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Britain reacts to Margaret's death

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A police officer guides a child into a special enclosure to lay floral tributes outside Buckingham Palace  


LONDON, England (CNN) -- Britain's officials and royal family led the nation in expressing its grief once more at the death of a princess.

Heir to the throne Prince Charles spoke to the nation in a special televised interview, saying Princess Margaret would be "terribly missed."

A statement from the Queen Mother's official residence, Clarence House, said: "The Queen Mother has been told of the sad news of the death of Princess Margaret and she is deeply saddened."

Lord Snowdon, Princess Margaret's former husband, said of their children: "Both Lord Linley and Lady Sarah are in close touch and informed me about the princess's death early this morning. We are all extremely saddened."

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Prime Minister Tony Blair was en route to Sierra Leone when the news came through.

On his arrival Blair, wearing a black tie after changing on the plane, said: "I know the whole country will be deeply saddened by Princess Margaret's death. She will be remembered with a lot of affection.

"Before she was ill in the last few years, she gave a great deal of service to the country and our thoughts are with the queen, the Queen Mother and all the royal family at this difficult time."

Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith said: "She will be sorely missed. She was an active member of the royal family and a strong servant of her country."

A long-time friend of Princess Margaret, the Conservative former Cabinet minister Lord St. John of Fawsley, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "She was a person of such great vitality that her death comes as a particular blow and loss.

"I have got wonderful memories of her. She was the most beautiful debutante of her generation and she kept that beauty right through her life.

"She was highly intelligent. In many ways, she was one of the most intelligent women, one of the cleverest women, I have ever met, and she never really had an outlet for that intelligence.

"She had a turbulent life, of course, but at the close of her life -- in the last decade -- she had somehow `come into port'. She was not at all unhappy. She loved her royal duties and she did them tremendously professionally.

"She had great satisfaction in the fact that her children Sarah and David were doing so well. She got great pleasure from her grandchildren.

"She was devoted and loyal to the Queen and the monarchy.

"One's heart goes out immediately to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother -- it is a terrible burden for her to see a loved daughter die -- and then to the queen, because they were very close.

"I never in all my life heard Princess Margaret say a harsh or critical word about the queen. She was totally devoted to her and the queen will miss her very much."

Telling of his "sorrow," the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. George Carey, said: "She was a much-loved member of our Royal Family and a great support to her majesty throughout the queen's reign.

Queen Mother and Margaret
Queen Mother, seen here with Margaret in 1995, was said to be "deeply saddened" by the "sad news" of her daughter's death  

"In her life Princess Margaret showed great courage in the face of her troubles and met adversity with determination and good humour."

A statement from the office of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor said: "The Archbishop of Westminster's thoughts and prayers and those of the whole catholic community are with all the members of the Royal Family and especially Viscount Charles Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto at this very sad time."

Sir Anthony Dowell, former director of The Royal Ballet, said: "This is desperately sad news, she has meant so much to all of us in The Royal Ballet after her many years as president.

"Through all my good and difficult years as director she gave tremendous support."

The Royal Ballet said in a statement: "She took a personal interest in the day-to-day business of the company and has played a crucial role in establishing The Royal Ballet as one of the world's greatest classical ballet companies."

Royal College of Nursing General Secretary Beverly Malone said: "The Royal College of Nursing is deeply saddened by the news of Princess Margaret's death. She was a Patron of the RCN for many years. Our thoughts and condolences are with the Royal Family at this sad time."

The many charities with which Princess Margaret was involved also paid tribute to her unseen work behind the scenes.

Princess Margaret was involved with many causes, including AIDS and nursing
Princess Margaret was involved with many causes, including AIDS and nursing  

Princess Margaret's unstinting support for the AIDS cause was praised by Lighthouse and Terrence Higgins Trust, of which she was a patron.

Chairman David Wakefield said: "As a public figure, she showed her support for a cause which is still unpopular today and did much to change public attitudes towards HIV and AIDS.

"In some ways we were absolutely delighted and not a little surprised she agreed to become involved when in many sectors in society it was an epidemic people just did not want to know about."

The director of Britain's Stroke Association said there were a series of factors that contributed to strokes -- with smoking one of the main risks.

He said: "The factors that can lead to strokes include growing old, high blood pressure, bad diet, lack of exercise and smoking.

"Sadly because Princess Margaret had been a heavy smoker for many years, this would have doubled the chances of her suffering a stroke. She was also in the main age group for strokes, being over the age of 55."



 
 
 
 


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