EXCLUSIVE: Princess Margaret's Horrifying Pain — Gruesome Incident of 'Self-mutilation' Sparked by Secret 'Invisible Disability' Exposed in Bombshell Book
Princess Margaret's emotional instability from her alleged fetal alcohol syndrome may have played a factor in her 'self-mutilation' incident.
Sept. 24 2025, Published 11:44 a.m. ET
In the final years of her life, Queen Elizabeth II's younger sister Princess Margaret suffered a serious burn injury insiders have since claimed was an act of "self-mutilation" brought on by her alleged "invisible disability" of fetal alcohol syndrome, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.
The accident took place at Margaret's beloved Caribbean home, dubbed Les Jolies Eaux, on the private island of Mustique in 1999.
Princess Margaret's Health Rapidly Declined in Her Final Years
Margaret's health rapidly declined in her final years after decades of heavy drinking and chain smoking.
At the time of the gruesome incident, Margaret's physical and mental health were rapidly declining. After decades of heavy drinking and chain smoking, she suffered a stroke in 1998.
Margaret was also said to be tormented over the sale of Les Jolies Eaux, which she had passed down to her son David and his wife as a wedding present in 1996. Despite the home being his mother's happy place, the young couple decided it was far too much work to keep up with and put it on the market.
The princess was allowed to visit one more time, a trip which ended up altering her daily life until her death in February 2002.
Princess Margaret's Steam Baths
Margaret was allowed to visit her Caribbean home one last time in 1999 before her son sold it.
In a sick and twisted turn of events, Margaret's visit overlapped with an open house at the property – and she was forced to watch prospective buyers wander through her prized possession before they made an offer.
According to an excerpt from Meryle Secrest's Princess Margaret and the Curse obtained by RadarOnline.com, Margaret had been advised years earlier to exercise regularly to help fluid retention, likely from her excessive drinking.
While Margaret eventually gave up her fitness regime because sweating "wrecked her hair," she took steams baths at home believing they would have a similar impact on fluid retention.
One morning, amid her devastation over losing the Caribbean home forever, Margaret requested one of her steam baths.
Margaret was found with her feet stuck to the tub in scalding hot water.
According to Secrest, Les Jolies Eaux was not equipped with a central hot water heater and instead had individual heaters in the bathrooms and kitchen known as "geysers."
Longtime lady-in-waiting and personal friend Janie Stevens recalled waiting for an extended period of time for Margaret to summon her to help her dress after her bath.
Stevens said: "So I thought I better go take a look."
When she reached the bathroom door and knocked, there was no answer. She tried again before bursting through the door to a horrific scene.
Queen Elizabeth Sent Margaret to London for Burn Treatments
After two weeks, Queen Elizabeth demanded her sister seek proper burn treatment in London.
Steam filled the bathroom and Margaret sat on the side of the tub with her legs in the scalding water, apparently numb to the pain.
Margaret was said to appear "transfixed," possibly from a state of shock.
Stevens and the resident detective quickly tried to remove the stunned princess from the tub, "but her feet were so badly burned that after the water drained away, bits of skin could be seen sticking to the side of the tub."
Despite the severity of her injuries, Margaret demanded to be put in bed with the curtains closed. After two weeks of her wounds being tediously tended to, the monarch demanded her sister be sent to a burn treatment center in London.
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While what exactly happened in the bathroom remains a mystery to anyone but Margaret. Although she claimed her foot stuck to the tub as she realized the water was too hot, Stevens never reported hearing the princess call for help.
Secrest suggested the incident was a final act of defiance from Margaret, who was known to act erratically, a symptom of her alleged "invisibility disability," and had threatened to kill herself years prior during an emotional breakdown.
The author claimed Margaret's "despair and self-mutilation" may have been sparked by her depression over losing the vacation home and heavy drinking.
Margaret recovered but "never really walked again," according to her lady-in-waiting.
