Here's what you need to know about Princess Margaret's 70th birthday party and what The Crown got right in season 6 episode 8, The Ritz.
The Crown's final season was released last week and fans have loved this final instalment of this Royal Family drama. While some viewers are wondering where The Crown was filmed, others want to know if The Queen really did consider stepping down? Others are also curious about the portrayal of Princess Margaret in the show as the final episodes looked at the death of the Queen's beloved sister, and her ill health in the lead-up to her passing. In particular, fans are curious about Princess Margaret's 70th birthday party, which was shown to be a splendid affair at The Ritz.
In the show, Princess Margaret tells the Queen Mother and her sister Queen Elizabeth II, "Seeing as I'm going to be dead soon anyway, I thought I might as well go out with a bang. It's my 70th birthday this year, and I've decided I want to celebrate it with a nice big party. At the Ritz. Because we love The Ritx, don't we Lilibet?" But what was this last hurrah really like?
Here's what we know about the real Princess Margaret's 70th birthday party...
Did the Queen make a sentimental speech at Princess Margaret's 70th Birthday?
In the show, the Queen made a moving speech about Princess Margaret who she called her 'constant companion' and her 'Juno swan' who she was inseparable from. The speech was moving and mentioned their childhood, their naughty 'cousin Halifax' and her love for her 'dutiful' sister.
The speech was moving but sadly there is no evidence that the Queen ever gave this speech as it was a private affair away from cameras.
Did Princess Margaret really have her 70th birthday at the Ritz?
The BBC reported back in 2000, "Princess Margaret is celebrating her 70th birthday "privately", according to Buckingham Palace officials. She has suffered serious health problems over the past 18 months and will spend Monday with her close family at Balmoral."
However, Hola! reported a couple of months after the Princess's birthday on 21st August that she did in fact get her Ritz party, albeit a little delayed to October 25th - likely because of her health. "Princess Margaret celebrated her 70th birthday and her return to health as she joined 140 friends and family for a glittering dinner party at London’s Ritz hotel, organised by her son, David Linley," Hola! reported.
Hola! added, "The room, set out with dozens of small tables, had been lavishly decorated with banks of pink roses, Margaret’s favourite flowers. Accompanying Margaret was her daughter Lady Sarah Chatto, dressed in a pale blue chiffon dress and shawl shimmering with silver sequins, and daughter-in-law Serena in an exquisite embroidered silver dress. Absent from the party was the Queen Mother, who was still in Scotland."
In celebration of her 70th birthday, Princess Margaret also attended a 'Birthday Offering' ballet performance at London's Sadler's Wells Theatre, in October 2000, which was not portrayed in The Crown.
How old was Princess Margaret when she died?
Princess Margaret died at the age of 71, on February 9th 2002, just three days after the 50th anniversary of her father's death. Her mother, then died seven weeks after Princess Margaret, at the age of 101 in April 2000.
Princess Margaret had her first stroke in February 1998, while she was on holiday in Mustique, which The Crown accurately portrayed. The Princess went on to have several other strokes which left her with partial vision, paralysis, and scalds to her feet which was also accurately depicted in the Netflix series.
