And of their five children, two grown-up sons died, while a third son had to be nursed back from a coma by Anne, after having suffered a near fatal accident. On Lord Glenconner's death in 2010 he left his fortune to a former employee. Together they turned the island into a paradise for the rich and famous, including Mick Jagger and David Bowie, and it became a favourite retreat for Princess Margaret. But beneath the glitz and glamour there has also lurked tragedy. She married the charismatic but highly volatile Colin Tennant, Lord Glenconner, who became the owner of Mustique. From Maid of Honour at the Queen's Coronation to Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret, Lady Glenconner is a unique witness to royal history, as well as an extraordinary survivor of a generation of aristocratic women trapped without inheritance and burdened with social expectations. Bordering Sandringham the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret were frequent playmates. Her childhood home Holkham Hall is one of the grandest estates in England. Eldest child of the 5th Earl of Leicester, she was, as a daughter, described as 'the greatest disappointment' by her family as she was unable to inherit.

Anne Glenconner has been close to the Royal Family since childhood. Anne Glenconner reveals the real events behind The Crown as well as her own life of drama, tragedy and courage, with the wonderful wit and extraordinary resilience which define her.

The remarkable life of Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret who was also a Maid of Honour at the Queen's Coronation - and is a character in THE CROWN this spring. Print Lady in Waiting - My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown

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