Princess Margaret's legacy under fire after bombshell claims

A new book titled Princess Margaret and the Curse: An Inquiry into a Royal Life has sparked controversy with claims that Princess Margaret was born with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) due to her mother, the Queen Mother's, alleged heavy drinking during pregnancy. 

Pulitzer Prize-nominated biographer Meryle Secrest makes this claim, citing the royal's mood swings, stunted growth, learning difficulties, and migraines as potential symptoms.

However, a former close friend of Princess Margaret has come forward to defend the late royal, calling the claims "bizarre and ridiculous". 

"It is truly bizarre to suggest that everything that happened to the Princess can be put down to how much the Queen Mother drank while pregnant. And not just bizarre but ridiculous," the friend told the Daily Mail. 

"Her life was not one long tragedy: she was an intelligent woman with a wide circle of interests and friends and was a mother and grandmother."

Many have echoed the friend's sentiments online, expressing outrage over the book's claims. Biographer and journalist Christopher Wilson wrote on X: "Crazy theory containing not a shred of proof turned into a book." 

A royal fan added: "Disgraceful. Princess Margaret was beautiful and elegant. Witty, fun and feisty. Her face showed no signs of FASD."

The book cites the Queen Mother's Scottish family, the aristocratic Bowes-Lyon clan, as being "hard drinkers" with an ability to "hold their liquor". 

The author notes that in the 1930s, when the Queen Mother was pregnant with Margaret, there was no official medical advice for expectant mothers to stop consuming alcohol.

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a condition that develops in a fetus when a pregnant woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy. 

According to the Cleveland Clinic, FAS can cause lifelong physical and behavioral challenges. The National Organisation for FASD has expressed concern over speculative reporting on the condition, emphasizing the importance of sensitively reflecting real lived experiences and the latest science.