Netflix's The Crown offers us a glimpse into the lives of the members of the British Royal Family. Splendor and luxurious costumes aside, the semi-fictional characters don't seem to be living their best lives. Being a representative of the Royal Family means following a rigid set of rules and putting the interests of the Crown above any personal interests.
One of the most tragic characters on the show is Princess Margaret. The fashionable younger sister always lived in her sister's shadow, despite the fact that she had a lot to offer: she was a smart social chameleon who was unfortunately never allowed to live up to her potential.
10 She Wanted To Be The Queen
When Edward VIII abdicated and George VI unexpectedly became a king, his two daughters had to instantly start learning their newly assumed roles. Elizabeth would one day become the Queen, but Margaret would always merely be the queen's sister.
When the two little girls discussed their futures, they both agreed that it's Margaret that should be the Queen: Elizabeth didn't enjoy all the attention anyway. They brought their idea to the staff, but they instantly got chided and put in their place.
9 She Couldn't Marry Peter Townsend
Peter Townsend was an honorable man, an equerry to King George VI for years and Queen Elizabeth II. Princess Margaret fell in love with the handsome Royal Air Force officer, but since he was divorced, the Queen couldn't give her blessing for the two to marry. They were urged to wait until the young princess was 25. Another option was for Princess Margaret to give up her spot in the line of succession, but she wouldn't do that either.
Peter Townsend is the only man that seemed to truly care about the Princess in The Crown. The fact that she couldn't marry who she loved haunted her for years. In season 4, she relives her past when Prince Charles similarly couldn't marry Camilla.
8 She Had A Horrible Marriage
For a brief period of time, it seemed like Margaret finally found her match in Antony Armstrong-Jones, a charming photographer. The Queen wasn't too happy, but she told her sister that "[she] will never do anything to block any marriage of [hers] ever again".
The two hit it off, but as we all saw in the series, it wasn't long until their marriage became a breeding ground for hate and resentment. Screaming matches, accusations, and infidelity led to a divorce in 1978.
7 The Family Was Never On Her Side
What's even worse is that the family didn't think much of Margaret; to them, she seemed childish and petty, but no one saw how much she was suffering. During one of their family dinners, the family raved about Tony's success without considering how that makes Margaret feel. It's as if they liked him better than they liked one of their own.
Of course, Margaret only came across as hysterical when she told the family off for liking Tony more than they liked her. Prince Phillip in particular was having none of her outcries.
6 She Struggled With Depression
When she wasn't performing her duty as the Queen's sister (and those were few and far between), Princess Margaret preferred to stay in bed. She slept in all the time, drank alcohol, and smoked cigarettes a lot. She was clearly depressed, but no one really paid her any mind. In season 3, she overdosed and almost died. In season 4, she finally went to see a therapist.
Her new-found passion was exploring the Royal family tree, namely the mysterious cousins who were locked away in a hospital and dead as far as the records were concerned. Margaret was clearly upset when she found out the truth, putting yet another dent in her relationship with Queen Mother.
5 Her Warnings Went Unnoticed
It's a well-known fact that families tend to repeat the same mistakes over and over again throughout generations. First, it was Margaret's uncle who was essentially banished for marrying the woman he loved, then Margaret had to give up the hopes of marrying Townsend, and finally, there was Prince Charles.
Because he had no voice, he took his frustrations out elsewhere. Consequently, he has done some pretty horrible things in season 4. Margaret was the only one who saw history repeat itself with the whole Camilla/Diana fiasco, but no one listened to her. Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth II just hoped that the problem would go away on its own.
4 She Almost Never Got A Chance To Shine
The Royal family treated Margaret like a ticking time bomb. The more they did it, the more impatient Margaret grew. When she finally got a chance to shine during her visit to President Lyndon B. Johnson, she did an absolutely marvelous job at representing the Queen. She was witty, elegant, and wildly successful - but she barely got any credit for it; after all, it was her duty to represent the family. Unlike her sister, she could read the room and act accordingly.
Princess Margaret was the most modern member of the Royal Family. She was clearly great at socializing: she never came across as stuck up, while walking the line between good and bad taste like an absolute pro.
3 She Was Desperate For Love
It was pretty hard to watch Princess Margaret grasp for any man who would give her some attention and make her feel loved for a little while. In the previous season, she had an affair with a young gardener named Robby. In this season, she was clearly strongly infatuated by Dazzy, the dazzling gay Catholic priest who turned down her advances.
In return, Margaret told him to leave and never come back again. She was looking for love in all the wrong places. Another tragic thing is that when it came down to her love life vs. her loyalty to her sister, the latter always prevailed.
2 The Royal Demotion
When Prince Edward turned 21 years old in "The Hereditary Principle", Margaret suffered a painful Royal demotion. Since there can only be six Counsellors of State and Edward automatically became one on his 21st birthday, there was no room left for Margaret.
This was right after Margaret asked her sister to give her more things to do: it's lack of purpose that made her feel so depressed. The Queen told her little sister that there is nothing she can really do - the Regency Act must be obeyed. Poor Margaret: all she ever wanted was, well, a job.
1 She's Never Seen With Her Children
The Crown only showed us the Princess's pregnancy very briefly and as far as her children are concerned, there is barely any mention of them. They could be seen in the family portrait in the season 2 finale, but we never got to see Margaret as a mother.
As we had seen with Queen Elizabeth II's children, the Royal children aren't really raised by their parents. Instead, they grow more and more estranged with years.
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