Princess Margaret, who has died at the age of 71, has been dogged by ill-health as far back as the 1970s.

This latest stroke, which was followed by cardiac problems, came after three previous strokes.

A spokesman for the Stroke Association told BBC News Online it was not unusual to have heart problems after a stroke.

Even before 1998 when she suffered her first stroke, Princess Margaret had suffered from poor health.

Scalded feet

She had suffered a nervous breakdown, had had part of a lung removed and badly scalded her feet in a bathing accident.

Princess Margaret also suffered from migraines, laryngitis, bronchitis, hepatitis and pneumonia.

The operation on her lung failed to stop her smoking, even though four royals - Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII and the Princess's own father, George VI - died from smoking-related illnesses.

In happier times: Holidaying on Mustique

In 1974, Princess Margaret suffered a nervous breakdown two years before her marriage to photographer Lord Snowdon ended. They had been together for 16 years.

Four years later, pneumonia diagnosed at Tuvalu in the South Pacific was deemed sufficiently serious for her to be flown to hospital in Sydney.

In January 1980, she was admitted to the London Clinic for an operation to remove a benign skin lesion.

She was back in hospital in January 1985, this time for an operation to have part of her lung removed.

Serious illnesses

May 1978 - gastro-enteritis, mild hepatitis April 1981 - bronchitis January 1985 - non-malignant lung tissue removed November 1992 - feverish respiratory infection January 1993 - suspected pneumonia February 1998 - mild stroke March 1999 - scalding to feet December 2000 - possible second stroke March 2001 - minor stroke