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Margot was born in Reigate, England to parents Felix and Hilda Hookham.
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At four years old, Margot began dancing at a local dance school in Ealing, England.
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Margot's family moved to China after her father took a position at a tobacco company. She began studying ballet under George Goncharov in Shanghai.
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Margot moved to London with her mother to begin her career as a dancer. She began taking lessons with Serafina Astafieva and then joined the Sadler's Wells Ballet School with Vera Volkova.
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Margot debuted in Victor Wells Ballet. She played a snowflake in The Nutcracker.
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Margot became a leading dancer of the Vic-Wells Ballet and took over classic roles including those in Giselle and Swan Lake. Her first major role was in Le Baiser de la Fee, Fredrick Ashton's new ballet.
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Margot's interpretation of Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty was considered the definitive Aurora of the era.
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Margot toured through multiple countries, including the United States, and became an international star.
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Margot became president of the Royal Academy of Dancing.
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Margot married the former Panamanian ambassador to Great Britain, Roberto Emilio Arias.
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Margot was created Dame of the Order of the British Empire.
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Margot appeared as a guest artist and toured extensively with the Royal Ballet.
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Margot was planning on coming to the end of her dance career when she performed in Giselle with Rudolf Nureyev. Partnering with Nureyev brought Margot back into the dance world and she continued performing. Their partnership is one of the most famed in ballet history.
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Margot danced in Kenneth MacMillan's ballet, Romeo and Juliet.
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Margot danced in John Cranko's ballet, Poème de L'extase.
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As Margot's dance career began to slow, she started writing her own books. Some of the books that she has written are Margot Fonteyn: An Autobiography, A Dancer's World, and The Magic of Dance.
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Margot received the title "Prima Ballerina Assoluta" from the Royal Ballet in England. This title was only given to three ballerinas in the 20th century.
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Margot danced in her last performance in Florida. She played the Queen Mother in two performances of Sleeping Beauty with the Royal Ballet.
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Margot died in Panama City, Panama.
