Lady Anne Glenconner, author and former lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret, has revealed the royal had a secret domestic side, including a surprising love for cleaning her car while wearing yellow Marigold gloves.
In an exclusive interview with Hello! Magazine, Lady Anne shared unexpected details about Princess Margaret's private behaviour. She said: “She loved cleaning my car and she had a huge pair of yellow Marigold gloves.”
Chandelier dismantling surprise
Lady Anne also recounted an incident involving a chandelier in her home. She said: “I had a chandelier and to my horror, she managed to get that down. I don't know how she did it. She started taking off bits, and I said: ‘Well, ma'am, how do you know how to put it together again?’ and she was a bit taken aback, because she'd rather forgotten about that.”
Lady Anne's latest book, Trunks & Tiaras: Journeys through life with friends, family and a princess, marks her seventh release. The writer, now aged 94, did not start writing until she was 87, and she says this book will be her final published work.
Royal connections and friendship
Lady Anne served as a maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth II at her 1953 coronation. She now lives in Norfolk but visits the nearby Sandringham estate, where she frequently dines with her friend, King Charles, Hello! reports. In 2023, she attended his coronation, making her one of the few people to attend both the coronations of King Charles and his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Reflecting on her friendship with Princess Margaret, she says they got on very well. Her latest book is an ode to their friendship; she says: “I really loved her, and she was a wonderful friend to me.”
Princess Margaret's legacy
The youngest child of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother), Princess Margaret is best remembered today for her party-loving lifestyle, her fashion sense, and her turbulent relationships. Margaret had a close relationship with her sister, Queen Elizabeth II but reportedly fought with her as a child.
The sisters reportedly enjoyed a relatively ordinary upbringing for children of their wealth and social position. Marion Crawford, who worked for 17 years as a governess for the family, wrote in an unauthorised biography titled The Little Princesses that they were “two entirely normal and healthy” little girls.
