What King Charles Said About Death of 'Darling Aunt' Princess Margaret

This article contains spoilers for The Crown Season 6, Part 2, which debuted on Netflix on Dec. 14.

Throughout The Crown's six-season run, a fan favorite character has been that of Queen Elizabeth II's younger sister, Princess Margaret.

As the hit royal drama wraps its final season, the character's narrative arc has been drawn to its close, with Oscar-nominated actress Lesley Manville portraying the once glamorous princess in the final stage of her life.

Margaret's death in 2002 marked a dramatic milestone in the life of Queen Elizabeth, which was soon compounded by the death of her 101-year-old mother just weeks later.

Among the royal family members who expressed public grief for the princess' loss was her nephew, Prince Charles (now King Charles III).

Here, Newsweek looks at how the king paid tribute to his "darling aunt" and the true story behind her death.

How Did Princess Margaret Die?

Princess Margaret died at the age of 71 having suffered a stroke at her home at Kensington Palace on February 8, 2002. The princess was hospitalized soon afterwards developing cardiac problems, finally dying at 6.30 a.m. on February 9, with her two children, David Linley (now Lord Snowdon) and Lady Sarah Chatto by her side.

Margaret had suffered from poor health for a number of years. In 1998 she experienced a mild stroke while vacationing at her home on the Caribbean island of Mustique, which was followed the next year by health complications caused by scalding her feet in a bathroom accident.

The incident was dramatized by The Crown in the eighth episode of the sixth season, and in real life the princess' recovery was a long and painful process.

Margaret would suffer further strokes in 2001, partially losing her sight and mobility before her death, which took place just three days after the 50th anniversary of the death of her much-loved father, King George VI.

How Queen Elizabeth II Paid Tribute To Her 'Much Loved' Sister

Following Margaret's death, Buckingham Palace issued a statement reading:

The monarch did not issue a public statement reflecting on her grief, neither did she make a televised address. This was instead left to her eldest son, Prince Charles (now King Charles) to do on the royal family's behalf.

Elizabeth did later reference Margaret's death during her 2002 Christmas speech, discussing the loss of her sister and mother in the context of her jubilee year.

"Many of you will know only too well from your own experience, the grief that follows the death of a much-loved mother or sister," she said. "Mine were very much part of my life and always gave me their support and encouragement. But my own sadness was tempered by the generous tributes that so many of you paid to the service they gave to this country and the wider Commonwealth. At such a difficult time this gave me great comfort and inspiration as I faced up both to my own personal loss and to the busy Jubilee summer ahead."

What King Charles III Said About His 'Darling Aunt' Margaret

Prince Charles paid the most detailed tribute to Princess Margaret, who he referred to as his "darling aunt" in a recorded message that was broadcast on television after her death.

"This is a terribly sad day for all my family but particularly of course for the queen, my mama, and my grandmother, the Queen Mother, and also for Princess Margaret's children, David and Sarah, and also my aunt's wonderful friends who will, like all of us, miss her deeply," he said.

"My darling aunt had such a dreadful time in the last few years with her awful illness and it was hard for, let alone her to bare it, but for all of us as well and particularly as she had such a wonderfully free spirit, and she loved life and lived it to the full," he continued.

He described the princess as "one of those remarkable people, apart from being incredibly vital and attractive—and of course when she was young so many people remember her for that vitality and attractiveness, and indeed her incredible beauty—but she also, and I think many people don't realize this, had such incredible talent.

"I remember so well, she used to play the piano incredibly well, and she had an extraordinary ear, she could pick up and play by ear almost any tune, and she sang like an angel, I always remember that as a child," he continued. "And, of course, she had this wonderfully sharp mind and used to literally win crossword puzzle competitions, and I think one of the fondest memories I shall have was of sitting at the piano, playing away with a large, very elegant cigarette holder in her mouth, and as I say we shall all miss her dreadfully."

Princess Margaret and 'The Crown'

Throughout The Crown's six seasons, Princess Margaret's storylines have been followed with enthusiasm by fans as the royal's sparkling and glamorous youth was contrasted with portrayals of the sadness that was said to impact her personal life.

In the show's first two seasons, Margaret's youth in the 1950s and 60s was portrayed by actress Vanessa Kirby. Helena Bonham Carter then played Margaret against the backdrop of current affairs through the 1970s and 1980s.

For the final seasons spanning 1991 to the princess' death in 2002, the role was played by Lesley Manville.

On casting the lead actors for The Crown, Robert Sterne, the show's casting director told Newsweek that it was "really important" the they not bring their own judgments of the characters to the role, and focus on the interpretation of creator and writer Peter Morgan in the scripts.

"If you come in with an easy judgment on it, its not very interesting to watch," he said. "I think that what the writing does, is it allows for quite a lot of complexity for these characters and that's what makes it good and that's what makes it interesting."

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

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