A week ago today, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch was laid to rest at St George’s Chapel, alongside her beloved husband, Prince Philip, her father, King George VI, and mother, Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and a casket with Princess Margaret’s ashes.
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Princess Margaret chose to be cremated
King George VI was laid to rest in St George’s Chapel after he passed away in 1952.
The Mirrorreports that Princess Margaret wanted to be laid to rest alongside her father. However, the Princess believed there was ‘no room’ in the Royal Vault for her to be able to have a more traditional burial.
The Scotsman reported at the time that a close friend of Princess Margaret revealed the Countess of Snowdon didn't approve of her burial site:
She told me that she found Frogmore very gloomy
When Princess Margaret passed away in February 2002, she left ‘closely scripted instructions’ for her funeral plans and forbade any family member from attending her cremation.
The Countess of Snowdon was cremated at Slough Crematorium, and her ashes were later moved to the Royal Vault at St George’s Chapel.
Only one other Royal has been cremated
It is tradition for Royal Family members to be buried or interred rather than cremated. Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, was the only other Royal to have chosen cremation.
Born in 1848, Princess Louise was the 4th daughter and 6th child of Queen Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort.
Princess Louise was an artist and sculptor. According to englishmonarchs.co.uk, she created the marble statue of Queen Victoria on the grounds of Kensington Palace and designed the memorial to Canadian casualties of the Boer War in St. Paul's Cathedral.
Princess Louise was considered to be an unconventional royal who disliked royal rituals. She decided upon her death in 1939 that she would be cremated. However, there are no records of why Princess Louise chose cremation over a traditional burial.
Sources used:
- The Mirror: 'Why was Princess Margaret cremated instead of being buried?'
- Evening Standard: 'Why was Princess Margaret cremated? Breaking with royal tradition'
- englishmonarchs.co.uk: 'Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll'
- The Scotsman: 'Margaret to be cremated because burial ‘too gloomy’'
Read more:
⋙ Princess Anne makes history again at the Queen's funeral by defying tradition
⋙ The Queen wanted a not so ‘boring’ funeral, claims ex-archbishop
⋙ The Queen’s funeral: The final stage of the Queen’s journey to Windsor revealed
