The incidents occurred during the late 1970s. However, concentrating on Apartment 1A, two or three incidents spring to mind, told to me by those concerned.

I dare say an online search will reveal yet more stories. It has been said that the sound of a spinning wheel, some say belonging to Princess Sophia, a daughter of George III, who may have lived in what is now known as Apartment 10, has also been heard. Among those seen have been King George II, who died in his water closet at KP, Queen Mary II (of William and Mary fame), and Peter the Wild Boy, who had been found living a feral existence in the town of Hamelin and was brought to the Court of George II. There have been many reports over the years, of royal and non-royal ghost sightings at Kensington Palace. You wrote that “the ghosts-they have been seen as well as heard-come out and play.” “Can you expand a bit on the “ghosts” that you describe in your article ‘A Home Fit for a Future King or Two’. I know the readers of this piece are interested to know a bit more about the “ghosts. But as the main living area in the house, the Drawing Room was where the Princess spent much of her time. On the ground floor, there were 4 reception rooms – the Drawing Room, Dining Room, Library and Garden Room – all of which overlooked a spacious and well stocked walled garden. She did, of course, enjoy her Drawing Room. In your conversations with Princess Margaret, what was her favourite room/space in Kensington Palace? Yet, despite the beautiful room settings, the decor and the way in which they were furnished, mostly a blend of antique and modern (antique being chiefly Georgian/Regency), with the walls hung for the most part with contemporary works by John Piper, Pietro Annigoni, Patrick Procktor, Jean Cocteau, Oliver Messel and others, there was nothing remotely stuffy about the house. The house exuded a sense of tranquillity and graciousness, qualities that are usually associated with 18th-century English country houses, of which Apt 1A put me in mind. My own impression on visiting Apartment 1A for the very first time, long ago, was its style and elegance, once described – as I mentioned in my article – as the exemplar of Style Anglaise. What were your initial thoughts and impressions upon your first visit? I’m not sure I could describe KP in only five words. If you were to describe Kensington Palace in five words, what would they be? His article: ‘A Home Fit For a Future King….or Two’ published in the 8 September edition of The Lady Magazine was the impetus for this short interview. Warwick is the author of two books on Princess Margaret Princess Margaret – A Life of Contrasts and Princess Margaret.

Christopher Warwick is a broadcaster, writer and biographer.

Princess margaret christopher warwick