THORN BIRDS - RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN: 'THE NIGHT I SAVED PRINCESS MARGARET'

THORN BIRDS star RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN deems the night he whisked the late British royal PRINCESS MARGARET away from a drunk actor as the best moment in his long career.

The 69-year-old screen star dined with the sister of QUEEN ELIZABETH II in 1964 at a society event in Hollywood, which also featured the likes of FRANK SINATRA, DAME ELIZABETH TAYLOR and FRED ASTAIRE.

Richard reminisces, "Socially and hierarchically that night was the high point of my life."

He was seated between actor LAURENCE HARVEY, who was very drunk, and Princess Margaret, who used the dashing DR KILDARE star to help her escape Harvey's attentions.

Chamberlain explains, "He was very drunk and she wanted to get out of the situation, so in order to escape she asked me to dance. I was thrilled, of course. I remember her saying, 'Oh, thank you for saving me.'"

But a later dinner date between the royal - who died last year (02) at the age of 71 - took a nasty turn, thanks to a hostile appearance from the princess' estranged husband LORD SNOWDON.

Richard says, "He wasn't terribly pleasant towards me. He was smiling, sure, but he wasn't very nice. I was so surprised he was there, because it was my impression that they were separated."