Latest news with #PrincessMargaretandtheCurse:AnInquiryintoaRoyalLife
Daily Mirror
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Princess Margaret's pal hits out at 'ridiculous' claim she had foetal alcohol syndrome
A former close friend of the late Princess Margaret has spoken out against the bombshell claims that Queen Elizabeth's sister was born with the "invisible disability", allegedly caused by the "heavy drinking" of the Queen Mother A former close friend of Princess Margaret has spoken out against the 'bizarre and ridiculous' claims in a new book that the late royal was born with foetal alcohol syndrome. According to Pulitzer prize winning biographer Meryle Secrest, Queen Elizabeth 's younger sister was born with the 'invisible disability', which the author alleged was caused by the years of 'heavy drinking' by the Queen Mother. The biography, titled Princess Margaret and the Curse: An Inquiry into a Royal Life, speculated that Margaret exhibited classic symptoms of the condition throughout her life, including mood swings, stunted growth, difficulties learning how to write, and painful migraines. Despite the claims, which have never been proven, a former friend of Margaret has spoken out in defence of her late friend, saying not all of Margaret's disadvantages can be attributed to choices made by the Queen Mother when she was pregnant. 'It is truly bizarre to suggest that everything that happened to the Princess can be put down to how much the Queen Mother drank while pregnant. And not just bizarre but ridiculous,' Margaret's friend told the Daily Mail. 'Her life was not one long tragedy: she was an intelligent woman with a wide circle of interests and friends and was a mother and grandmother.' The friend's sentiments were echoed online, as many were similarly outraged by the book's claims. Biographer and journalist Christopher Wilson wrote on X: 'Crazy theory containing not a shred of proof turned into a book,' while a royal fan added: 'Disgraceful. Princess Margaret was beautiful and elegant. Witty, fun and feisty. Her face showed no signs of FASD.' The Telegraph, which has discussed the book's claims, also said: "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 book, which is expected to be released in September, cited that the Queen Mother's Scottish family, the aristocratic Bowes-Lyon clan, were 'hard drinkers' with an ability to 'hold their liquor'. The author went on to clarify that when the Queen Mother was pregnant with Margaret in the 1930s, there was no official medical advice for expectant mothers to stop consuming alcohol. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a condition that develops in a foetus when a pregnant woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, according to the Cleveland Clinic. A syndrome is a group of symptoms that happen together as the result of a particular disease or abnormal condition. When someone has foetal alcohol syndrome, they're at the most severe end of what are known as foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). The condition is life-long and can't be cured. It can be prevented if expectant mothers don't drink any alcohol during pregnancy, as even small amounts can damage the developing foetus. As claims about Margaret's came to light, the National Organisation for FASD issued a statement, saying while they are glad new light has been shone on the disorder: 'We as an organisation do not speculate on who may or may not have FASD," adding: "We are concerned that any reporting about this book must sensitively reflect real lived experience and the latest science."
Courier-Mail
31-07-2025
- Health
- 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
Daily Record
31-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Princess Margaret 'had foetal alcohol syndrome from Queen Mother's drinking' claims new book
Queen Elizabeth's sister, Princess Margaret, showed some symptoms of foetal alcohol syndrome, according to Pulitzer Prize-nominated biographer Meryle Secrest in her new book. Princess Margaret had foetal alcohol syndrome because the Queen Mother drank while she was pregnant with her - claims a new book. Foetal alcohol syndrome develops when alcohol is exposed to a baby in the womb, which can damage their brain and body and stop them from developing normally. It can result in a loss of pregnancy, and babies who survive may be left with lifelong problems - including with movement, learning communication and hyperactivity. Pulitzer Prize-nominated biographer Meryle Secrest made the claims in a new book in which she analysed Margaret's personality and personal struggles in light of greater knowledge about the condition, reports the Mirror. It comes after Joanna Lumley said King Charles 'really is ill' as she shares rare health battle insight. In her book, it's speculated that Queen Elizabeth's younger sister, who died aged 71 in 2002, suffered from an "invisible disability" due to the condition, The Telegraph reports. The biographer's claims about the princess have not been proven and there is no firm evidence that Margaret suffered from an alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder. The book claims that while Margaret lacked the tell-tale symptoms of smooth lip philtrum and small eyes, she displayed characteristic mood swings, stunted growth, difficulties learning how to write, and painful migraines. It also cites accounts of the Queen Mother's drinking in later life - with claims from a former equerry that during the day she would enjoy gin and Dubonnet. Foetal alcohol syndrome wasn't 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. But it claims that in the Queen Mother's letters from when she was pregnant with Elizabeth II, she wrote she could not bear the thought of wine, suggesting she may have drunk less when expecting the future queen. She wrote in a 1925 letter to the future King George VI: "The sight of wine simply turns me up! Isn't it extraordinary! It will be a tragedy if I never recover my drinking powers." Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a condition that develops in a foetus when a pregnant woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, explains the Cleveland Clinic. A syndrome is a group of symptoms that happen together as the result of a particular disease or abnormal condition. When someone has foetal alcohol syndrome, they're at the most severe end of what are known as foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). The condition is life-long and can't be cured. It can be prevented if you don't drink any alcohol during pregnancy, as even small amounts can damage your developing foetus. The new biography, named Princess Margaret and the Curse: An Inquiry into a Royal Life, has been written by comparing Margaret's life with those who have suffered from the condition. It will be released by the US house Skyhorse Publishing.
Daily Mirror
30-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Princess Margaret 'had foetal alcohol syndrome from Queen Mother's drinking', new book claims
Pulitzer Prize-nominated biographer Meryle Secrest claimed in her new book that Queen Elizabeth's sister, Princess Margaret, showed some symptoms of foetal alcohol syndrome Princess Margaret had foetal alcohol syndrome as the Queen Mother drank while she was pregnant with her, a new book has claimed. The condition develops when a baby is exposed to alcohol in the womb, which can damage their brain and body and stop them from developing normally. It can result in a loss of pregnancy, and babies who survive may be left with lifelong problems - including with movement, learning communication and hyperactivity. The claims were made by Pulitzer Prize-nominated biographer Meryle Secrest in a new book in which she analysed Margaret's personality and personal struggles in light of greater knowledge about the condition. It comes after Joanna Lumley said King Charles 'really is ill' as she shares rare health battle insight. In her book, Ms Secrest speculated that Queen Elizabeth's younger sister, who died aged 71 in 2002, suffered from an "invisible disability" due to the condition, The Telegraph reports. The biographer's claims about the princess have not been proven and there is no firm evidence that Margaret suffered from an alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder. The book claims that while Margaret lacked the tell-tale symptoms of smooth lip philtrum and small eyes, she displayed characteristic mood swings, stunted growth, difficulties learning how to write, and painful migraines. It also cites accounts of the Queen Mother's drinking in later life - with claims from a former equerry that during the day she would enjoy gin and Dubonnet. Foetal alcohol syndrome wasn't 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. But it claims that in the Queen Mother's letters from when she was pregnant with Elizabeth II, she wrote she could not bear the thought of wine, suggesting she may have drunk less when expecting the future queen. She wrote in a 1925 letter to the future King George VI: "The sight of wine simply turns me up! Isn't it extraordinary! It will be a tragedy if I never recover my drinking powers." Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a condition that develops in a foetus when a pregnant woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, explains the Cleveland Clinic. A syndrome is a group of symptoms that happen together as the result of a particular disease or abnormal condition. When someone has foetal alcohol syndrome, they're at the most severe end of what are known as foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). The condition is life-long and can't be cured. It can be prevented if you don't drink any alcohol during pregnancy, as even small amounts can damage your developing foetus. The new biography, named Princess Margaret and the Curse: An Inquiry into a Royal Life, has been written by comparing Margaret's life with those who have suffered from the condition. It will be released by the US house Skyhorse Publishing.
