Late royal’s demanding streak resurfaces in insider accounts
Fresh claims about Princess Margaret’s treatment of palace staff have resurfaced, drawing comparisons to the accusations once levelled against Meghan Markle.
In his biography Yes, Ma’am, author Tom Quinn reveals that Margaret was known among staff as “extremely demanding and bad-tempered.” Insiders recalled that she would lash out if her belongings were moved without permission, sometimes berating servants publicly in a way that left them humiliated.
“She had, I think, a slightly sadistic streak or maybe wanted to hurt people because she had been hurt,” one former staff member told Quinn. The author suggested her anger often stemmed from frustration with her personal life, especially her troubled marriage to Lord Snowdon. Even her sister, Queen Elizabeth II, was not spared from Margaret’s sharp temper.
The revelations echo more recent allegations directed at Meghan Markle. Dubbed “Duchess Difficult” by palace insiders, Meghan was accused of behaviour that reportedly led to staff resignations and claims of bullying, with some team members reduced to tears.
Meghan has firmly denied the accusations, dismissing them as part of a “calculated smear campaign.”
Though separated by decades, both women have faced reputations shaped not just by public roles but also by insider accounts of how they treated those working closest to them.
