Princess Margaret the Soap Opera Star? Learn About Her Turn on an Iconic British Series

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Royal watchers and binge-watchers of The Crown are well aware that Princess Margaret, the so-called "Royal Rebel," was no stranger to behind-the-scenes intrigue, but it turns out Queen Elizabeth's sister was happy to step in front of a microphone to indulge in a little drama, too.

Tuesday marked 37 years since Margaret delighted soap opera fans with a guest-starring turn on the beloved British serial The Archers.

It was a royal first when the princess played herself as a VIP guest at a fundraising fashion show held in Ambridge, the fictional bucolic town in England where the radio series takes place.

"The Princess's appearance cemented The Archers' reputation and position in the soap opera firmament," according to the BBC, which has been broadcasting The Archers since 1951.

Though the county of Borsetshire, where Ambridge is located in the show, is also fictional, in real life it would be positioned between Worcestershire and Warwickshire in the Midlands, just south of Birmingham.

And indeed, rather than making the trip to the BBC's recording studio in Birmingham, Princess Margaret set up a makeshift recording studio in the library at Kensington Palace.

"Producer William Smethurst said the Princess quickly mastered the microphone techniques required for radio drama," reveals the BBC.

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It's just one piece of nostalgia lovers of Margaret can enjoy right now: A theatrical gown she wore to a 1964 charity ball serves as the grand finale of the new Royal Style in the Making exhibit at Kensington Palace, which runs through January 2, 2022.