How to party like Princess Margaret: As her style dazzles on The Crown, the High St outfits that’ll give you some Royal glamour

Vanessa Kirby is currently portraying Princess Margaret in TV series The Crown
The princess was one of the most photographed women in the world
She was at the height of her beauty, a glittering, social butterfly
Here, we unveil how you can find inspiration from her wardrobe on the High St.

Published: 22:15 GMT, 13 December 2017 | Updated: 02:48 GMT, 14 December 2017

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Princess Margaret was impossible to ignore: glamorous, intelligent, passionate — and mesmerically attractive to men.

Always unpredictable, she could be warmly alluring or she could freeze you in your tracks. As one of her suitors put it: ‘She has the lure of the unexpected.’

Her role in the Royal Family may have been secondary, but she stole the spotlight, just as her character does in The Crown, the Netflix TV series about the monarchy that has captured imaginations all over again with its second season.

Actress Vanessa Kirby has done a remarkable job of portraying Margaret’s allure. Not only was she one of the most photographed women in the world, she really appreciated fashion. And when it came to clothes, she knew how to play to her strengths.

The Princess was only 5ft 1in, with a voluptuous hourglass figure. She had the superb complexion she and the Queen inherited from the Queen Mother, and deep blue-violet eyes.

COME-HITHER SHADES

Margaret’s signature sunglasses and a bold coat in The Crown (left) are just right for a freezing winter day. Sunglasses, £24, topshop.com. Tweed coat, £186, Brian Dales at yoox.com. Tan leather gloves, £39, dents.co.uk. Leather bag, £255, russellandbromley.co.uk

But she undoubtedly looked her best in the evening, her preferred time of day, when she was usually seen in a long, tight-waisted evening dress, cut low to enhance her decolletage.

Swathed in furs, diamonds round her neck, she was the epitome of a metropolitan princess.

She adored Dior’s New Look, the ultra feminine, luxurious style that was a reaction to the hard years of World War II. And she embraced trends such as ankle-strap shoes, bright head scarves and fashionable sunglasses. She also, in a break from royal tradition, often sported a suntan and a considerable expanse of bare flesh.

Her favourite precious stones were rubies, thanks to her first brooch, which was given to her by her beloved father who died when she was only 21.

Season two of The Crown, which started last Friday, captures Margaret coming into her own. No longer the tragic heroine of a doomed romance with Group Captain Peter Townsend, she was the sparky core of ‘the Margaret Set’ — gilded young men and women with whom she went to theatres, dined in restaurants, or entertained at Clarence House.

She was at the height of her beauty, a glittering, social butterfly. Now, with these princess-inspired clothes, you can be one, too.

SHOW-OFF SHOULDERS

Margaret’s strapless styles (as depicted in The Crown) displeased some courtiers — and they still bring drama to any look today. Add princess-worthy gems for a showstopping look.

Diamante tiara, £28, Jon Richard at debenhams.com. Diamante necklace, £15, marksandspencer.com. Pale green strapless maxi dress, £55, Adrianna Papell at houseoffraser.co.uk. Grey leather elbow length gloves, £145, dents.co.uk

PASTEL PRINCESS
Margaret (in The Crown) chose dresses that showed off her decolletage — this fur stole covers upper arms while the necklace throws light onto your face, giving a youthful look.

Margaret ( pictured in The Crown) accessorized fur with signature diamonds

Diamante tiara, £28, Jon Richard at debenhams.com. Pink dress, £48.75, prettykittyfashion.co.uk. Diamante necklace £22.50, marksandspencer.com. Faux-fur wrap, £59, coast-stores.com. Clutch, £29.50, marksandspencer.com. Satin gloves, £20, dents.co.uk. Glitter courts, £245, russellandbromley.co.uk

LITTLE BLACK DRESS & COAT

A perfectly matched dress and coat, as worn by actress Vanessa Kirby on set in The Crown, will take you effortlessly from the office to a smart evening do.