Queen Elizabeth II was known to be responsible and dutiful, while her younger sister, Princess Margaret was famous for her rebellious streak, and yet despite these differences, the two sisters held a strong bond until Margaret’s passing in 2002.
“Lilibet is my pride. Margaret is my joy,” their father, King George VI, famously said of his daughters.
For her very first public address, at the young age of 14, Princess Elizabeth sat by her 10-year-old sister as she addressed the children of the Commonwealth during the war.
“My sister Margaret Rose and I feel so much for you as we know from experience what it means to be away from those we love most of all,” said Elizabeth, ending her speech by inviting Margaret to say “goodnight, children”.
Their relationship wasn’t without its ups and downs (famously the Queen could not legally approve of her sister’s relationship with the divorced Peter Townsend) but even amidst all the troubles, Margaret remained one of the Queen’s closest companions, said to have had a direct telephone line to the Queen in Buckingham Palace, which the two would use to “gossip and laugh”, family friend Reinaldo Herrera shared in Vanity Fair.
