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| Sunday, 10 February 2002 |
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Britain's Princess Margaret dies after stroke: royal palace LONDON, Feb 9 (AFP) - Britain's Princess Margaret, younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, died early Saturday after suffering a stroke, Buckingham Palace announced in an official statement. Aged 71 and after years of deteriorating health, she died peacefully in her sleep after developing heart problems overnight. The Palace said her children, Lord David Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto, had been at her bedside. "The Queen, with great sadness, has asked for the following announcement to be made immediately... her beloved sister, Princess Margaret, died peacefully in her sleep this morning at 6:30am (GMT) in the King Edward VII Hospital," it said. The princess suffered a stroke on Friday, developed cardiac problems during the night and was rushed from her Kensington Palace residence to the exclusive King Edward VII Hospital in central London at 2:30am. "Her children, Lord Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto, were at her side ... and the Queen was kept fully informed throughout the night," the statement added. "Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and other members of the royal family are being informed." Speaking on his plane on his way to Sierra Leone, Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "I'm deeply saddened to hear of the death of Princess Margaret. "My thoughts are with the Queen, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and the rest of the royal family at this time." Margaret had suffered four strokes in as many years. She was last seen in public before Christmas at the 100th birthday party of Princess Alice, the Dowager Duchess of Gloucester. She appeared to be in poor health, her face puffy, probably the effects of medication, confined to a wheelchair and wearing heavy dark glasses, her sight having been affected by a stroke. Queen Elizabeth, 75, left Sandringham, her royal estate in eastern England where she has spent the last few days, and travelled to Windsor Castle west of London to remain in closer touch. Their mother, the 101-year-old Queen Mother, who is herself recovering from a persistent chesty cold, stayed on at Sandringham. Margaret's death will likely cast a shadow over this year's golden jubilee festivities marking the 50 years of Elizabeth's reign. Earlier this week, on Wednesday, the family marked the 50th anniversary of the death of King George VI. A nationwide tour and a full programme of jubilee celebrations is planned for later in the year. Later this month, on February 18, the Queen is due to commence a visit to Jamaica, New Zealand and Australia. Born a king's daughter with wealth and status, Margaret's life was far from a fairytale, imprisoned by the confines of her elevated status. Her romances made world headlines for more than three decades -- a war hero whose love she had to renounce because he was a divorcee, a playboy she turned down, the brilliant photographer she married and divorced. A heavy smoker most of her life, keen on whisky, gin and luxuries, a party creature -- she led a glamorous, rather turbulent life, to the extent that she was described by some as the "black sheep" of the royal family. |
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