Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, has become the latest high-profile figure to feature in a new viral trend highlighting iconic "side eyes."
Margaret was Queen Elizabeth's only sibling. She was born in 1930 and died at the age of 71 in 2002. In her teenage years and early 20s, Margaret was known as the most glamorous member of the royal family, regularly featuring in fashion magazines and attending high-profile royal events.
Uploaded to TikTok last week by user, margorvse, a video of the princess shows her share a sideways look with her brother-in-law, Prince Philip, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
Over the clip, which has been edited for maximum effect, a viral sound containing the phrase "bombastic side eye, criminal offensive side eye" has been laid. This sound has been widely circulated on TikTok with numerous creators using it to demonstrate disapproval or disgust.
The video of Margaret's look towards Philip has been viewed over 900,000 times since posting and received in excess of 170,000 likes and 300 comments.
"The original bombastic side eye," wrote one TikTok user of Margaret.
"The way her side eye and blink syncs with the sounds!" wrote another, with a further comment reading: "I just know she was so sassy."
The footage of Margaret used in the TikTok video, was filmed in 1953, Queen Elizabeth's coronation year, at the Trooping the Colour celebrations.
Trooping the Colour is a military parade that marks the sovereign's official birthday held each year in June. Queen Elizabeth's last trooping was observed in June 2022, as part of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
King Charles III will mark his first Trooping the Colour in June 2023, his own coronation year.
Margaret is not the first royal to be featured in the "side eye" viral trend. Similar videos of Queen Camilla, Princess Diana, Princess Charlotte and Kate Middleton have all featured on social media platforms.
Margaret has seen a resurgence in public interest in recent years after appearing as a character in Netflix's hit drama, The Crown.
A main character in the show's first and second seasons, which were released in 2016 and 2017, Margaret was played by actress Vanessa Kirby who won a BAFTA award for her portrayal of the royal.
In seasons 3 and 4, Helena Bonham Carter took over the role, and for the final seasons 5 and 6, the part has been played by Lesley Manville.
Despite Margaret being a popular character in the series, her portrayal has been criticized by those who knew the princess in real life.
Previously speaking to Newsweek, the royal's former lady in waiting, Lady Anne Glenconner, said: "I found The Crown's portrayal of Princess Margaret so disappointing."
"When it started, I thought The Crown was rather good," she went on to say. "And then I think it suddenly went off-piste. It went bonkers. Now, none of us who know the royal family watch it. We think it's a fairy tale."
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
