Reports indicate that Queen Elizabeth was "extremely displeased" by a comment allegedly made by Donald Trump regarding her deceased sister, Princess Margaret.
Despite Trump's assertion that he was Queen Elizabeth II's "favorite president," he reportedly caused a disturbance during his tenure as US leader when he and his wife Melania visited the U.K.
Today, a source organizing the trip told reporters that Trump erred by stating that Margaret must have been a challenging sister, as per The Mirror. The Queen was exceedingly displeased with this comment, which she perceived as uninformed and dangerous. She consistently defended Margaret vehemently.
Princess Margaret, the sole sibling of the Queen, passed away in 2002 at the age of 71, following her fourth stroke in four years. Her union with Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, often garnered media attention due to their involvement in extramarital affairs before their separation in 1976 and subsequent divorce in 1978.
Queen Elizabeth consistently supported her younger sister despite the adverse headlines surrounding the 18-year marriage. The rationale behind Trump's purported statements remains ambiguous; nonetheless, the statement in 2018 occurred after Netflix's portrayal of Margaret in "The Crown" as rebellious, volatile, and resentful towards her elder sister.
The second season had recently premiered on Netflix and depicted the initial four years of Margaret's marriage to Lord Snowdon, a British photographer.
However, Trump, poised to resume his role as US President, asserted that the remarks were "totally false." He informed The Daily Mail: "I heard I was her favourite president. I had a great relationship with the Queen. She liked me and I liked her. She was an amazing woman."
The purported remarks incited discussion on social media. "If this is true, Trump really didn’t understand how protective the Queen was of Margaret," a netizen wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “The Queen had every right to be upset. Margaret’s memory deserves respect," another X user penned.
“This just adds another layer to Trump’s controversial record in international diplomacy," a third source claimed. “Margaret’s life was so complicated. The last thing she needs is criticism from Trump," another X user added.
“If the Queen was upset, you can bet the Palace was in damage-control mode," a fifth netizen said. “The Crown portrayed Margaret brilliantly. Trump’s remarks feel out of touch if true," another X user retorted.
Vanessa Kirby depicted Margaret in the initial two seasons of "The Crown," followed by Helena Bonham Carter in the third and fourth series and Lesley Manville in the fifth and sixth seasons, as per The New York Times. Margaret's choice to forgo marriage to Peter Townsend was prominently depicted, with the Queen and her administration opposing her wish to wed the divorced Group Captain, which necessitated the monarch's consent under the Royal Marriages Act of 1772.
A proposal was devised to modify the Act to permit the marriage while excluding Margaret and her offspring from the line of succession.
Business Times has reached out to Donald Trump's camp for comments.
