Lady Margaret Clifford (1540-September 28, 1596) was the only surviving daughter of Henry Clifford, 2nd Earl of Cumberland and Lady Eleanor Brandon.
Her maternal grandparents were Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk and Mary Tudor, former queen consort of France. Mary was the fifth daughter of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York.
According to the will of Henry VIII, Margaret was in line to inherit the throne of England. Upon the death of her mother she became seventh-in-line. However, both her cousins, Jane Grey and Mary Grey died without issue, and their sister, her other cousin, Catherine Grey, died without the legimacy of her two sons ever being proven. Margaret quickly moved up to becoming the first-in-line to the throne, but died prior to the death of Elizabeth I.
Margaret married Henry Stanley on February 7, 1554. They had five children:
Margaret outlived her eldest son, Ferdinando; her granddaughter, Lady Anne Stanley, Ferdinando's oldest daughter, took her place as heiress presumptive. This proved meaningless as Anne was never allowed to succeed Queen regnant Elizabeth I of England. Anne, her two younger sisters and their children were passed over for James VI of Scotland.
