.

60 YEARS LATER.

WHEN HE FIRST ARRIVED, HE WAS QUITE RIGHT, COLIN.

HE SAID, I'M GOING TO RUN IT LIKE AN ENGLISH ESTATE.

WELL, IT WAS GREAT FUN, WASN'T IT?

GREAT FUN.

AND THERE WERE VERY FEW PEOPLE HERE, UH, NOT MANY HOUSES, SO, IT WAS LIKE ONE BIG HOUSE PARTY, WASN'T IT?

IT WAS.

IT WAS JUST PEOPLE COLIN HAD INVITED, REALLY, WASN'T IT?

YEAH, IT WAS.

MAN: I NEVER MET A ROYAL OR A PRINCESS BEFORE, SO THERE WAS NOTHING.

I MEAN, I HAD NO EXPECTATIONS.

LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY.

I WAS A GUY BEHIND THE BAR.

I STAYED UP LATE WITH EVERYBODY.

WE GOT ALONG.

WHEN SHE STARTED TO COME TO MUSTIQUE, NOBODY BOTHERED HER.

IT WAS HER SAFE HAVEN.

SHE LOVED THE PARTIES.

THERE WAS A BAND, SHE DANCED.

THERE WAS THE CALYPSO, WHICH-- AND THE BANDS OF THE ISLAND.

SHE LOVED THAT, THE REGGAE, AND, WELL, IF SHE-- IF SHE DIDN'T DANCE TO REGGAE, WHAT WOULD SHE DANCE TO, AND CALYPSO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE BAND PLAYED OUT HERE.

BROWN: MUSTIQUE WAS SLIGHTLY A KIND OF HARK BACK TO COLONIALISM, BUT I THINK SHE WOULD ALLOW HERSELF TO BE CHUMMIER WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WERE, UH, SERVING HER.

IT'S SOMEWHERE PITCHED BETWEEN, UM, IBIZA AND BALMORAL.

SO, FOR HER, IT WAS A PERFECT MIX OF DEFERENCE AND FUN.

GLENCONNER: SHE WAS QUITE BOSSY IN A WAY, WASN'T SHE?

PRINCESS LOEWENSTEIN: VERY.

AND SHE ALWAYS SAID, YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE UP YOUR FACE SO YOU'RE NOT TO GET SUNBURNT, UM, AND IT WAS A VERY GOOD TIP, ACTUALLY, SO WE WERE ALL MADE UP TREMENDOUSLY.

AND THEN HOURS WE SPENT SWIMMING BREASTSTROKE.

AND YOU COULDN'T SORT OF SUDDENLY GET OUT OF THE WATER.

NO.

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?"

SHE'D SAY.

AND IT WAS ALWAYS SIDEWAYS BECAUSE ONE HAD TO SORT OF TALK TO HER THE WHOLE TIME.

IT WAS VERY, VERY PAINFUL.

FRIGHTFULLY DIFFICULT, WASN'T IT?

RAQUEL WELCH CAME, BRYAN ADAMS, JOHN PHILLIPS OF THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS.

OF COURSE, HE BOUGHT MICK JAGGER.

WELL, THAT WAS FOR TAX REASONS.

OH, TAX REASONS.

THEY BOUGHT HIM HERE FOR TAX.

RUPERT, MY HUSBAND, RAN THE FINANCES FOR THE ROLLING STONES.

THERE WERE LOTS OF PARTIES, WEREN'T THERE?

MASSES OF PARTIES.

MASSES OF PARTIES.

DO YOU REMEMBER ONE NEW YEAR WHEN MICK DRESSED UP AS A DOCTOR?

THERE WERE QUEUES OF LADIES ALL LONGING TO BE EXAMINED BY HIM.

BROWN: BY THE SEVENTIES, SUDDENLY, THESE PEOPLE WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO HAVE GONE FOR A LUNCH AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR LIFETIMES WERE KIND OF, UH, PLAYMATES OF PRINCESS MARGARET.

IT WAS LIKE A KIND OF TOY TOWN COURT FULL OF SLIGHTLY NAUGHTIER PEOPLE THAN SHE WOULD BE COMFORTABLE BEING SEEN WITH IN ENGLAND.

GLENCONNER: BUT, OF COURSE, TONY NEVER CAME HERE.

HE WAS JEALOUS, I THINK.

I DON'T KNOW.

WELL, HE CALLED MUSTIQUE "MISTAKE."

HE DID COME HERE ON HIS HONEYMOON, UH, BUT HE NEVER, NEVER CAME BACK.

WARWICK: COME THE EARLY 1970S, I THINK MOST PEOPLE REALIZED THAT THIS MARRIAGE WAS FALLING APART.

TONY HAD MET AND STARTED THE RELATIONSHIP WITH LUCY LINDSAY HOGG, WHO HE WOULD MARRY.

BUT AT THIS POINT, THE QUEEN WAS STILL HOPING THAT MARGARET AND TONY JUST MIGHT KEEP THE MARRIAGE TOGETHER.

[GUNSHOTS] I THINK RODDY WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN A CHARMING BUT FOREVER ANONYMOUS CHARACTER HAD HE NOT BEEN ASKED TO MAKE UP THIS PARTY THAT COLIN AND, UH, ANNE GLENCONNER WERE HAVING, THEIR USUAL SUMMER PARTY UP AT GLEN IN SCOTLAND.

AND WHAT ARE WE HAVING TOMORROW FOR LUNCH?

YOU'RE HAVING DUCK TOMORROW.

OH, DUCK, OH, YES.

GLENCONNER: WE ALWAYS HAD THESE BIG ICE PARTIES AT GLEN, AND ONE SUMMER, I HAD, LITERALLY, I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, 26 PEOPLE TO STAY BECAUSE GLEN HAD A LOT OF QUITE BIG, AND SOMEBODY DROPPED OUT, A YOUNG PERSON, 'CAUSE WE HAD ALL AGES, AND I SAID TO COLIN, "WE'VE GOT TO GET SOMEONE ELSE.

CAN YOU THINK OF SOMEBODY?"

SO, HE SAID, "WELL, I KNOW A OLD COUSIN OF MINE.

SHE KNOWS EVERYBODY.

WHY DON'T YOU RING HER UP?"

AND SHE SAID THERE'S A VERY NICE YOUNG MAN CALLED RODDY LLEWELLYN.

COLIN AND PRINCESS MARGARET MET RODDY OFF THE TRAIN.

PRINCESS MARGARET SAID, "I DO HOPE, RODDY, "HAVE YOU BOUGHT A PAIR OF TRUNKS, "'CAUSE THE, UM, GLENCONNERS "HAVE THIS WONDERFUL HEATED POOL AT GLEN AND WE ALL SPEND A LOT OF TIME SWIMMING," SO, RODDY SAID NO, NO, HE HADN'T BOUGHT, HE HADN'T THOUGHT HE NEEDED TRUNKS GOING TO SCOTLAND.

SO, HE WENT AND PRINCESS MARGARET BOUGHT HIM A PAIR, I THINK OF UNION JACK, UM, SORT OF LITTLE, LITTLE TRUNK THINGS.

THERE I WAS, WAITING THERE, I THOUGHT, SLIGHTLY ODD PRINCESS MARGARET'S NOT SITTING IN FRONT WITH COLIN 'CAUSE COLIN WAS DRIVING.

WHOOSH CAME THE CAR.

THERE WAS PRINCESS MARGARET, I MEAN, MORE OR LESS HOLDING HANDS WITH RODDY.

I THOUGHT, NOW, HEAVENS.

I MEAN, WHAT HAVE WE DONE?

I MEAN, THIS WAS NOT AT ALL WHAT WAS MEANT TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW.

HE'S NOT REALLY MEANT IN ANY WAY FOR HER.

WELL, HE WAS TOO YOUNG.

WARWICK: OF COURSE, THE WORLD AND HIS WIFE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT RODDY.

THAT WAS 1973 WHEN THEY MET, AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT, REALLY, TILL 1976.

IRVING: THE END OF THE SEVENTIES IS WHEN CELEBRITY BECOMES A BIG BUSINESS.

YOU GET--YOU GET MAGAZINES DEVOTED SOLELY TO CELEBRITY.

AND ALSO, YOU'VE GOT THE TRADITIONAL EUROPEAN PURSUIT OF THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY, THE LONG LENS CAMERA, INTIMATE SCENES BEING CAUGHT AND PUBLISHED IN "PARIS MATCH" AND THEY--WHICH HAD ALWAYS BEEN GOING ON.

BUT THEY WERE PART OF A MUCH LARGER INDUSTRY SUDDENLY.

BROWN: THERE WAS A NEW MARKET FOR PAYMENTS FOR REVELATIONS OR FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

AND THEY WERE SOLD BY ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE.

GLENCONNER: WELL, THEY CERTAINLY WANTED TO PHOTOGRAPH HER WHEN RODDY WAS HERE.

COLIN REALIZED VERY EARLY ON THAT IN ORDER FOR THIS ISLAND TO BE SPECIAL, HE MUST STOP ANY PRESS GETTING ON.

HE SAID ONE HOTEL, AND ANYBODY ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT HAD TO HAVE SOMEWHERE TO STAY, AND IF THEY HADN'T, BACK ON THE AIRPLANE.

AND SO, UM, AND-- IT'S ACTUALLY THE SAME NOW, ISN'T IT?

IT'S THE SAME NOW.

YES.

THERE WERE PRESS.

DO YOU REMEMBER, THE ONLY WAY THEY CAME WERE BY BOAT, BUT LUCKILY, IT WAS QUITE ROUGH THEN, AND SO, YOU CAN SEE THEIR BOATS GOING UP AND DOWN, THE CAMERAS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO TAKE A SHOT.

PRINCESS MARGARET HAD HER OWN SECURITY, BUT THEY WERE SORT OF HALF HIDDEN IN THE UNDERGROWTH.

I MEAN, THEY WOULDN'T BE ON THE BEACH.

THEY HAD TO BE SORT OF INVISIBLE.

SHE DIDN'T LIKE THEM BEING TOO OBVIOUS, DID SHE?

NO, OF COURSE NOT, NO.

I MEAN, WE NEVER KNOW WHETHER IT WAS SOMEBODY ON THE ISLAND THAT WASN'T THE PRESS WHO TOOK THE PHOTOGRAPH AND THEN SOLD IT TO THE PAPER.

IT WAS A VERY FUZZY ONE, PRINCESS MARGARET AND RODDY WITH TWO OTHER PEOPLE, BUT, OF COURSE, THEY CUT THE OTHER PEOPLE OUT SO IT JUST LOOKED AS IF RODDY WAS ALONE WITH HER.

WELL, OF COURSE, ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.

HE IS, OF COURSE, RODDY LLEWELLYN, WHO'S BEEN REPORTED AS THE MAN IN THE LIFE OF PRINCESS MARGARET.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] MAN: SIR, CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU WILL, WHEN YOU GO BACK TO LONDON, BE GOING BACK TO YOUR WIFE?

WHAT I SAID EARLIER IS THAT I'M NOT MAKING ANY COMMENT ABOUT MY PRIVATE LIFE AT ALL.

MAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED.

GLENCONNER: TONY WAS DELIGHTED IN A WAY BECAUSE HE'S BEHAVING FAR TOO BADLY, BUT HE SUDDENLY COULD SAY, WELL, LOOK, PRINCESS MARGARET'S GOT RODDY, AND HE MADE THE MOST OF IT, YOU KNOW.

THE LATEST NEWS OF THE APPARENTLY ENDLESS PUBLICITY ABOUT PRINCESS MARGARET.

THERE WERE ALLEGATIONS AND DENIALS THAT SIR HAROLD WILSON HAD TIMED HIS RETIREMENT AS PRIME MINISTER TO DIVERT ATTENTION FROM THE BREAKUP OF PRINCESS MARGARET'S MARRIAGE TO LORD SNOWDON.

[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING] WARWICK: RODDY THEN ISSUED, PROBABLY WITH THE COOPERATION, SAY, OF PRINCESS MARGARET'S PRIVATE SECRETARY, A VERY STIFFLY-WORDED STATEMENT FOR A YOUNG MAN TO HAVE MADE, AND HE SAID, "I VERY MUCH REGRET ANY EMBARRASSMENT "CAUSED TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND THE ROYAL FAMILY.

"COULD WE PLEASE BE PERMITTED BY THE MEDIA WHO HAVE BESIEGED US "TO CARRY ON WITH OUR WORK AND PRIVATE LIVES WITHOUT FURTHER INTERFERENCE?"

IT WAS A VAIN HOPE.

IT WAS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

YOU KNOW, THE PROVERBIAL GENIE WAS OUT OF THE BOTTLE.

MAN: IT WAS ON THIS SOMEWHAT RUN-DOWN FARM THAT PRINCESS MARGARET AND MR. RODDY LLEWELLYN ARE SAID TO HAVE MET SEVERAL TIMES SINCE EARLY LAST SUMMER.

WARWICK: THERE WAS A BROKEN-DOWN FARM CALLED SARENDELL, WHICH WAS NEAR BATH, AND RODDY WAS PART OF THIS KIND OF HIPPIE COMMUNE, IF YOU LIKE.

MAN: ALL QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE WHEREABOUTS OF MR. LLEWELLYN, AND PRINCESS MARGARET'S VISITS TO THE FARM, WERE MET WITH NO COMMENT.

WARWICK: RODDY'S JOB WAS GARDENER, VEG GROWER, AND PRINCESS MARGARET USED TO GO FOR THE WEEKEND, WHICH, SLIGHTLY INCONGRUOUS, ROUGHING IT WITH A BUNCH OF HIPPIES.

MAN: THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO WOULD TALK WERE THE OWNERS OF THE FARM'S LOCAL PUB, WHERE PRINCESS MARGARET'S PRIVATE DETECTIVE HAD STAYED.

SEEN HER ONCE, YES.

VERY NICE PERSON.

WAS THEIR FRIENDSHIP WELL KNOWN IN THE DISTRICT?

YES.

BROWN: RODDY SORT OF TRIED HIS HAND AT THIS AND THAT AND DIDN'T QUITE KNOW WHICH DIRECTION HE WAS POINTING.

AND SUDDENLY YOU GET FAME ON.

MEN: RODDY!

MAN: PRINCESS MARGARET'S BOYFRIEND RODDY LLEWELLYN WAS IN LONDON TODAY TO START HIS NEW CAREER AS A POP SINGER.

I MEAN, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE A LANDSCAPE GARDENER AND YOU LIKE FLOWERS AND YOU LIKE PLANTS, AND THEN I HEAR YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A RECORD.

BROWN: HE WAS OFFERED A RECORD DEAL.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PREPARATION FOR THIS KIND OF PUBLICITY?

ONE JUST PREPARES ONESELF.

HA!

I THINK IT'S A QUESTION OF MAKING THE BEST OF IT.

BROWN: HE KIND OF GOT, GOT SLIGHTLY CARRIED AWAY WITH HIS NEW CELEBRITY STATUS.

I THINK HE THOUGHT, OH, WELL, I CAN DO MY POP STAR BIT AND CARRY ON BEING RESPECTFUL.

BUT, OF COURSE, PEOPLE, WHEN THEY INTERVIEWED HIM, ONLY WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT PRINCESS MARGARET.

WOMAN: WHAT DOES SHE THINK OF YOUR VOICE?

DO YOU SING TOGETHER OR?

LLEWELLYN: YES.

WOMAN: WHAT SORT OF THING?

LLEWELLYN: PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING.

I LOVE THE OCCASIONAL HYMN.

BROWN: AND HE, UH, BECAME A KIND OF UNWITTING LOOSE CANNON.

WARWICK: YOU KNOW, HE WAS BEING DESCRIBED AS HER TOY BOY.

AND THIS DID PRINCESS MARGARET NO FAVORS WHATSOEVER.

STEVENS: IT WAS VERY UNUSUAL FOR PRINCESS MARGARET, SISTER OF THE QUEEN, TO HAVE A YOUNGER BOYFRIEND.

DE COURCY: THEY SAID, OH, HE'S 17 YEARS YOUNGER THAN HER.

HOW DREADFUL.

THAT WAS CONSIDERED REALLY RATHER AWFUL.

MAN: GOOD MORNING, SIR.

I'M SO SORRY TO BOTHER YOU.

GLENCONNER: TONY MOVED OUT EVENTUALLY BECAUSE HE HAD TO BECAUSE LUCY, HIS GIRLFRIEND, WAS EXPECTING A BABY, AND I ALWAYS FELT IT WAS VERY BAD LUCK ON PRINCESS MARGARET 'CAUSE SOMEHOW TONY HAD GOT THE PRESS ON HIS SIDE.

AND, UH, IT WAS NOTHING MUCH PRINCESS MARGARET COULD DO ABOUT IT.

MAN: I FIRST STARTED LIFE IN WATFORD.

I WANTED TO BE A CHAUFFEUR.

I JUST LIKED ROLLS-ROYCES.

THE "EVENING STANDARD" USED TO HAVE LOTS OF JOBS IN THERE FOR CHAUFFEURS, AND IT WAS A LITTLE BOX NUMBER, CHAUFFEUR WANTED FOR THE ROYAL FAMILY.

AND THEN I FOUND OUT WHO IT WAS FOR AND I THOUGHT, "OH, THIS LOOKS GOOD."

WHEN MR. LLEWELLYN CAME ON THE SCENE, I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHO HE WAS, BUT HE WAS EXTREMELY POLITE.

IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH PRINCESS MARGARET FINISHED, OR IS IT INTACT?

WELL, REALLY, I NEVER TALK ABOUT MY PRIVATE LIFE.

GRIFFIN: THE PRESS COULD BE A NUISANCE, BUT THERE ARE WAYS ROUND EVERYTHING.

WHEN WE USED TO GO TO MR. LLEWELLYN'S RESIDENCE, WE WOULDN'T GO IN WHAT I WOULD CALL A FLASH CAR, WE'D GO PERHAPS IN THE STAFF CAR.

WELL, NOBODY LOOKS TWICE AT A LITTLE FORD ESCORT.

BUT THE WORST WAS THE PRINCESS AND MR. LLEWELLYN WENT DOWN TO WINDSOR TO LOOK AT THE GARDEN.

SO, I PULLED UP AND THEY WENT OFF FOR A WALK, YOU SEE.

AND IN THE NEXT BREATH, I SAW THIS CAR COMING ALONG, AND I THOUGHT, "OH, GOD, NO," AND IT WAS THE QUEEN'S GREEN CAR.

AND SHE STOPPED AND SHE SAYS, "OH, HELLO, GRIFFIN.

UH, HAVE YOU SEEN PRINCESS MARGARET?"

"YES," I SAID.

"SHE'S JUST HAVING A WALK ROUND THE GROUNDS."

I DIDN'T SAY SHE'S WITH MR. LLEWELLYN HAVING A WALK ROUND THE GROUNDS 'CAUSE I WASN'T ASKED THAT.

WARWICK: THE QUEEN DIDN'T APPROVE OF RODDY OR OF THE RELATIONSHIP, AND SHE THOUGHT THAT IN ALL OF THIS RODDY BUSINESS, HER SISTER WAS BEHAVING BADLY.

GLENCONNER: IT WASN'T NEARLY AS LUSCIOUS AS PEOPLE MADE OUT, DON'T YOU AGREE?

NOT AT ALL.

AND, I MEAN, I NEVER.

IT WAS SUCH A SHAME.

THAT WAS A SHAME BECAUSE THEY TWISTED IT AS IF-- SHE WAS ALWAYS PERFECTLY BEHAVED.

BROWN: THERE WERE FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPHS OF, UH, PRINCESS MARGARET ON MUSTIQUE, UH, ONE WITH, UM, JOHN BINDEN.

THIS KIND OF THUG.

I MEAN, THE ONE WITH JOHN BINDEN, WHICH HAS BEEN IN THE PAPER, I MEAN, THAT WAS RIDICULOUS.

SHE DID MEET HIM LIKE SHE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THE BEACH BAR, AND HE JUST BLEW IT UP WITH THAT RIDICULOUS STORY WHICH I CAN'T REPEAT ON FAMILY TIME TELEVISION.

BROWN: BINDEN WAS KNOWN TO BE EXTREMELY WELL ENDOWED, AND IT WAS MEANT TO BE THAT SHE'D ASKED, UH, TO SEE IT.

WELL, IT WAS-- I MEAN, OTHER PEOPLE DID SEE IT, BUT SHE DIDN'T.

[LAUGHS] NOW, I'M GLAD YOU BOUGHT THAT UP.

HE--THAT STORY IS COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY UNTRUE.

SHE HARDLY EVER-- AND REMEMBER, I WAS WITH HER.

I WENT EVERY YEAR TO STAY WITH HER IN MUSTIQUE.

HE USED TO TRY AND COME TO ANYTHING THAT SHE WAS DOING.

HE WAS LONGING TO MAKE A STORY.

SHE NO MORE HAD AN AFFAIR WITH HIM THAN I DID.

BROWN: ANYONE SELLING A STORY, WELL, IF YOU CAN SAY, WELL, A GANGSTER HAD AN AFFAIR WITH A PRINCESS, THEN THAT'S WORTH, YOU KNOW, �30,000.

IF YOU SAY GANGSTER MET PRINCESS, WELL, THAT'S WORTH �500.

IRVING: I THINK THAT THE PALACE FELT IT WAS OUT OF CONTROL AND THAT THEY FELT THAT THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

ALL THEY COULD DO WAS DAMAGE LIMITATION.

WARWICK: I THINK THE FEELING WAS THAT THIS WAS DAMAGING TO PRINCESS MARGARET'S REPUTATION, AND LET'S MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT; IT WAS DAMAGING TO HER REPUTATION.

THAT IT COULD ALSO HAVE A KNOCK-ON EFFECT AND PEOPLE TURNING TO LOOK AT THE QUEEN AND AT THE WHOLE IDEA OF MONARCHY AND PEOPLE COULD HAVE QUESTIONED, HEY, WHAT IS THIS?

DO WE NEED IT?

COULD HAVE BEEN BAD FOR THEM ALL.

[FANFARE] MAN: THE SPLENDOR OF THE OCCASION IS PART OF A TRADITION FOUNDED AND DEVELOPED IN THE DAYS OF BRITAIN'S IMPERIAL PAST, WHEN BRITANNIA RULED THE WAVES AND MUCH OF THE WORLD AS WELL, WHEN POWER WENT HAND IN HAND WITH PROSPERITY.

TODAY, THE CEREMONY REMAINS, BUT THE REALITIES OF THE WORLD HAVE CHANGED DRASTICALLY, AND BRITAIN'S FORTUNES WITH THEM.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR] BRITAIN'S IN ITS WORST ECONOMIC CRISIS FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS.

FOR MANY BRITONS, THESE ARE HARD TIMES.

IRVING: JUST THINK ABOUT THE SYMBOLISM OF MUSTIQUE.

IT'S A LOVE NEST.

IT'S AN ESCAPE INTO PARADISE, YOU KNOW.

HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN ENJOY THAT KIND OF PRIVILEGE?

IT WAS OUTRAGEOUS.

WOMAN: AND THAT'S ALL FROM WOMAN'S HOUR TODAY.

WE'RE ENDING A BIT EARLY AS THERE'S BEEN AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM KENSINGTON PALACE.

AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT SAYS THAT BY AGREEMENT, HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS MARGARET, COUNTESS OF SNOWDON, AND THE EARL OF SNOWDON, AFTER TWO YEARS OF SEPARATION, HAVE NOW AGREED THAT THEIR MARRIAGE SHOULD FORMALLY BE ENDED.

GRIFFIN: IT CAME ON THE BBC.

IT SAID, "PRINCESS MARGARET AND LORD SNOWDON."

I TURNED THE RADIO OFF, YOU SEE, JUST QUICK AS THAT, 'CAUSE LADY SARAH WAS IN THE CAR WITH HER, HER DAUGHTER, AND SHE SAYS, "NO, NO, GRIFFIN," SHE SAYS, "LEAVE IT ON.

I WANT TO LISTEN TO WHAT'S GOING ON."

SO, I TURNED IT BACK ON AGAIN.

MAN: AND NOW WE PICK UP TODAY'S MAIN NEWS STORY OF PRINCESS MARGARET'S DIVORCE.

THIS WILL BE THE CLOSEST THE BRITISH THRONE HAS EVER COME TO THE FULL LEGAL BREAKUP OF A MARRIAGE.

STEVENS: THE ROYAL FAMILY DON'T GET DIVORCED.

AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

WELL, THE QUEEN'S 3 CHILDREN ALL GOT DIVORCED.

SEE HOW MUCH HAS CHANGED.

SHE WAS THE FIRST, SO IT WAS VERY MUCH LOOKED DOWN UPON.

MAN: THE TWO SIDES HAD AGREED THAT THEIR MARRIAGE SHOULD BE ENDED WITH THE MINIMUM OF FORMALITIES IN OUR NEW STREAMLINED DIVORCE SYSTEM IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY THAT THOUSANDS OF COMMONERS CHOOSE TO END THEIR MARRIAGES IN OUR DIVORCE COURTS EACH YEAR.

WARWICK: TIMES WERE NOT GOING TO CHANGE; THE MEDIA WAS NO LONGER AS REVERENTIAL AS IT HAD ONCE BEEN.

BUT THEN, NEITHER WERE ROYALTY THE DEMIGODS THAT THEY ONCE WERE.

BROWN: WHEN IT WAS PRINCESS MARGARET'S, I THINK, 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY, THERE WAS A BIG DINNER GIVEN FOR HER AT THE RITZ BUT, UH, RODDY WASN'T ALLOWED TO COME.

GLENCONNER: SHE SAID TO ME, "WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING FOR ME, "BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, RODDY IS NOT GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO BE AT THE DINNER."

UM, "AND WOULD YOU GIVE HIM DINNER BEFOREHAND SOMEWHERE ELSE?"

WHICH WE DID.

BROWN: I SUPPOSE THEY THOUGHT SHE'D BROUGHT ENOUGH TROUBLE ALREADY, AND SO, THEY DIDN'T WANT MORE.

ROY PLOWLEY: AND MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT RECORD.

PRINCESS MARGARET: WELL, IT'S A REAL--THINKING OF THINGS RATHER TO DO WITH THIS COUNTRY.

I SHOULD LIKE "RULE BRITANNIA," PLEASE.

PLOWLEY: AND HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT?

PRINCESS MARGARET: I WOULD LIKE A RECORDING, PLEASE, OF THE LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS WITH THE PEOPLE JOINING IN AND SOUNDING VERY PATRIOTIC, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT NOWADAYS.

[CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING] BROWN: THE ROYAL FAMILY AND THEIR PUBLIC, THEIR SUBJECTS, THERE'S A KIND OF SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP.

[CROWD SINGING "RULE BRITANNIA"] THEY HAVE TO BE IN TUNE WITH PUBLIC TASTE.

THEY'VE ALWAYS HAD THIS GREAT SENSE OF, UH, SELF-PRESERVATION.

IF THEY WANT TO CLING ON.

IRVING: EVEN IN THE SEVENTIES, THERE NEVER WAS A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF GROUNDSWELL TO MOBILIZE A STRONGLY REPUBLICAN SENTIMENT.

THE INSTITUTION IS GREATER THAN THE INDIVIDUAL; IT CARRIED ON.

IRVING: BY THE EIGHTIES, MONARCHY IS BECOMING A CELEBRITY MONARCHY, BUT THIS SORT OF THING DIDN'T COME NATURAL TO PRINCESS MARGARET.

SHE WAS ALWAYS VERY, VERY CROSS WITH PEOPLE LIKE DIANA OR FERGIE, WHO GOT INTO SCANDALS, AND SO, SHE WOULD NEVER INTENTIONALLY, I MEAN, SHE'D NEVER HAVE DONE A SORT OF SECRET INTERVIEW WITH "PANORAMA" OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

WARWICK: FOR ALL HER MODERNITY, PRINCESS MARGARET STILL REALLY BELONGED TO OLD ROYALTY.

AND AFTER THE MARRIAGE BROKE UP, SHE KIND OF REVERTED TO THE CIRCLE THAT SHE'D KNOWN.

IT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE ARISTOCRATIC CIRCLE.

BUT LIFE HAD CHANGED FOR THEM ALL.

MA'AM, GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING.

I DON'T THINK KISSING.

I KNOW.

EXACTLY.

YOU'RE LIKE A GANG OF... MAN: I STARTED ABOUT COLIN...

IN 1976.

IN 1980 I BOUGHT HIM OUT.

I MADE A GOOD LIVING FROM BASIL'S BAR; BEYOND MY WILDEST DREAMS.

I HAVE THE HOUSE THAT I LIVE IN AND I HAVE ANOTHER HOUSE CALLED BUTTERCUP, AND I ALSO HAVE A HOUSE IN THE VILLAGE.

GLENCONNER: IN THE END, I--I THINK BASIL'S FAR RICHER THAN COLIN.

I THINK HE MADE MORE MONEY THAN COLIN, WHICH WAS GREAT.

HE DID VERY WELL.

VERY WELL.

GLENCONNER: EVERYTHING'S CHANGED IN MY LIFE, TOO.

I MEAN, I WAS BROUGHT UP AT HOLCOMBE IN THIS HUGE HOUSE, YOU KNOW.

SO, I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT WAS RATHER UNFAIR THAT WOMEN CAN'T INHERIT IN ENGLAND.

I THEN, UH, OF COURSE, GLEN WAS THE GREAT FAMILY HOUSE, SO I LIVED IN THAT, BUT WHEN COLIN DIED, IT WENT TO OUR SON, AND SO, I GOT THIS LITTLE HOUSE I'M SITTING IN NOW.

SHE CAME, I THINK ABOUT 14 TIMES, AND SHE--BECAUSE IT'S SO SMALL, I, YOU KNOW, SHE COULDN'T BRING HER MAID.

AND THEN ONE TIME SHE CAME AND STAYED, SHE SAID, "I COMPLETELY--DON'T WORRY ABOUT MY BREAKFAST, ANNE.

I CAN DO IT ALL MYSELF.

I BOUGHT MY OWN KETTLE."

SO, I SAID, "WELL, THAT'S VERY KIND OF YOU, MA'AM," AND, UM, WE GOT THE KETTLE AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING, AND THEN, OF COURSE, IN THE MORNING, I HEARD HER CALLING ME, "ANNE, ANNE, COME UP."

UH, I SAID, "MA'AM, WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

"I CAN'T TURN--I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TURN THE KETTLE ON."

OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IN THE END, I CARRIED HER BREAKFAST UP FOR HER.

STEVENS: SHE ALWAYS HAD VERY HOT WATER IN THE HOUSE SHE WAS IN.

THE HOT TAP WAS ALWAYS BOILING HOT.

AND ONE MORNING, I NOTICED THAT IT'S REALLY GETTING QUITE LATE.

SO, I WENT TO HER ROOM AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND THERE WAS NO ANSWER.

AND I THOUGHT, "THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG."

SO, I WENT IN AND AS I OPENED THE DOOR, IT WAS FULL OF STEAM.

SO, I RUSHED-- I COULDN'T SEE IN THE BED-- I RUSHED TO THE BATHROOM AND SHE'D PUT ON THE HOT TAP, AND WHEN SHE WANTED TO PUT ON THE COLD ONE, SHE'D PUT MORE HOT BY MISTAKE, AND HER FEET WERE STUCK TO THE BATH.

SO, I RUSHED AND GOT THE DETECTIVE AND TOGETHER WE MANAGED TO GET HER OUT OF THE BATH AND INTO HER BED.

AND FROM THEN ON, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT'S WHEN SHE STARTED TO GO DOWNHILL.

GRIFFIN: WHEN SHE CAME BACK ON THE PLANE, BOTH HER FEET WERE HEAVILY BANDAGED.

WELL, SHE GOT IN THE CAR AND I SAID, "OH," I SAID, "IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE BEEN IN THE WARS."

I THINK IT'S NO SECRET SHE HAD A STROKE, AND THEN WHEN YOU'VE HAD ONE STROKE, YOU'VE GOT LOTS OF LITTLE MINI ONES AFTERWARDS.

GLENCONNER: I RATHER NAUGHTILY, I REMEMBER, BECAUSE THE DOCTORS-- WHEN SHE WAS IN BED, SHE WAS REALLY VERY ILL AND, UH, SHE-- THEY SAID SHE COULDN'T DRINK AND I USED TO CREEP DOWN, I'M AFRAID, TO THE DRINK TABLE AND BRING HER UP A WHISKEY.

UH, I--I MEAN, WHY CAN'T PEOPLE, UH, WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO DIE, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULDN'T FORBID THEM THESE THINGS.

I MEAN, WHY NOT DIE DRINKING A GLASS OF WHISKEY?

HA!

GRIFFIN: NOBODY WAS KEPT ON.

I'VE BEEN THERE 26 YEARS.

GOT 40 DAYS, PACK YOUR BAGS, AND OUT YOU GO.

WELL, I PACKED MY BAGS AND CAME TO THE ISLE OF WIGHT.

AND, UM, THERE WAS THIS JOB GOING DRIVING THE TOURIST BUS.

I--I BOUGHT THE DUSTBIN THAT I BURNT ALL THE LETTERS WITH.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT BEFORE PRINCESS MARGARET GOT ILL, HER JOB, BECAUSE QUEEN ELIZABETH, QUEEN MOTHER COULDN'T SEE PROPERLY, AND THERE WAS LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF CONFIDENTIAL LETTERS AND THINGS LIKE THIS THAT THE PRINCESS WENT OVER AND SORTED, AND WE PUT THEM ALL IN THESE BIG BLACK GLAD BAGS AND SHE'S WANTED THEM DESTROYED.

SO, WE TOOK THEM UP AND BURNT EVERYTHING IN THIS BIG DUSTBIN.

I JUST WONDERED WHAT ACTUALLY SHE DID DESTROY IN THE END, YOU KNOW.

BUT TO ME, IT WAS JUST A BAG OF LETTERS.

JUST CHUCK IT IN THE BIN, SET FIRE TO IT, AND--WHOOSH--GONE.

BROWN: WE'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT WAS IN THE LETTERS BUT I CAN SEE WHY YOU DON'T WANT THINGS TO BECOME PART OF A HISTORICAL RECORD IF YOU'RE PRINCESS MARGARET.

IRVING: PEOPLE HOLD IN THEIR HEADS DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT WHAT A PRINCESS SHOULD BE, THAT THERE'S A FAIRY-TALE PRINCESS, THE REGAL, ALOOF PRINCESS ABOUT WHOM YOU KNOW VERY LITTLE.

THEN THERE'S THE PRINCESS MARGARET TYPE OF PRINCESS WHO SUDDENLY BECOMES ALL TOO VISIBLE AND ALL TOO HUMAN.

THE GROUND WASN'T PREPARED FOR MARGARET IN A WAY IT'S BEEN PREPARED FOR OUR CURRENT ROYAL PRINCESSES.

THEY ARE THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE SUFFERING AND PAIN THAT MARGARET WENT THROUGH.

CHARLES: WELL, THE YOUNG PRINCE, KATE AND WILLIAM USED TO COME TO MUSTIQUE.

YEAH, I GOT TO KNOW THEM.

THEY CAME TO THE BAR.

I CHATTED WITH THEM.

WE PLAYED TENNIS TOGETHER.

WE, YEAH, I WENT TO THEIR WEDDING.

KATE AND WILLIAM'S WEDDING, YEAH.

PRINCESS LOEWENSTEIN: WELL, PERSONALLY, I MEAN, IT'S ONLY MY, MY THING.

I--I DON'T LIKE IT, REALLY.

I LIKE THE OLD DAYS.

AND I SHOULD THINK THAT ROYALTY SHOULD MARRY ROYALTY 'CAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT SORT OF, IT'S A JOB, FOR A START.

NO GOOD THINKING IT'S ROMANTIC, OR SHOULDN'T.

NO, NOT AT ALL.

...WHEN THEY MARRIED A SUITABLE WIFE, THEN THEY HAD PEOPLE DISCREETLY AFTERWARDS.

YEAH, WELL, EXACTLY.

I'M ALL FOR THAT.

YES, WELL, I THINK-- WELL, ALL THAT'S GONE, AS WE KNOW.

I KNOW.

CHARLES: TIME HAVE CHANGED.

PRINCESS MARGARET WASN'T EVEN ALLOWED TO MARRY THE MAN THAT SHE REALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH BECAUSE HE WAS MARRIED AND DIVORCED.

I THINK HARRY HAVE AN EASY PASS--HA HA HA!-- WITH HIS AUNT MAKE IT EASIER BECAUSE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED BEFORE.

SHE WAS A TRAILBLAZER; SHE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A REBEL.

BROWN: PRINCESS MARGARET WAS BORN IN AN ERA OF DEFERENCE AND SHE SURVIVED INTO AN ERA OF EGALITARIANISM.

AND SHE TRIED TO STRADDLE THEM BOTH, AND SHE FELL DOWN THE MIDDLE.

PLOWLEY: NOW, THE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS OF SURVIVAL ON THE ISLAND.

YOU'VE MADE MANY VISITS TO THE TROPICS.

YOU VISITED MANY ISLANDS.

ANY DESERTED ONES?

PRINCESS MARGARET: YES.

PLOWLEY: WHAT SORT OF SHELTER WOULD YOU BUILD?

PRINCESS MARGARET: WELL, I THINK IT DEPENDED WHAT SORT OF STUFF THERE WOULD BE TO BUILD IT WITH.

PLOWLEY: WELL, YOU'VE GOT PALM TREES AND UNDERGROWTH AND-- PRINCESS MARGARET: WELL, THEN, I THINK PALM FRONDS AND, UM, YES, THAT WOULD DO VERY WELL.

PLOWLEY: WOULD YOU PLAN TO ESCAPE?

PRINCESS MARGARET: OH, YES.

I LIKE LIFE TOO MUCH TO LIVE ON A DESERT ISLAND.

ANNOUNCER: TO ORDER "MARGARET: THE REBEL PRINCESS" ON DVD, VISIT SHOPPBS OR CALL 1-800-PLAY-PBS.

ALSO AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO.