A new book claims that Princess Margaret may have had fetal alcohol syndrome, a condition that affects babies when their mother drinks while carrying them. It can have a range of impacts on a child.
New claims about Princess Margaret
Meryle Secrest argues, in her latest publication Princess Margaret and the Curse, that the sister of Queen Elizabeth II was born with ‘an invisible disability’ caused by exposure to alcohol in the womb. She says that the Princess, who died in 2002 at the age of 71, had mood swings and some difficulties learning to write which are both indicators of the condition. She also points to Margaret being 5 foot 1 inch tall and argues that this is a sign of the stunted growth that can accompany foetal alcohol syndrome.
She also argues that Queen Elizabeth II was unaffected as the Queen Mother was on record as saying during her pregnancy with her that she couldn’t abide the thought of alcohol. However, no such comments were made when she was expecting Margaret.
Critics argue that it’s just guesswork and that Margaret’s personality was who she was. The Princess was also known for her sharp wit, her passion for and knowledge of the arts and her quick and clever conversation. The assertion that she was impacted by foetal alcohol syndrome, while provocative, demands careful examination through the lenses of historical context, medical science, and available evidence.
Foetal alcohol syndrome is a serious condition that can occur in children whose mothers consumed significant amounts of alcohol during pregnancy. Its features include stunted growth, distinctive facial features, neurological deficits, intellectual disabilities, and behavioural difficulties. The syndrome was first medically described in detail in the 1970s, although the dangers of alcohol consumption in pregnancy had been noted earlier in less scientific terms.
FAS requires heavy, sustained alcohol use during pregnancy, particularly during the first trimester, when foetal development is most vulnerable. Diagnosis is based on a combination of physical characteristics, growth parameters, and neurodevelopmental impacts. Importantly, FAS is not just a matter of exposure to alcohol in utero; it is a specific, diagnosable syndrome with clear criteria.
The Queen Mother, born Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, was known for her sociable personality and reportedly enjoyed alcohol, especially in later years. Anecdotes about her fondness for gin and Dubonnet are well documented in royal biographies, memoirs, and press reports. However, there is a significant difference between enjoying occasional drinks as part of upper-class British society and chronic, heavy drinking that would risk foetal health.
It is also essential to consider the cultural context of the early 20th century. During the 1920s and 1930s, the dangers of alcohol in pregnancy were not widely known or publicized. Social drinking was common, but the idea of abstaining completely during pregnancy did not become mainstream medical advice until decades later.
Princess Margaret was born on August 21, 1930, the second daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother). Royal records and biographies describe Margaret as a healthy, lively infant and child. Photographs from her youth show a smiling girl with typical appearance for her age. She went on to live a public life, noted for her charisma, beauty, and social energy.
Given that FAS typically involves clear physical markers such as a smooth philtrum, thin upper lip, and small eye openings, as well as growth deficiencies, it is unlikely that Margaret, whose childhood and adulthood are so well documented photographically, would have escaped public notice if she displayed these features. Nor is there credible historical record of her experiencing the sort of intellectual or neurological deficits characteristic of FAS.
The idea that Princess Margaret was affected by foetal alcohol syndrome appears to have emerged much later, within the context of public fascination with royal secrets and dysfunction. It is not supported by any medical diagnosis, historical documentation, or first-hand accounts from those close to her. Royal biographers, family members, and contemporaries describe Margaret as intelligent, witty, wilful, and sometimes self-destructive, but not as having cognitive or behavioural issues consistent with FAS.
Moreover, the Queen Mother’s drinking habits, while fondly recalled as part of her social persona, have not been documented as excessive or problematic during her pregnancies.
In summary, while the Queen Mother enjoyed alcohol and Princess Margaret was a colourful, sometimes controversial figure, there is no clinical or historical evidence that Princess Margaret was affected by foetal alcohol syndrome. The claim has excited debate and is, perhaps, a reminder that royalty, even in death, remains a public spectacle where the person behind the image can be lost to the idea of who they are.
