The UK was a nation in grief on Saturday following the death of Princess Margaret. A notice announcing Princess Margaret's passing was posted on the gates of Buckingham Palace where a steady stream of well-wishers, many bearing bouquets of flowers, gathered. Others learnt of the royal death only upon their arrival at the Palace.
At Saturday morning’s traditional Trooping Of The Colour, members of the Household Cavalry bore black arm bands. And, for only the second time in history, the Union flag fluttered at half mast over the Palace. The first occasion was in 1997 when the death of another royal rebel, Princess Diana, prompted the Queen to break with royal protocol to request the flag be lowered.
The Union flag flies over the Palace whenever the Queen, who is currently at Windsor Castle, is not in London. When the monarch is in residence the flagpole is topped by the red and gold Royal Standard, symbolic of the continuity of the monarchy. The Standard is never flown at half-mast, not even upon the death of a sovereign.
Margaret’s fatal stroke will inevitably cast a shadow over the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations which include a nationwide tour. Buckingham Palace has announced, however, that the monarch's upcoming trip to Jamaica, Australia and New Zealand, due to begin on February 18, will go ahead as scheduled.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
For only the second time in history, the Union flag flew at half mast on Saturday in tribute to Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II
Photo: © Alphapress.com
At Saturday morning's traditional Trooping of the Colour outside Buckingham Palace, members of the Household Cavalry (above) bore black arm bands
Photo: © Alphapress.com
On Saturday a regular stream of wellwishers made their way to the Palace where an official notice of Margaret's demise was posted on the gates
