The mortal remains of Princess Margaret, sister of Queen Elizabeth II, are to be cremated at a simple ceremony which, according to her wishes, will forgo the pomp and circumstance of a royal funeral, Buckingham Palace has confirmed. Margaret’s body will be cremated at a municipal crematorium in the town of Slough, not far from Windsor, following her funeral on Friday at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, exactly 50 years to the day after her father King George VI was laid to rest.
At the Princess’ request, no member of her family or friends – not even her children or sister - will witness the Princess’ final departure. Her ashes will then be placed in a casket beside the coffin of her father. Defying convention in death as well as in life, Princess Margaret’s unusual decision was made several years before she became ill. The last member of the Royal Family to be cremated was Queen Victoria's daughter Princess Louise, in 1939.
Further details of Margaret's funeral will not be made public until later in the week, as requested by her children, Viscount Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto.
On Tuesday, the Queen made her first public appearance since the death of her younger sister. Dressed in black, Queen Elizabeth travelled to Whitechapel in east London to reopen the Salvation Army’s Booth House hostel for homeless men, which recently underwent an £8 million refurbishment. Buckingham Palace stressed that the Queen’s decision to resume public duties was motivated by her late sister’s wish that her death not affect the day-to-day running of the monarchy.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Princess Margaret will be the first British royal to be cremated in over 60 years, defying royal tradition in death as she sometimes did in life
Photo: © Alphapress.com
On Tuesday, the Queen made her first public appearance since the death of her younger sister
