THE younger sister of the late Queen remains the only senior royal to be cremated.

The late Queen and Princess Margaret were very close throughout their lives until Margaret died in 2002 due to complications after a stroke.

How old was Princess Margaret when she died?

Princess Margaret died on February 9, 2002, aged 71.

Princess Margaret’s later years of life were stricken by illness and disability.

She had started smoking cigarettes in her late teens and continued to smoke heavily for a long time after.

In the 1970s, the princess had a nervous breakdown and was treated for depression. She also suffered from migraines, laryngitis and bronchitis.

On January 5, 1985, she had part of her left lung removed, a similar procedure her father endured over 30 years prior.

In 1991 she quit smoking, however, continued to be a heavy drinker.

In January 1993, Margaret spent some time in the hospital being treated for pneumonia. She then suffered a mild stroke in February 1998 while away at her holiday home.

The stroke affected her mobility and her ability to swallow, as a result, she needed mobility aids to support her while mobilising.

The princess was hospitalised once more on January 10, 2001, after a further stroke. By March 2001, the strokes had left her with loss of vision and paralysis on her left side.

Princess Margaret died on February 9, 2002, aged 71.

Tragically, just seven weeks after her daughter’s death, the Queen Mother died in her sleep at the age of 101.

What was Princess Margaret’s cause of death?

Princess Margaret had three strokes between 1998 and 2001.

The last 20 years of her life were marred by ill health and a continued deterioration in her health.

It was announced that Margaret had suffered a stroke which was then followed by cardiac problems and she passed away soon after.

How did the Queen react to Princess Margret’s death?

The late Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret shared a close bond throughout their lives until Margaret passed away in 2002.

Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen, with great sadness, has asked for the following announcement to be made immediately.

“Her beloved sister, Princess Margaret, died peacefully in her sleep this morning at 6.30 am, in The King Edward VII hospital.

“Her children, Lord Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto were at her side.”

During Margaret’s funeral, Queen Elizabeth openly cried, one of the rare occasions the monarch showed emotion in a public setting.