The Truth About Queen Elizabeth And Princess Margaret's Relationship

Sibling rivalry is one of those things that is pretty much unavoidable in families that have more than one child. Ideally, the level of competition remains pretty friendly, like trying to see who can get the best grades or be the star of the school sports team. However, when there is more than sports trophies and gold stars on the line, there is definitely a larger chance of conflict or drama. This is especially true when it comes to high profile royal families like that of Queen Elizabeth II.

According to Refinery 29, there has been a recent focus on the relationship between Queen Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret. Margaret was Elizabeth's younger sister and only sibling, and Vanity Fair tells us that while growing up, the two were very close. Of course, as children in the British royal family, they had an unusual upbringing and added pressure from the public eye. Soon, it became more clear that the two sisters had different personalities. Elizabeth was the more stoic and reserved of the two, while Margaret was reportedly a little more wild and outgoing. This became even more obvious when Elizabeth was crowned queen in 1952.

The sisters did attempt to keep their relationship close after Elizabeth took the throne. Despite their efforts to maintain their sisterhood, they were not able to avoid all bumps in the road. According to Vogue, one of the larger conflicts between the two arose when Margaret decided that she wanted to marry a man named Peter Townsend. For various reasons, Elizabeth could not condone the marriage and that caused tension between the sisters.

Despite some of their rocky times, the siblings still managed to maintain their relationship. Per Refinery 29, they had a direct phone line to each other, even after Elizabeth was crowned queen, to keep in communication. The stress of royal duties tried to keep them apart, but the two remained each other's confidant and closest companion. When Margaret passed away in 2002, Elizabeth was heartbroken and actually openly cried in public at her sister's funeral. While every sibling relationship has its ups and downs, these sisters truly loved and supported each other, no matter what life threw their way.