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CNN Live At Daybreak

Princess Margaret's Funeral To Be Held Today

Aired February 15, 2002 - 05:33   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Britain's royal family, along with hundreds of mourners, will attend the funeral today of Princess Margaret. That's Queen Elizabeth's only sister.

CNN's Walter Rodgers joins us live from Windsor, England with more -- good morning.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol -- welcome from Windsor Castle in England.

We are beginning to witness the passing of a generation of British royals. It is a process which can only accelerate. Princess Margaret will have a funeral service here at the King George Chapel at Windsor Castle. In a few hours, some 450 guests are supposed to assemble. Of course, the queen will be there. The queen mother is expected to come. She did helicopter out last night.

This is an extraordinary funeral in one sense, if nothing else, for the sheer coincidence. Princess Margaret will be -- her funeral will be held on exactly the 50th anniversary of her father's funeral. That is King George, VI. He died 50 years ago, and this funeral is on the precise anniversary.

A short while ago, Buckingham Palace released the last official photo of Princess Margaret. You can see the ravages of time and disease on her face there. She had suffered two strokes at this point. This was taken last October. It is the last official portrait of Princess Margaret. You can see the lower left corner of her mouth drooping somewhat, the face somewhat puffy. Again, testifying to the suffering Princess Margaret experienced.

Now, one of the reasons, of course, for the ceremony here at Windsor today is that it is the final homecoming for Princess Margaret. She and her sister, Queen Elizabeth, spent the war years out here, outside of London, away from the German blitz, the German bombing of London. So Princess Margaret actually grew up here at Windsor Castle, at least until it was safe for her and her sister to return to Buckingham Palace.

Again, we are not sure whether the queen mother, that is Queen Elizabeth, will be able to make it. She did helicopter out here, but the decision on whether she is healthy enough to come to the funeral itself will only be made at the last minute. Her doctors are very concerned. She has been confined to her house since last November. That was her last public appearance, so of course, all eyes will be witnessing -- will be watching for the queen mother today, as well as the funeral of Princess Margaret -- Carol.

COSTELLO: The queen mother is, what, in her 90s now?

RODGERS: Add 11 years to that. The queen mother is 101. She celebrated her 101st birthday last June. She is an extraordinarily resilient woman in the words of her grandson, Prince Charles. He had tried to dissuade her from making the helicopter trip out here to Windsor. The queen mother spent the last night in the royal lodge at Windsor, and it will be a last-minute decision as to whether she can attend. She has been quite ill, but this is a woman of considerable pluck and resilience. And if there is any way she can possibly make it to her daughter's funeral, of course, the queen mother will be here -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Absolutely. It is her daughter. Thank you -- Walter Rodgers reporting live for us from Windsor, England this morning.

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