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CNN Sunday Morning

Memorial Service for Princess Margaret

Aired February 10, 2002 - 07:19   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In Britain, Buckingham Palace is making arrangements for a memorial service for Princess Margaret. The younger sister of Queen Elizabeth died yesterday at the age of 71, as we told you yesterday. CNN's Halla Gorani joins us live from London at Kensington Palace for more -- Hala.

HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, a rather subdued reaction to the death of the 71-year-old princess. She is, as you mentioned, the younger sister of Britain's Queen Elizabeth. Just a small group of people really gathering.

And the day, here in the London, at Kensington Palace, where Princess Margaret's body was actually brought over yesterday from the hospital where she died. Kensington Palace, where there are just, as you can see, there are a few bouquets of flowers, a few tourists, really -- so an understated reaction to the death of the princess. She had been ill for quite a while. She'd had respiratory problems, at least two strokes. She was a heavy smoker as well as a drinker, some say and one Sunday newspaper, "The Independent" on Sunday even calling this a bleak visual.

Now, the funeral arrangements are for Friday, next Friday at 3:00 p.m. local time in a private ceremony at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The Queen Mother is said to be suffering from a cold. This is, of course, Princess Margaret's mother, 101 years old. And it is unclear whether she will be well enough to attend the funeral of her youngest daughter.

Jubilee celebrations this year for the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's reign are said to be - to go ahead as planned. There are some trips planned starting a few weeks from now to Jamaica and New Zealand. Those will go ahead as planned.

So that is the latest on the reaction to Princess Margaret's death from London. Miles, back to you.

O'BRIEN: Well, Hala, you can't help but note the contrast. Kensington Palace, of course, is where Princess Diana spent much of her time and the outpour, which came subsequent to her death compared to this, it's really no comparison, is it?

GORANI: No, there's really no comparison. Even one newspaper putting it this way, "It's a cruel but obvious comparison." You remember, of course, in 1997, when Princess Diana died tragically. It was a shock to the nation. She was young. She was in her prime. She was in the limelight. She was making headlines practically every day in Britain, in tabloid newspapers at least.

In this case, it's different. Princess Margaret was 71 years old. She'd been out of the limelight. She's really of another generation. So in that respect, it's quite understandable that the reaction is more subdued - Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Hala Gorani in Kensington Gardens there, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

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