The Crown
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As a lifelong No.
2, Princess Margaret led a bittersweet existence.
Ritz opens on May 8, 1945.
If any of this sounds familiar, its because this is the premise of the 2015 movieARoyal Night Out.
Porchey, and Margaretssoon-to-be paramour, Group Captain Peter Townsend.
We then cut to the present, which, in this case, is circa 1998.
Margaret is daydreaming about that night while playing cards with the queen.
That night was supposed to remain a secret.
In typical Margaret fashion, the princessstillisnt interested in healing her body.
To the queens horror.
Okay, we get it.
Something major happened at the Ritz back in 1945.
Elizabeth goes to check her coat, and thats when things get interesting.
She bumps into a handsome Black American GI who invites her to join him downstairs.
Well, because below stairs is a crowd of frightful Americans dancing something called the jitterbug.
This British arsehole then condemns the evil jitterbug because its a dance from Harlem.
A ghetto in New York, he says.
Oh, shes TOTALLY going downstairs now.
Back in the present, Margarets birthday party is in full swing.
The queen and Porchey look uncomfortable as Margaret launches into a full-blown tale about that madcap night in 1945.
(She has a point.)
She also acknowledges how hard things were for Margaret, being the No.
2 in the family.
Its obvious shes scared there isnt much time left for her dear sister.
And suddenly, were all crying.
She shovels chocolates into her mouth and coughs a distinctive smokers cough.
From the moment Elizabeth visits Margaret in the hospital, we know this is the beginning of the end.
Elizabeth tries to remain positive, but Margaret is inbadshape.
Elizabeth isnt ready to let Margaret go yet, but she knows she must.
It is a day of sorrow due tothe 9/11 attacksandPorcheys death.
Shedidlisten to Margarets commands!
So, what did you do, Lillibet?
Participate in a drug deal?
The suspense is killing me after such a buildup!
We watch as a young Elizabeth descends into a dark, crowded basement called The Pink Sink.
(Yep, the Pink Sink was a very realunderground safe spaceinside the Ritz for the gay community.)
(ThinkBaby entering the staff quartersduring the Do You Love Me?
But instead of Patrick Swayze, Elizabeth gets to dance with the handsome GI from earlier.
Is it infused with a little too much 2023 attitude?
Eventually, Margaret, Porchey, and Peter stumble upon the way cooler Pink Sink party too.
Margaret is thrilled to see her sister letting her hair down, immediately joining Elizabeth on the dance floor.
Elizabeth is chewing gum and casually mentions she kissed a random guy.
Oh, Lillibet, you saucy minx!
But before Margaret leaves her sister forever, she promises to always be by her side.
A title card informs the audience of Princess Margarets death on February 9, 2002.
Oh, wow, the future queen did the jitterbug with a Black man.
She stayed out all night!
She chewed gum and kissed a stranger!
The jubilant song isan anachronism:It was written in 1964.
The saxophonist credited during the It Aint My Fault scenes is namedSnow White Trash.
Find me a better drag name, I dare you.
