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CNN Live Saturday

71-Year-Old Princess Margaret of England Dies

Aired February 09, 2002 - 16:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Princess Margaret, the youngest sister of Britain's Queen Elizabeth has died. The 71-year-old princess passed away peacefully in her sleep early this morning at King Edward VII Hospital in London. She had suffered a stroke on Friday afternoon and developed cardiac problems during the night. CNN's Diana Muriel has a look back at her life.

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DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The flags fly at half staff over Buckingham Palace to honor Princess Margaret. The 71- year-old princess died in the early hours of Saturday morning in London, 50 years almost to the day that her own father, King George VI passed away.

Her coffin was moved late on Saturday from the hospital to Kensington Place where friends and family are due to gather to say their final farewells.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Usually there are hundreds and even thousands of people. I didn't expect that, of course, but just two bunches of flowers. I was quite shocked at that. I thought sure there would be more people coming out just in sympathy really.

MURIEL: Margaret is best remembered as the glamorous and vibrant princess of the 1950s. She was the toast of the smart set, when in 1953, age just 23, she fell in love with Group Captain Peter Townsend, a member of the royal household. Marrying him would have meant signing away both her royal privileges and responsibilities.

In October, 1959 on the same day she received a letter from Townsend announcing his engagement to a Belgian girl, she announced her own forthcoming marriage to a young upcoming photographer, Anthony Armstrong Jones, who became Lord Snowden.

The marriage produced two children, Lord David Lindley (ph), and Lady Sarah, but their relationship floundered and both of them pursued separate interests and friends.

ROBERT DOBSON, ROYAL COMMENTATOR: It's easy to forget what a rock and roll princess, Princess Margaret was and she did party hard. There were stories of her. There were stories of her drinking until late into the night, and dancing with whatever handsome man would come along. MURIEL: Scandal broke in 1976, when she was photographed in mystique with Roddy Lewellyn (ph) a young socialite, 17 years her junior. Lord Snowden and the Princess divorced in 1978. Her relationship with Lewellyn (ph) ended a few years later, the last great love affair of Margaret's life.

In later years, Princess Margaret lived more quietly, taking a strong interest in the charities and organizations of which she was patron.

DOBSON: The Queen relied on Margaret an awful lot, so they may not have the public mourning that we saw with Princess Diana on the streets of London or even the mourning that will probably follow the death of the Queen Mother. It will have a big impact upon the Queen because she relied heavily on Margaret's counsel.

MURIEL (on camera): The death of the princess, here at King Edwards the VII's hospital is believed to have shocked the Queen, coming as it does at the start of her Golden Jubilee, celebrating 50 years on the throne. The Jubilee plans are expected to go ahead, but now without her sister at her side, the Queen's Jubilee year contains both joy and sadness.

Diana Muriel, CNN, London.

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