34 of Princess Margaret's most iconic looks
The Royal Family today aren't exactly shy of a scandal, but it's fair to say the likes of Kate Middleton and Duchess Sophie know how to put their best foot forward, from a PR angle.
That hasn't always been the case with the royals, and no-one embodied this more than Princess Margaret. Often dubbed the rebel royal, the sister of Queen Elizabeth II was never afraid of insulting someone with a witty - but acerbic - comment, and she never shied away from the spoils of being royals (her decadent morning routine alone proves that).
Sassy, stylish and strong-willed, Princess Margaret's clothes often reflected her indominable presence. So let's revisit some of her iconic looks...
This updated edition sees Christopher Warwick delve into the life of the late Princess Margaret. Reflecting her deep complexity as a royal, he charts her life as a younger daughter, marriage to photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones and the formation of the "Margaret legend". View Deal
34 of Princess Margaret's most iconic looks
1. Princess Margaret's 1944 portrait
The teenaged Princess sat for a royal portrait from famed photographer Cecil Beaton in 1944, wearing a formal evening dress with sequined butterflies around the shoulder, and holding two pink roses.
The picture of innocence and glamour, she paired the gown with pearls around her neck and her wrist.
2. Princess Margaret's avant garde feather hat, 1963
While Queen Elizabeth was renowned for a plethora of flamboyant hats, her younger sister wasn't far behind!
This photo from 1963 proves that the Princess was ahead of her time when it came to adorning unusual accessories, sporting a feathery hat which looked both artistic and modern.
3. Princess Margaret mingles with the stars, 1951
Proving that she could outshine Hollywood's brightest stars, the 21-year-old Princess looked utterly timeless in this glamorous gown and white fur stole as she attended the premiere of the film Captain Horatio Hornblower at the Warner Theatre in London's Leicester Square.
4. Princess Margaret's ivory suit and hat, 1964
Accompanying her husband, Lord Snowdon, to the Earl's Court Motor Show in 1964, Margaret cut a regal figure in this refined ivory suit with matching hat. Featuring an intricate pattern, Margaret added a touch of glamour with a subtle brooch and pearl earrings.
5. Princess Margaret wearing a floral dress in Trinidad
The Princess took a royal tour of the West Indies in 1958, where she embraced the heat in this flirty, youthful floral dress. Mixing the young vibes with something classic, Margaret added an elegant element with a double string of pearls and white gloves.
6. The Princess in pink polka dots
This look captures a Princess Margaret classic - mixing something modern with something traditional. For the re-opening of the Women's Resident Training college for elementary school teachers at Avery Hill, Eltham in 1949, she paired a playful pink and white polka dotted dress with a belt and a brooch. She added a touch of royal tradition with pair of white gloves, a white bag, hat, and pearls.
7. Princess Margaret's lace dress, 1949
In the same year the Princess wore the technicolour pink polka dot we saw before, she proved she could still cut a regal figure in this elegant long, lace gown. Receiving a bouquet of flowers, Margaret is also wearing a pair of long gloves for a look that is full of old world charm.
8. Princess Margaret in shades of blue, 1956
The Royal Family wear blue more than most other colours supposedly to send a message of trust. Beating the younger crop of royals to this love of the hue, Princess Margaret sparkled in a sea of blue shades while on her five week tour of Africa in 1956.
9. Royalty channelling historic royalty
Princess Margaret embodied her royal ancestry when she donned a historic eighteenth Century ballgown and wig. Margaret wore the ensemble to the Georgian Ball, a charity event in aid of the Friends of St. John's at the Mansion House in London, in 1964.
10. Princess Margaret goes green for Ascot, 1990
An iconic look doesn't necessarily mean a good one... Princess Margaret went big and bold for Royal Ascot in 1990, wearing a huge furry green hat and matching suit. This is not a look just anyone could pull off, so (huge) hats off to the Princess for daring to stand out.
11. Princess Margaret's sleeveless floral dress, 1973
While subtle, this look from the Princess in 1973 proved she was always going to do things her way. It's not too often you see a royal without the top of their arms covered, so this sleeveless, structured floral dress definitely won the Princess style points among her contemporaries.
And extra points for those spectacular earrings, made more noticeable thanks to the bouffant hair.
12. Princess Margaret's classic countryside look,
Sure, she loved hanging with artists or choosing a bright and bold outfit, but Princess Margaret was an English girl through and through. She often stole the show when dressing down with her mother and sister for various outdoor appearances, as she did with this 1973 badminton appearance, rocking an Hermes headscarf alongside a checker print coat.
13. Feathers and florals, 1979
Looking fresh for the summery season, Princess Margaret attended the 1979 Royal Ascot Races in a floral patterned dress. Her accessories all stuck to the theme, looking bright and light with white strappy heels and a feathered white hat.
14. The Lotus Flower tiara and ballgown
In honour of her return from a tour of the West Indies in 1958, Princess Margaret was welcomed with a stunning reception at Mansion House. For the occasion, she proved her Princess credentials in the most gorgeous ballgown - but the real style highlight was one of the early appearances of her Lotus Flower tiara.
Made from a necklace given as a wedding gift to the Queen Mother from her husband in 1923, the Lotus Flower Tiara was given by the Queen Mother to Princess Margaret in the late 1950s, becoming a favourite of hers for the rest of her life.
15. Princess Margaret's daisy chain hat
Flowers on hats is a common theme for members of the Royal Family - and millinery fashion in general - but Princess Margaret took it that little step further (of course). Rather than featuring flowers, the entire hat appears to be made up of connecting daisies, for a fetching and unforgettable style moment.
16. Princess Margaret pays respects to JFK
Princess Margaret and her husband Lord Snowdon attended a memorial service for President John F. Kennedy after his assassination in 1963. A sombre occasion, Margaret proved she could look chic and stylish in all black.
17. Jewels and ruffles, 1960
With huge teardrop earrings and a gorgeous cascading necklace, Princess Margaret's 1960 appearance for the premiere of The Alamo proved that she could still dazzle in something classic during the swinging 60s.
18. Princess Margaret at the New York ballet
Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones attended the Royal Ballet at the Met in New York City in 1974, and Margaret captured the whimsical romance of the ballet for the occasion. Her fine, sheer cape and embellished gown could've been plucked from a stage costume.
19. Pretty in pale pink, 1949
For another official portrait in 1949 - again by Cecil Beaton - the Princess (who was aged 19 at the time) opted for an ornate pink gown, complete with ruffles and paired with several strings of pearls.
20. Princess Margaret's checked coat
In 1968, while supervising her son, nephew Prince Charles and niece Princess Anne, Margaret attended the Braemar Games in Scotland in 1968. Bringing a touch of American glamour to the highlands, she channelled Jackie Kennedy with a blue pillbox hat, paired with a checked print coat.
21. Fur to the supermarket
There's something that feels so right about seeing Princess Margaret don a full fur coat to visit a supermarket opening. With sparkling diamond earrings to boot, Margaret most definitely gave fans a royal treat with this opulent outfit.
22. Orange for Trooping the Colour, 1981
We love this simple yet standout look for Trooping the Colour in 1981. While the pastel orange coat is eye-catching, it's the subtle matching orange appliques embedded in the white pillbox hat's veil which tie the look together, for something that was classic Margaret.
23. Margaret's peacock hat
We've said it many times, but there was never really any way Princess Margaret could ever be considered shy. So, it was very apt that she wore an attention-grabbing peacock feather hat in 1973.
24. Baby pink from head to toe
Later in her life, Princess Margaret often stuck to a theme when it came to her outfits - and that was dressing all in one colour. For the National Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen Mother's 100th birthday, Margaret opted for a soft, baby pink.
25. Country chic
There's something so effortless and so effective about this look. From the matching headscarf and coat to the sunglasses, Princess Margaret proved she could still look powerful when dressed down for a day outside.
26. Canary yellow
Princess Margaret's canary yellow look from 1962 has us singing a happy tune. While the hat could verge on looking a bit 'Big Bird from Sesame Street', the Princess pulled it off with aplomb when visiting Denbeigh in Jamaica.
27. A cheerful yellow and white print
Not quite polka dots but still evoking the playful print made popular throughout the 1960s, Margaret's bright yellow and white print dress is paired perfectly with a pair of standout gold earrings and her trademark strings of pearls.
28. Princess Margaret's classic 60s ensemble, 1967
Big bows and bigger hair were very much the style of the time, and Margaret found a way to merge royalty with modernity. She wore a funky patterned dress and a blue hair bow while walking with her husband - the Earl of Snowdon - on a pontoon in the Bahamas in 1967.
29. Princess Margaret's turquoise gown and necklace
A truly stunning style moment, Princess Margaret went full regal glamour in a caped blue gown to the London Palladium for the Queen Mother's 90th Birthday on July 19, 1990. It's very likely the shade of the dress was chosen to complement her choice of jewellery on the night - the turquoise necklace which belonged to the set that also included her Triumph of Love tiara.
30. Princess Margaret's amber tones
Princess Margaret wore this warm, golden toned orange and yellow dress while meeting with the Aga Khan at his vacation resort in 1967. The sun-kissed look was made perfect with her oversized hoop earrings.
31. A plume of red
In 1991, Princess Margaret attended an opening at Kew Gardens in this fiery red ensemble. It's hard to identify the standout piece of the look - from the huge feathery red hat to the enchanting ruby earrings or her iconic Diamond and Ruby flower brooch.
32. Princess Margaret's leopard print look, 1957
Once again showcasing a skill to incorporate something more modern and daring than traditional royal fashion, Princess Margaret was rocking leopard print decades before the likes of Shania Twain.
Her added red handbag is a great pop of colour which works perfectly with the leopard coat.
33. Bold yellow for Trooping the Colour, 1993
On the one hand, this yellow suit with distinct white lapels might scream Jim Carrey's The Mask. But, thanks to Princess Margaret's panache, it feels emblematic of the defiant royal. Sticking to vibrant hues and streamlined silhouettes well into the 1990s, they defied trends and stuck to looks that stick in the memory.
34. Princess Margaret's wedding look, 1960
On May 6, 1960, Princess Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones at Westminster Abbey. It made history as the first royal wedding to be broadcast on television, with an estimated 300 million viewers tuning in around the world - and they all wanted to see what the Queen's vibrant young sister would wear.
And she delivered. Margaret wore a silk organza wedding dress designed by Norman Hartnell, the royal couturier who had created the Queen's bridal gown 13 years before. It was reportedly dubbed "the simplest royal wedding gown in history" - but it still required over 30 metres of fabric and cathedral length veil.
The Poltimore Tiara also broke with convention on the day, as the rebellious Princess had paid for it herself - eschewing the tradition of borrowing something from the vaults.