Princess Margaret’s go-to dinner party game and hatred for squirrels couldn’t be more *her*

Princess Margaret’s go-to dinner party game is very unique and her fellow guests would never have known it was happening…

Princess Margaret's go-to dinner party game revealed. Seen here she visits the new Docklands development in London
(Image credit: Photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images)

Princess Margaret’s go-to dinner party game and hatred for squirrels couldn’t be more *her* and have been revealed over the years.  


The late Queen Elizabeth’s sister was known for her luxurious lifestyle and surprising preferences, from Princess Margaret’s decadent morning routine to the fabulously lavish way Princess Margaret paid for things. And it seems that the Countess of Snowdon also had a very *her* way of doing things at social events too. As revealed by The Independent back in 2007, Princess Margaret’s former husband Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon previously revealed a game they used to play together when they found dinner parties dull. 

Apparently dubbed the “Bread Game”, this involved Earl Snowdon and Princess Margaret each tearing off a piece of bread whenever a fellow guest said a cliché. 

Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones leave Windsor lodge

(Image credit: Bettmann via Getty)

The couple are said to have pushed each piece of bread into the middle of the dinner table and the winner was the person with the most bread there at the end of the meal. Of course, it’s understood that Princess Margaret’s go-to dinner party game was something that went unnoticed by other diners. 

Instead, it’s believed that this was an entirely private way of entertaining themselves and avoiding boredom at social gatherings. And Princess Margaret's go-to dinner party game isn’t the only extraordinary story that’s been revealed about the Countess of Snowdon over the years. 

Whilst squirrels might not be everyone’s favorite animal, according to the late Princess Margaret’s Lady-in-Waiting, Lady Anne Glenconner, the Princess had a special hatred for these often-seen creatures. 

Princess Margaret Presenting Prizes At 'champion Children'

(Image credit: Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

Her loathing for them apparently led her to one particularly shocking reaction when she came across someone feeding several of them in a park.  

Getting candid with the New York Post, Lady Glenconner claimed, “Once, she clapped eyes on a woman who was sitting on a park bench happily feeding the squirrels. She marched up and started whacking them with an umbrella.”

According to many reports and stories, Princess Margaret doesn’t seem to have shied away from being truly herself throughout her life. And the Countess of Snowdon’s nature was something reflected upon further by her former Lady-in-Waiting, author of Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown

Princess Margaret At St Margaret's Church, Westminster Abbey

(Image credit: Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

Acknowledging the royal’s more formidable side, Lady Glenconner also remarked upon how funny she could be too. 

“She was known for her icy stare if she felt someone had overstepped the mark,” she explained, before adding, “She had moments of being very grand, but I … [found] her quietly amusing.”

“I think I laughed with Princess Margaret more than with anybody else,” Lady Glenconner is also said to have written. 

Emma Shacklock

Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!