princess margaret story

 

Wallace apparently admitted to Margaret that he'd had a brief affair while vacationing in the Bahamas. Then, at 12:30, it was time for a vodka pick-me-up. The latest on royal families around the world. In 1995, she took $10,000 worth of clothing for a weeklong trip to the United States. Townsend was married, but later divorced his wife and proposed to the princess. “Who are you?” she asked. "Nobody knew about their relationship, there wasn't a whisper about it," Anne de Courcy, author of Snowdon: The Biography, told Town & Country. In 1961, before their relationship took a turn for the worse, Antony Armstrong-Jones and Princess Margaret welcomed their first child, David. On May 6, 1960, Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, who then became known as Lord Snowden, married. And, because Margaret suffered from Raynaud's disease, a blood vessel disorder, it's thought she did not notice how hot the water was until it was too late. While Netflix's The Crown has delivered a mostly accurate portrayal of Margaret's life, her true story is well worth knowing. "I remember my father despairing of her.". Margaret ruled as regent Queen of Scotland for two years—but her secret marriage to the Duke of Angus caused problems. Princess Margaret was beloved by her father, King George VI. Here's the true story of Margaret's fascinating life, including what The Spanish Princess leaves out. Princess Margaret hated squirrels. According to The Telegraph, Margaret reasoned to her pals that it was better to marry "somebody one at least liked" than remain unmarried. "We really are trying to separate them a bit because Princess Margaret does draw all the attention and Elizabeth lets her do that," she's quoted as saying. She was his pet ... she was always allowed to stay up to dinner at the age of 13 and to grow up too quickly." Princess Margaret was Queen Elizabeth II's younger sister and only sibling who seemed to experience many tough times throughout her life. But the fact that rumors of one even exist is quite impressive. By Emma Dibdin. Later, Armstrong-Jones was hired to photograph Margaret — and their romance began. To which the princess replied: “Thank you, Nigel. Just Margaret. In the late '90s, it was reported that Princess Margaret suffered a terrible accident, leading her to be bedridden and under constant medical care. Christopher Warwick, the author of the princess' authorized biography, Princess Margaret: A Life of Contrasts, told The Cut, "The love of her life was one man, and he was the man who died before she was 22, and that man was her father, the king, whom she adored.". Margaret was especially close to the king. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. She loved to smoke and drink, so much so that, according to Ma’am Darling, she “tried to combine the smoking and drinking by gluing matchboxes onto tumblers, so she could strike matches while drinking.”. The night before, he spent time playing with his grandchildren, Charles and Anne, and dining with his beloved daughter Margaret. "Princess Margaret scalded her feet in an accident on holiday in Mustique a few weeks ago," a Buckingham Palace spokesman further revealed to BBC News. Nov 23, 2020 Mortality looms large … We may never know for sure, but you can't help but wonder if Margaret's ability to draw attention as a child was purposeful, a way to provide some relief to her older sister. Did Princess Margaret have an affair with Mick Jagger? As her marriage was collapsing in the '70s, Margaret was reported to have suffered a nervous breakdown. Netflix's award-winning historical drama has arrived in the 1980s, an era dominated by the marriage of Prince Charles (John O'Connor) and Princess Diana (Emma Corrin) as well as Prime … Photo: Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty Images. https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/dramatic-true-story-behind-princess-20890207 "In terms of personalities, Elizabeth and Margaret were as different as chalk and cheese.". In 1962, Margaret's husband took a job as the artistic advisor for The Sunday Times. After such reports surfaced, BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell noted the press had exaggerated the extent of the situation, but a painful mishap did indeed take place. After her father passed away, Margaret began to smoke even more — having as many as 60 cigarettes a day. She lived an extravagant lifestyle: Her six-week honeymoon on the royal yacht Britannia, for example, cost $115,000 in 1960. Lord Snowden and Princess Margaret on their big day in 1960. In letters discovered decades later, Princess Margaret revealed to then-prime minister Anthony Eden in 1955 that she planned to meet with Peter Townsend in order to "properly decide" whether she could or could not marry him. Some years later, in 1978, the couple revealed that they would be divorcing. Ad Choices. "He used to look at her as if he couldn't believe this enchanting thing was his daughter," a courtier told The Telegraph. "When you look at Princess Margaret, she never found the happiness she should have done," royal expert Ingrid Seward told Express. When bored at dinner parties, she and her husband, Anthony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon, would play the bread game. That’s still up for debate. After the divorce announcement was made public, John Lee, a Labor Party legislator, said he planned to question Parliament about Margaret's titles and funds. On Feb. 6, 1952, King George died suddenly at the age of 56. These are obviously the grounds for divorce," the princess' spokesman told The New York Times. 2005 BBC documentary about Princess Margaret and her relationship with Group Captain Peter Townsend Both Armstrong-Jones and Margaret continued to have their separate affairs into the '70s, but they were able to keep their liaisons from the press. Due to the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, Margaret would need to seek the queen's permission to marry. "That is a polite way of saying that Mr. Lee will demand a cut in her salary, which is paid by Parliament, and possibly a change in her royal position," The New York Times noted. Warwick claimed that she was not "at all" this "sad [or] tragic character." Portrayed flawlessly by Helena Bonham … That's not to say liberties are never taken, of course. We've all gone through sad and unhappy times in our life and she was no different." https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/11/lyndon-b-johnson-princess-margaret Throughout the first 25 minutes of the episode, scenes of these aging, disabled women are interwoven with those of Helena Bonham Carter’s This is what happened when Princess Margaret allegedly met Twiggy at a dinner party. But, unfortunately, the princess didn't get her happily ever after. The latest fashion news, beauty coverage, celebrity style, fashion week updates, culture reviews, and videos on Vogue.com. And that's just the kinds of things they said about her before she filed for divorce. Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, CI, GCVO, CD (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and the only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II.. She spent much of her childhood with her parents and sister. "The flings used to upset her a lot," Anne de Courcy, author of Snowden: A Biography, revealed to Town & Country. Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Two months later, she was thought to still be recovering from her injuries. Related Stories How Princess Margaret Created The Star Signs. In 2002, after developing heart complications from a fourth stroke at the age of 71, Margaret died "peacefully in her sleep," Buckingham Palace revealed (via Time). In addition to drinking heavily, Margaret was a chain smoker. “To many people, Princess Margaret was the black sheep of her generation of royals. And, just as King George VI loved his girls, they, too, loved him. But that reputation did not necessarily trouble her,” reads Princess Margaret’s obituary in the New York Times. But Lord Snowden wasn't the only one cheating. Members of the royal family live extraordinarily private lives, and, as such, there are just some things we're never going to really know about them. https://www.townandcountrymag.com/.../princess-margaret-1985-lung-surgery Andrew Duncan, the author of The Reality of Monarchy, told the publication what Margaret once told him: "In my own humble way I've always tried to take some of the burden off my sister." "I had my chance and blew it with my big mouth, or she would have become Mrs. Wallace and I would have been able to handle her," he is quoted as saying. The Crown proves that Princess Margaret was a truly fascinating character—a witty, charismatic, rebellious, and glamorous woman with tremendous star power and an ever-present cigarette. Princess Margaret's Kids Are Now Artists . Every time someone said something cliché, either Margaret or Anthony would rip off a piece of bread and put it in the middle of the table. Here, 10 salacious real-life stories that prove Princess Margaret was the British royal family's most rebellious and most hilarious member. Soon after their second child, Sarah, was born in 1964, though, their relationship began faltering. "She is now recuperating at Windsor," he said at the time, "but these things do take some time to heal." Lindsay Denninger . Love From Nancy: The Letters of Nancy Mitford. The princess' authorized biographer, Christopher Warwick, confirmed to The Cut that "Peter Townsend was not the great love of her life." Some time before, the king had been diagnosed with lung cancer and had one of his lungs removed. She could be naughty," Christopher Warwick, author of the authorized biography Princess Margaret: A Life of Contrasts, revealed to The Cut. The True Story of Princess Margaret's 1985 Lung Surgery 'The Crown' stayed close to the truth for this storyline. The daughter of one of the late king's courtiers added, "The King spoiled her dreadfully. GETTY IMAGES GETTY IMAGES For several years, the couple were deliriously happy, and they … Queen Elizabeth’s younger sister, Princess Margaret spent ... Long before we were all obsessed with Meghan Markle, another royal stood in the glaring spotlight. According to The Telegraph, the couple never made a formal engagement announcement because their relationship ended soon after they'd gotten engaged. Even Margaret and Princess Elizabeth II's governess, Marion Crawford, thought the young princess crowded out her older sister. Soon after Princess Margaret's affair with Roddy Llewellyn was made public, Antony Armstrong-Jones and the princess announced their separation. "Naturally, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon will continue to see each other on the same friendly basis as they have with each other over the last two years.". Still, ending the relationship couldn't have been easy — especially after the entire world knew of her and Townsend's affair. When news of her affair broke, a Member of Parliament dubbed Margaret a "parasite," while another labeled the princess "an embarrassment to the whole nation." In the end, Margaret and Townsend broke up. "At the time," History explained, "divorce was considered a major scandal, and it was unthinkable for a royal to marry both a commoner and a divorced man." When the couple announced their engagement in 1960, royal courtiers were both shocked and displeased. https://orbviral.com/style/the-true-story-of-princess-margarets-1985-lung-surgery You can't comb through Princess Margaret's life and ignore all of the ways in which it was affected by tragedies, but that doesn't mean Margaret's life was all dark, all the time. In quite an independent move at the time, she bought it herself at an auction for approximately $7,700. "The Queen of course knows I am writing to you about this, but of course no one else does, and as everything is so uncertain I know you will regard it certainly as a confidence," she revealed in one letter cited by The Telegraph. "There's an interesting balance to be struck between trying to be truthful and authoritative and not being too syrupy," Matt Smith, the actor who stars as Prince Philip in Seasons 1 and 2, told Forbes. That is, until Margaret and her lover, landscape gardener Roddy Llewellyn, were photographed vacationing together in the Caribbean, and, before long, their images were plastered on the covers of tabloids. The Story Behind The Crown‘s Queen Elizabeth & Princess Margaret Tale. As are the reports that Picasso desperately wanted to marry her. Although Margaret may have seemed like she was pushed into breaking off her engagement with Townsend, these letters prove that Margaret made the final decision. The Queen's fun-loving younger sister Princess Margaret stole the show. Being the kid sister to the eventual queen was not without its challenges. King George VI was known to refer to his two daughters, Princess Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret, as "pride" and "joy," respectively (via Express). Although there was a water thermostat, it was apparently not working properly. Played by British actress Vanessa Kirby, Margaret was caught in a clash of … And then work started to get in the way. "This is the reason that [the royal family has] endured — they've never allowed us behind the palace walls.". In honor of the wild royal, we’ve compiled 11 outrageous stories about Princess Margaret, whose rebellious streak remains legendary to this day. Despite Princess Margaret's decision to settle for Billy Wallace, the two did not marry. "The marriage has broken down and the couple have lived apart for two years. Princess Margaret’s love affair with Peter Townsend, the squire of King George VI, has been documented several times before, both in the hit Netflix show The Crown or in books and programs on the perennial princess The Queen’s younger sister, who died in 2002, is now the subject of a BBC documentary, Elizabeth and Margaret: Love & Loyalty, airing on Saturday One oo the most "did that really happen" storylines worthy of a daytime soap is that of the tumultuous marriage of Princess Margaret and her husband, Lord Snowdon—a.k.a Antony Armstrong-Jones. "She had some too," de Courcy confirmed, "but never as long as his. https://www.vogue.com/article/11-outrageous-stories-about-princess-margaret If Queen Elizabeth II denied her request, Margaret could then petition Parliament after one year's time, but, as History highlighted, "that would have caused a scandal even more dramatic than her affair with a divorced man." According to The Evening Standard, Margaret caught her husband talking on the phone to a woman, and it was clear that they were more than just friends. She could be cheeky. And Princess Anne said she used to feel like an also-ran." Two years later, Margaret met photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones at a dinner party. "When my sister and I were growing up, she was made out to be the goody-goody one," The Queen, a 1996 biography of Queen Elizabeth II, quotes Princess Margaret as saying (via PBS' Frontline). "I guess I'll be second best to my grave," a confidante of Margaret quoted her as saying. The princess issued a statement saying she'd "resolved" to put "the Church's teachings" about marriage and her "duty to the Commonwealth" above all else. According to his biography, his death was later determined to be caused by a coronary thrombosis. There were times when she was very, very lonely. Princess Margaret's Tragic Real-Life Story, a secret relationship with Group Captain Peter Townsend. "He had a workshop in the basement of Kensington Palace, and while she was understanding of his work commitments, Margaret didn't realize it would take him away from her so much.". Here’s a tale from Love From Nancy: The Letters of Nancy Mitford, a collection of correspondence from the late British aristocrat: “Dinner was at 8:30 and at 8:30 Princess Margaret’s hairdresser arrived, so we waited for hours while he concocted a ghastly coiffure.”. The supermodel responded: “I’m Lesley Hornby, ma’am, but people call me Twiggy.”. According to The Guardian, Margaret began smoking cigarettes as a teenager. While The Crown has delivered a mostly accurate portrayal of Margaret's life, her real-life story is well worth knowing. At the end of the night, whoever had ripped the most pieces of bread would win. “How unfortunate,” Princess Margaret retorted. On her wedding day, she wore the Poltimore Tiara—a diadem which came not from the Crown’s collection, but her own. They thought Margaret should've married someone of her own class — not a "commoner.". A year after issuing a statement about ending her relationship with Townsend, Margaret accepted a marriage proposal from her friend Billy Wallace. Although Christopher Warwick, her authorized biographer, did confirm that Margaret ended up alone in the end, there is more to her story than just her failed relationships and heartbreak. Following the accident, the spokesman revealed to BBC News that Margaret was seen by a doctor before traveling back to London a week later. Despite enduring all of her many tragedies, she did not give them the power to define her. Princess Margaret, in full Princess Margaret Rose Windsor, countess of Snowdon, (born August 21, 1930, Glamis Castle, Scotland—died February 9, 2002, London, England), British royal, the second daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (from 1952 Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) and the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II. No last name. By the early aughts, Margaret had suffered a cancer scare, repeated migraines, the aforementioned hepatitis, bronchitis, laryngitis, pneumonia, and several strokes. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Princess Margaret began a secret relationship with Group Captain Peter Townsend in the early '50s. But her father was one of the only ones smitten by her. "She was always completely in the shadow of her elder sister, because her elder sister was Queen. We explore what The Crown Season 3 got right about the royal split. It seems, while Armstrong-Jones was away for work, he was also involved in a series of flings with other women. Featuring royals like Princess Margaret, Netflix's The Crown goes through great lengths to make the show as historically accurate as possible, despite being considered fictional. "It's sad," Warwick told The Cut, "but the idea that she was a sad woman simply is not true. "They were both pretty strong-willed and accustomed to having their own way, so there were bound to be collisions," de Courcy explained. Princess Margaret did not lose her royal title after divorcing Antony Armstrong-Jones, but she did lose — and miss out on — a lot of other things throughout her life. If Margaret were to marry a divorcee, it could appear as if Queen Elizabeth condoned divorce — something that was very much disapproved of by the Church of England. That is, a loser. ", Although Margaret obviously did not agree with that assessment of her character, it's true that she and her sister were opposites. However, thanks to The Crown, a whole new generation of royal watchers has been captivated by the (albeit fictionalized) tales of her outrageousness—like the time she posed with a tiara in a bathtub—as well as moments of tragedy: Who can forget about her doomed romance with Group Captain Peter Townsend? "That was boring, so the press tried to make out I was wicked as hell. Princess Margaret's life was not only marred by tragedy, but also by poor mental and physical health. According to a biographer, Theo Aronson, she once told the French poet and filmmaker Jean Cocteau: “Disobedience is my joy.” Such seemed to be the motto of the queen’s younger sister, who, throughout her 71-year-long life, had a complicated persona. "The courtiers didn't like her much — they found her amusing but ... she used to keep her parents and everyone waiting for dinner because she wanted to listen to the end of a programme on the wireless," the courtier's daughter revealed. Her wit was legendary—and often quite cruel. The Crown season 3: True story behind Princess Margaret's trip to the US. King George is thought to have passed away in his sleep in the early morning hours. If you're a fan of the series, you've already met Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II's younger sister and only sibling, played by Vanessa Kirby in the first and second seasons and Helena Bonham Carter in Seasons 3 and 4, which are set during a dramatic time in the princess' life. And, as a result, colorful anecdotes about Princess Margaret are abundant. When Armstrong-Jones wanted a divorce from his already estranged wife, it was up to Margaret’s private secretary, Lord Nigel Napier, to deliver the news over the phone. By Amy Mackelden. "They had a lot in common, there was banter between them — he would help her with her speeches." Once, she demanded a motorcycle escort for a trip from Kensington Palace to Waterloo Station. Margaret said yes, but they continued to keep their romance quiet. Crawford even requested Margaret be excluded from parties so Elizabeth could attend without her. She smoked, she drank, she had an affair with a man 17 years her junior. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. She signed her checks as “Margaret.” No title. But, with their plan to marry, the couple couldn't keep it a secret forever. In The Crown season 4, Princess Margaret (Helena Bonham Carter) tells an entertaining story about meeting Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos and the unexpected punchline has a ring of truth to it. "She expected her husband to be with her more, but one of Tony's strongest motivations was work," the author revealed. All rights reserved. It was as if they were hiding in plain sight. I think that’s the best news you’ve ever given me.”, Royal protocol dictated that dinner couldn’t start until Princess Margaret arrived—which was a problem, because Margaret could be unfathomably late. After two years of separation and 18 years of marriage, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon formally announced their divorce on May 10, 1978. "The first few years were wonderful," Anne de Courcy, author of Snowden: A Biography, confirmed to Town & Country. This is the tragic true tale of Princess Margaret. Christopher Warwick, the princess' authorized biographer, told The Telegraph that she'd been attempting to take a shower but had accidentally started a bath. It started with breakfast in bed at 9:00 a.m., “followed by two hours in bed listening to the radio, reading the newspapers (which she invariably left scattered over the floor), and chain-smoking,” according to Craig Brown’s book, Ma’am Darling. The True Story of Princess Margaret's Divorce from Antony Armstrong-Jones. Margaret was also a heavy drinker, which led to her developing hepatitis in the mid '80s. Inside Princess Margaret and Roddy's Affair . The princess passed away in 2002, and the British monarchy became a little less lively. They weren't revenge affairs, she just wanted to feel desired.". She had a luxurious—and ridiculous—morning routine. So much so that, upon seeing a woman feeding them in a public park, she walked over and began whacking them with an umbrella. The couple was perhaps too similar in some ways. https://www.vanityfair.com/.../12/princess-margaret-the-crown-true-story But my goodness, she was a lady who loved life and enjoyed friends. Margaret's funeral was held on the 50th anniversary of her father's death and at the same location, St. George's Chapel in Windsor. Although she loved her big sis dearly, Margaret also felt that she could never quite compare to the queen. "The queen, even when they were girls, always kept an eye on her sister because Margaret could be wayward. Because Armstrong-Jones was not seen as a suitable match for the princess, the press didn't think much of him attending parties with Margaret. All … © 2021 Condé Nast.