Bombshell new book slammed for ‘disgraceful' claim Princess Margaret suffered secret illness
The book, titled Princess Margaret and the Curse, claims that the late royal had a secret illness throughout her life passed on by the Queen Mother.
Author Meryle Secrest alleges Margaret secretly suffered from a condition from childhood called foetal alcohol syndrome due to the late Queen Mother's heavy drinking.
According to the Mayo Clinic, foetal alcohol syndrome is a condition in a child that results from alcohol exposure during the mother's pregnancy.
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause the child to have disabilities related to behaviour, learning and thinking, and physical development.
The symptoms of foetal alcohol syndrome vary from child to child but are lifelong.
Ms Secrest claimed that signs that Margaret could have had the syndrome include her notorious mood swings, small stature, learning difficulties and painful migraines.
The author also claimed that Margaret was "naughty, mischievous and provocative", and would "blurt out the truth', which is deemed to be a typical symptom of foetal alcohol syndrome.
The late royal family member was notorious for her hard living, including heavy smoking and drinking, which likely contributed to her relatively early death at age 71 in 2002.
The Queen Mother's heavy drinking, including her penchant for endless rounds of gin, port and martinis, has been confirmed by former staffers and equerries.
Nevertheless, The Telegraph newspaper has concluded there is 'no firm evidence' Margaret suffered the condition.
"There is no firm evidence that Margaret suffered from an alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder, and the new biography has been written by comparing Margaret's life, as attested in pre-existing written sources, with those who have suffered from the condition," the newspaper concluded.
On social media, supporters of the late royal hit back at the 'disgraceful' allegation.
'Disgraceful. Princess Margaret was beautiful and elegant. Witty, fun and feisty,' one person wrote.
The bombshell book about the Queen's late sister comes days after former royal butler Paul Burrell confirmed he is also releasing a book about his former employers in September.
The Burrell book is expected to include candid and never-before-heard stories about the late Princess Diana, as well as King Charles and Princes William and Harry.
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Courier-Mail
3 days ago
- Courier-Mail
Shocking royal bombshell claim about Princess Margaret emerges in new book
Don't miss out on the headlines from Royals. Followed categories will be added to My News. An upcoming Princess Margaret biography has made a bombshell claim about her health. The book claims Queen Elizabeth II's younger sister suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome caused by Queen Elizabeth's drinking during pregnancy. The disorder — which develops when a child is exposed to alcohol while in the womb — can cause lifelong behavioural troubles and physical disabilities. Queen Mother Elizabeth, King Charles and Princess Margaret attend the ceremony of coronation of the Queen Elizabeth II. Picture: AFP Pulitzer-nominated Meryle Secrest, author of several biographies on notable people, writes in Princess Margaret and the Curse: An Inquiry into a Royal Life, that Margaret — who died in 2002 at the age of 71 due to a range of health issues, including several strokes — didn't have any physical symptoms related to the disorder, but did suffer from constant mood swings, migraines and learning deficiencies that could be connected to it. The royal author's book alleges that fetal alcohol syndrome could have played a significant role in the princess' personality. Princess Margaret was born in 1930, more 40 years before fetal alcohol syndrome was discovered in 1973. The book suggests that Queen Elizabeth, a known drinker, wasn't aware of the dangers or advised against drinking while pregnant as a result. Queen Mother With Queen Elizabeth And Princess Margaret. Picture: Getty. The future Queen Elizabeth was 4 when her sister was born, but the Queen Mother was allegedly turned off by alcohol during her pregnancy with Elizabeth. 'The sight of wine simply turns me up! Isn't it extraordinary! It will be a tragedy if I never recover my drinking powers,' the Queen Mother wrote in a 1925 letter to her husband, according to The Telegraph. When Margaret entered the world on August 21, 1930, she was fourth in line to the British throne. Ahead of her were her uncle, Edward, Prince of Wales; her father, Albert, Duke of York, and her four-year-old sister, Elizabeth. That changed dramatically six years later, when Edward abdicated to marry an American divorcee and the girls' father ascended the throne. What didn't change was their governess: Marion 'Crawfie' Crawford cared for both Margaret and the big sister she called Lilibet, spilling the beans, to the royal family's irritation, in her 1950 memoir, The Little Princesses. 'Margaret was often naughty,' Brown quotes Crawfie as saying. 'She would often defy me with a sidelong look.' The royal sisters were close throughout their lives. Picture: Getty. Bombshell claims have emerged about the Queen Mother in a new book. Picture: Getty. While noting that Lilibet was motherly towards Margaret, the latter's behaviour often made the future queen 'uneasy and filled with foreboding'. By her tweens, Margaret excelled at mimicry and was witty and sharp. But she could also be 'extremely tiresome,' Crawfie wrote, dawdling while dressing and 'pleased to know she kept us waiting'. It was a habit she never lost. 'For Lilibet, life was all about doing the right thing,' Brown said. 'For Margaret it was, and always would be, much more of a performance.' The king's death, at 56, exacerbated the already strained relationship between Margaret and the Queen Mother. Although they lived one floor apart in Clarence House until 1960, when Margaret married, they often communicated by letters delivered by their butlers. The Queen Mother reportedly disapproved of her daughter's all-day drinking and late-night socialising. According to Brown, Margaret's beverage of choice was vodka and orange, which she downed as a 'pick-me-up' at 12.30pm daily. She would have half a bottle of wine for lunch and then wait for the afternoon drinks tray, which her butler would wheel in at around 5.30pm. She'd have a cocktail or two, wine with dinner and then have several whiskies with Malvern water before bed at 2am. Originally published as Shocking royal bombshell claim about Princess Margaret emerges in new book
Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Sky News AU
Bombshell new book slammed for ‘disgraceful' claim Princess Margaret suffered secret illness
A bombshell new royal book by a Pulitzer Prize-nominated biographer has been slammed over sensational claims about the late Queen's sister Princess Margaret. The book, titled Princess Margaret and the Curse, claims that the late royal had a secret illness throughout her life passed on by the Queen Mother. Author Meryle Secrest alleges Margaret secretly suffered from a condition from childhood called foetal alcohol syndrome due to the late Queen Mother's heavy drinking. According to the Mayo Clinic, foetal alcohol syndrome is a condition in a child that results from alcohol exposure during the mother's pregnancy. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause the child to have disabilities related to behaviour, learning and thinking, and physical development. The symptoms of foetal alcohol syndrome vary from child to child but are lifelong. Ms Secrest claimed that signs that Margaret could have had the syndrome include her notorious mood swings, small stature, learning difficulties and painful migraines. The author also claimed that Margaret was "naughty, mischievous and provocative", and would "blurt out the truth', which is deemed to be a typical symptom of foetal alcohol syndrome. The late royal family member was notorious for her hard living, including heavy smoking and drinking, which likely contributed to her relatively early death at age 71 in 2002. The Queen Mother's heavy drinking, including her penchant for endless rounds of gin, port and martinis, has been confirmed by former staffers and equerries. Nevertheless, The Telegraph newspaper has concluded there is 'no firm evidence' Margaret suffered the condition. "There is no firm evidence that Margaret suffered from an alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder, and the new biography has been written by comparing Margaret's life, as attested in pre-existing written sources, with those who have suffered from the condition," the newspaper concluded. On social media, supporters of the late royal hit back at the 'disgraceful' allegation. 'Disgraceful. Princess Margaret was beautiful and elegant. Witty, fun and feisty,' one person wrote. The bombshell book about the Queen's late sister comes days after former royal butler Paul Burrell confirmed he is also releasing a book about his former employers in September. The Burrell book is expected to include candid and never-before-heard stories about the late Princess Diana, as well as King Charles and Princes William and Harry.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Princess Margaret ‘left with fetal alcohol syndrome after Queen Mother's drinking'
Princess Margaret suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome brought on by the Queen Mother's drinking, a new biography has claimed. The syndrome is caused by a developing baby's exposure to alcohol in the womb and can give the child distinctive facial features and cause difficulties with learning, impulse control and managing emotions. Meryle Secrest, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated biographer, has re-examined the princess's personality and personal struggles in light of greater knowledge about the condition. Princess Margaret and the Curse, Secrest's forthcoming unofficial biography, speculates that the princess, who died in 2002 aged 72, suffered from an 'invisible disability' brought on by fetal alcohol syndrome. While the book states that Margaret lacked the alcohol syndrome's tell-tale smooth lip philtrum and small eyes, she did display characteristic mood-swings, stunted growth, difficulties learning how to write and painful migraines. It cites accounts of the Queen Mother's drinking in later life, when it was claimed by a former equerry that she would enjoy gin and Dubonnet: two parts pink vermouth to one part gin, wine and port until the 6pm 'magic hour' when martinis would be prepared. Fetal alcohol syndrome was not well understood until the 1970s, the book states, and it is likely that the young Queen Mother would not have been advised to avoid alcohol during her pregnancy with Margaret.
