A Quick Word With Lady Anne Glenconner

Lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret, and wife of “king” of Mustique, Colin Tennant, this best-selling author reflects on a life of travel.

- Hannah-Rose Yee

When I first went to Mustique, I thought it was absolutely appalling. It was covered in jungle and there was no running water. The food was mostly tinned. Our big treat was catching lobsters, we would wrap a towel around our hand and pull them out.

Princess Margaret came on her honeymoon in the royal yacht. We were asked to dinner and I said, “I really don’t think we should, we haven’t had a bath for three months.” And she sent a message to say that they had one in the cabin – it was the most wonderful bath I ever had.

We gave her a bit of land as a wedding present, and when her marriage started to go wrong she said, “Can I come out and see it?” I said, “Ma’am, we have no lights. We use buckets out the back for a shower.” But she absolutely loved the island. It gave her so much pleasure.