The almost universal conception is that the life of Princess Margaret Rose (1930-2002) was a tragic failure, a history of unfulfilment. Tim Heald's vivid and elegantly written biography portrays a woman who was beautiful and sexually alluring - even more so than Princess Diana years later - and whose reputation for naughtiness co-existed with the glamour. The mythology is that Margaret's life was 'ruined' by her not being allowed to marry the one true love of her life - Group Captain Peter Townsend. Therefore her marriage to Lord Snowdon and her well-attested relationships with Roddy Llewellyn, Robin Douglas-Home and others were mere consolation prizes. Margaret's often exotic personal life in places like Mustique is a key part of her story. Yet Tim Heald's book asks why one of the most famous and loved little girls in the world, who became a juvenile wartime sweetheart, ended her life publicly reviled or ignored. This is a story of a life in which the private and the public seemed permanently in conflict. It is also a life that presents the opportunity to examine the 20th century history of the Royal Family, of Great Britain and our expectations of the monarchy and celebrity.

Author Biography

Tim Heald is a biographer, crimewriter and journalist. He was chosen by Prince Philip to be his biographer on his 70th birthday. He has been a contributor to many television obituaries of royal figures, including Prince Philip, Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother.