Margaret was a controversial member of the British royal family. [148] Margaret remained close friends with them both. ", "How accurate is The Crown? Princess Margaret, also known as the Countess of Snowdon, was Queen Elizabeth II's younger and only sibling. Margaret was grief-stricken by her father's death and was prescribed sedatives to help her sleep. [188] At the time of her death Margaret received £219,000 from the Civil List. She turns her head to whisper "sometimes," and he snaps the pic. [75] Churchill arranged for Townsend's assignment as air attaché at the British Embassy in Brussels; he was sent on 15 July 1953, before Margaret's return from Rhodesia on 30 July. [43][47], That spring Townsend for the first time spoke to the press: "I am sick of being made to hide in my apartment like a thief", but whether he could marry "involves more people than myself". (Photo by Sion Touhig/Getty Images) [47] The Church of England Newspaper said that Margaret "is a dutiful churchwoman who knows what strong views leaders of the church hold in this matter",[54] but the Sunday Express—which had supported Edward and Wallis—asked, "IF THEY WANT TO MARRY, WHY SHOULDN'T THEY?". Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones's love story serves as a plot point in The Crown. Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, This page was last edited on 16 May 2021, at 03:33. In reality, this is the 29th birthday portrait of Margaret, taken by Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1959. [162][163] UK politicians and foreign leaders sent their condolences as well. [46], Margaret met the photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones at a supper party in 1958. 401127 03: A hearse containing Princess Margaret's coffin leaves St. Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle February 15, 2002 on the way to Slogh Crematorium. [177], Margaret could also be charming and informal. I have reached this decision entirely alone, and in doing so I have been strengthened by the unfailing support and devotion of Group Captain Townsend. She served as President of Girlguiding UK from 1965 until her death in 2002. He advised Eden that the 1772 Act was flawed and might not apply to Margaret anyway. "What do you think?" There was infidelity on both sides. They show that the Queen and Eden (who had been divorced and remarried himself) planned to amend the 1772 Act. referring to her lost love Peter Townsend (more on that here). 14–34; Heald, pp. [65] Other newspaper polls showed popular support for Margaret's personal choice, regardless of Church teaching or government. [29] On 11 July 1978, the Snowdons' divorce was finalised. While the government could not prevent the marriage when Margaret become a private individual after a Bill of Renunciation, she would no longer be a Counsellor of State and would lose her civil list allowance; otherwise, taxpayers would subsidize a divorced man and the princess's new stepsons. Edward's abdication made a reluctant Duke of York the new King George VI, and Margaret became second in line to the throne, with the title The Princess Margaret to indicate her status as a child of the sovereign. People who came into contact with her could be perplexed by her swings between frivolity and formality. Although Margaret and Townsend had read the editorial the newspaper denounced as from "a dusty world and a forgotten age", they had earlier made their decision and written an announcement.[68][72]. [76] Three quarters of Sunday Express readers opposed the relationship, and Mass-Observation recorded criticism of the "silly little fool" as a poor example for young women who emulated her. The Crown didn't replicate it exactly—for example, the show's image doesn't include the necklace and earrings Margaret wore in real life—but all in all, the show captured the photo's intimate nature: While Armstrong-Jones would take another famous naked-looking photo of Princess Margaret, almost a decade later in 1967, Robert Lacey, the show's history consultant (and author of the book The Crown, The Official Companion) confirmed to T&C that it was the 1959 portrait that inspired this story line in The Crown's second season. [39], As a beautiful young woman, with an 18-inch waist and "vivid blue eyes",[40] Margaret enjoyed socialising with high society and young aristocrats, including Sharman Douglas, the daughter of the American ambassador, Lewis Williams Douglas. [146] The rest of the tour drew demonstrations, and Margaret's security was doubled in the face of physical threats. [133] As she recovered, her ladies-in-waiting kept Lord Snowdon away from her, afraid that seeing him would distress her further. The registration of her birth was delayed for several days to avoid her being numbered 13 in the parish register. Gillian Anderson on Calls for The Crown Disclaimer, Elizabeth Debicki Is "Terrified" of Playing Diana. As prearranged by Eden, the Queen would consult with the British and Commonwealth governments, then ask them to amend the 1772 Act. Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. [129], By the early 1970s, the Snowdons had drifted apart. [47][36] At the age of 25 Margaret would not need Elizabeth's permission under the 1772 Act;[74] she could, after notifying the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, marry in one year if Parliament did not prevent her. Her father was the Duke of York, the second son of King George V and Queen Mary. As the digital news director for Town & Country, Caroline Hallemann covers everything from the British royal family to the latest episodes of Outlander, Killing Eve, and The Crown. Alors que son histoire d'amour avec Lord Snowdon est au cœur de la saison 3 de The Crown, portrait de la princesse Margaret, l’indisciplinée cadette de la reine Elizabeth II. Llewellyn was 17 years her junior. [47][51] Margaret worked with friends on charity productions of Lord and Lady Algy and The Frog, and publicly dated men such as Tennant[43] and Wallace. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Did Antony Armstrong-Jones Really Have an Illegitimate Child? [157][158] By March 2001, strokes had left her with partial vision and paralysis on the left side. In 2000 and 2001 she suffered further strokes. [67] The marriage widened Margaret's social circle beyond the Court and aristocracy to include show business celebrities and bohemians. The press portrayed Margaret as a predatory older woman and Llewellyn as her toyboy lover. [65], After resigning from the RAF and travelling around the world for 18 months Townsend returned in March 1958; he and Margaret met several times, but could not avoid the press ("TOGETHER AGAIN") or royal disapproval. [115], Reportedly, Margaret had her first extramarital affair in 1966, with her daughter's godfather Anthony Barton, a Bordeaux wine producer. Eden recommended that, like Edward VIII and Wallis, Margaret and Townsend leave Britain[51][61] for several years. La princesse Margaret et Lord Snowdon, photo non datée. She developed her skills at singing and playing the piano,[28] often show tunes from stage musicals. "[32], On 15 April 1946, Margaret was confirmed into the Church of England. [79] Randolph Churchill believed that rumours "that Fisher had intervened to prevent the Princess from marrying Townsend has done incalculable harm to the Church of England";[71] a Gallup poll found that 28% agreed, and 59% disagreed, with the Church's refusal to remarry a divorced person while the other spouse was alive. [74], In the 28 October 1955 final draft of the plan, Margaret would announce that she would marry Townsend and leave the line of succession. [185] Margaret was described by her cousin Lady Elizabeth Shakerley as "somebody who had a wonderful capacity for giving a lot of people pleasure and she was making a very, very, very good and loyal friend". [47] Townsend received a bodyguard and police guard around his apartment after the Belgian government received threats on his life,[51] but the British government still said nothing. [156] She was hospitalized on 10 January 2001 due to loss of appetite and swallowing problems, after a further stroke. The Queen decided that from then on, anyone someone in her family wanted to marry would be more or less acceptable. It was never the big thing on her part that people claim". [175] Critics claimed that she even looked down on her grandmother Queen Mary because Mary was born a princess with the lower "Serene Highness" style, whereas Margaret was a "Royal Highness" by birth. The princess said that she fell in love with the equerry during the 1947 South Africa tour, where they often went riding together. [51] Lord Kilmuir, the Lord Chancellor, that month prepared a secret government document on the proposed marriage. [191] A world record price of £1.24 million was set by a Fabergé clock. ... Princess Margaret does draw all the attention and Princess Elizabeth lets her do that." [43] An influential 26 October editorial in The Times stating that "The QUEEN's sister married to a divorced man (even though the innocent party) would be irrevocably disqualified from playing her part in the essential royal function" represented The Establishment's view of what it considered a possibly dangerous crisis. [186] Another cousin, Lord Lichfield, said that "[Margaret] was pretty sad towards the end of her life because it was a life unfulfilled". Another stroke in February 2002 was the final blow to her fragile health and Princess Margaret died in The King Edward VII Hospital, London with her children at her side. The Canadian government stated that altering the line twice in 25 years would harm the monarchy. [136][137] Some politicians suggested removing Margaret from the civil list. [51], For two years, press speculation continued. [79][65] Women in the East End of London shouted "Go on, Marg, do what you want" at the princess. [131] Once, when Llewellyn left on an impulsive trip to Turkey, Margaret became emotionally distraught and took an overdose of sleeping tablets. Her divorce received much negative publicity, and her private life was for many years the subject of intense speculation by media and royal-watchers. The portrait was taken by her future husband, Antony Armstrong-Jones. The royal family devised a system in which it did not host Townsend, but he and Margaret formally courted each other at dinner parties hosted by friends[51] such as Mark Bonham Carter. [51] Churchill informed the Queen that both his Cabinet and Dominion prime ministers were against the marriage, and that Parliament would not approve a marriage that would be unrecognised by the Church of England unless Margaret renounced her rights to the throne. We were liberated at last from this monstrous problem", Townsend said. Apr 9, 2021 - Explore Frogmalion's board "Margaret Rose", followed by 146 people on Pinterest. I have been aware that, subject to my renouncing my rights of succession, it might have been possible for me to contract a civil marriage. PA Photos/ABACA ntony Armstrong-Jones, Lord Snowdon et sa nouvelle femme Lucy Lindsay-Hogg le 15 décembre 1978 [94], Margaret married Armstrong-Jones at Westminster Abbey on 6 May 1960. pic.twitter.com/YdHPs22xd2. [46], Billy Wallace later said that "The thing with Townsend was a girlish nonsense that got out of hand. [168] In line with her wishes, the ceremony was a private service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, for family and friends. [82] As no announcement occurred—the Daily Mirror on 17 October showed a photograph of Margaret's left hand with the headline "NO RING YET! [51] He wrote in his autobiography that the princess "could have married me only if she had been prepared to give up everything -- her position, her prestige, her privy purse. Labour MPs denounced her as "a royal parasite"[138] and a "floosie". VRAI – Alors … Despite the enthusiasm of the public, some critics "disapproved" of a commoner marrying into the royal family. [184], Following Margaret's death, her lady-in-waiting, Lady Glenconner, said that "[Margaret] was devoted to the Queen and tremendously supportive of her". 99–101, The Queen quoted by Princess Margaret, in Warwick, p. 186, Princess Margaret, 31 October 1955, quoted in Warwick, p. 205, Heald, p. 112: "looked strikingly like Princess Margaret"; Warwick, p. 223: "more than a passing resemblance to the Princess", See, for example, Roy Strong quoted in Heald, p. 191, Princess Margaret at no time assumed the title "Princess Margaret, Mrs Antony Armstrong-Jones" (see e.g. Her house on Mustique, designed by her husband's uncle Oliver Messel, a stage designer, was her favourite holiday destination. After Princess Margaret was denied marriage, it backfired and more or less ruined Margaret's life. Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend leaving Windsor Castle in April 1952. [43] "COME ON MARGARET! As Margaret sits in his photography studio, he slides her dress sleeves off her shoulders and asks her "Do you miss him?" issues of the, Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon, 1953 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference, Royal Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps, Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, List of honours of the British Royal Family by country, Claude Bowes-Lyon, 13th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, "A tale of two sisters' enduring affection", "Ma'am darling:The princess driven by loyalty and duty", "Yvonne's Royalty Home Page: Royal Christenings", "Captain Scott and J M Barrie: an unlikely friendship", "Princess Margaret: PBS takes a look at the original 'Rebel Princess, Auction of the Property of HRH Princess Margaret, "Princess' Top Squire Is Gay Playboy Who Flaunts Protocol", "Princess Meg To Marry Commoner Named Jones", "Princess Margaret and future PM John Turner may have 'nearly married', letters reveal", "Chapter 4: Conviction and Compromise: Growing Through Private and Public Criticism", "A New Theory About Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend's Relationship Has Emerged", "Did the Queen stop Princess Margaret marrying Peter Townsend? However, the show has fudged the timeline a bit to provide some extra drama in their relationship. [187], Eden reportedly told the Queen in Balmoral when discussing Margaret and Townsend that, regardless of outcome, the monarchy would be damaged. In February 1960, Snowdon, then known as Antony Armstrong-Jones, became engaged to the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, and they married on 6 May 1960 at Westminster Abbey.The ceremony was the first royal wedding to be broadcast on television. She was a heavy smoker for most of her adult life and had a lung operation in 1985, a bout of pneumonia in 1993, and at least three strokes between 1998 and 2001. In 1952, her father died, her sister became queen, and Townsend divorced his wife, Rosemary. Born at Glamis Castle in Scotland, Princess Margaret Rose was the second daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (who later became the Queen Mother). [74] Margaret may have told Townsend as early as 12 October that governmental and familial opposition to their marriage had not changed; it is possible that neither they nor the Queen fully understood until that year how difficult the 1772 Act made a royal marriage without the monarch's permission. [147], In 1981, Llewellyn married Tatiana Soskin, whom he had known for 10 years. [132] "I was so exhausted because of everything", she later said, "that all I wanted to do was sleep". [105] As colonies of the British Commonwealth of Nations sought nationhood, Princess Margaret represented the Crown at independence ceremonies in Jamaica in 1962[106] and Tuvalu and Dominica in 1978. Choisissez parmi des contenus premium Margaret Windsor de la plus haute qualité. According to the official website of the British monarchy, Margaret was the first royal … [89] The Archbishop of Canterbury Geoffrey Fisher conducted the marriage service. Margaret responds, "No one's ever seen before.". 7–8; Warwick, pp. See 50+ photos of their relationship right here. [188] Following her death, she left a £7.6 million estate to her two children, which was cut down to £4.5 million after inheritance tax. After Princess Margaret's devastating heartbreak in The Crown's first season, she's finally getting back in the romantic game. Three hundred journalists waited outside Balmoral, four times as many as those later following Diana, Princess of Wales. [89] They became engaged in October 1959. Find the perfect Margaret Windsor stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. [72], Townsend recalled that "we felt mute and numbed at the centre of this maelstrom";[65] the Queen also disliked the media circus, and wanted the crisis to end. La cérémonie a commencé vers 16h00, en présence de 450 personnes. The Prince of Wales paid tribute to his aunt in a television broadcast. [96] 2,000 guests were invited for the wedding ceremony. She was also a Girl Guide and later a Sea Ranger. [85], In her lifetime, Margaret's fortune was estimated to be around £20 million, with most of it being inherited from her father. [143] That October, while on a fundraising tour of the United States on behalf of the Royal Opera House, Margaret was seated at a dinner reception in Chicago with columnist Abra Anderson and Mayor Jane Byrne. [43] The number of her official engagements increased (they included a tour of Italy, Switzerland, and France), and she joined a growing number of charitable organisations as president or patron.[44]. [11], Margaret's early life was spent primarily at the Yorks' residences at 145 Piccadilly (their town house in London) and Royal Lodge in Windsor. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. [154] In 1992, Margaret met Townsend, for the last time before his death in 1995; she said that he looked "exactly the same, except he had grey hair". Margaret's education was mainly supervised by her mother, who in the words of Randolph Churchill "never aimed at bringing her daughters up to be more than nicely behaved young ladies". [155] Early the following year the Princess suffered severe scalds to her feet in a bathroom accident, which affected her mobility in that she required support when walking and sometimes used a wheelchair. [14], She was educated alongside her sister, Princess Elizabeth, by their Scottish governess Marion Crawford. "NOW – THE NATION WAITS" was a typical headline. [144] The following day, Anderson's rival Irv Kupcinet published a claim that Margaret had referred to the Irish as "pigs". Margaret would be allowed to keep her royal title and her allowance, stay in the country, and even continue with her public duties. Some Britons were disbelieving or angry while others, including clergy, were proud of the princess for choosing duty and faith;[84] newspapers were evenly divided on the decision. He joined a Belgian show jumping club and rode in races around Europe. 104–119; Warwick, pp. [90] Armstrong-Jones proposed to Margaret with a ruby engagement ring surrounded by diamonds in the shape of a rosebud. [100], In 1961, Margaret's husband was created Earl of Snowdon. Stating that people were more interested in the couple than the recent 1955 United Kingdom general election, on 29 May the Daily Express published an editorial demanding that Buckingham Palace confirm or deny the rumors. [120] At some points Margaret was criticised for not being as active as other members of the royal family. [80][81] A Gallup poll found that 59% of Britons approved of their marrying, with 17% opposed. Un dernier adieu auquel deux hommes ayant marqué sa … [47], When Townsend and Margaret's relationship began is unclear. Parliament might pass resolutions opposing the marriage, which the people would see as a disagreement between government and monarchy; Lord Salisbury, a High Anglican, might resign from the government rather than help pass a Bill of Renunciation. [15] When Queen Mary insisted upon the importance of education, the Duchess of York commented, "I don't know what she meant. another famous naked-looking photo of Princess Margaret, almost a decade later in 1967. "[57] She was consoled by her deeply held Christian beliefs,[58] sometimes attending church twice daily. This content is imported from Twitter. We lose our precious gift divine to worship and adore [45][52] During her 21st birthday party at Balmoral in August 1951[53] the press was disappointed to only photograph Margaret with Townsend,[46] always in the background of pictures of royal appearances,[54][47] and to her parents a safe companion as Elizabeth's duties increased.