Born in 1930, Princess Margaret was the second child of the Duke and Duchess of York and the first royal baby since Charles I in 1600 to be born in Scotland. Although her early childhood was certainly filled with royalty, her life changed its course in 1936 when her uncle, King Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, a twice divorced American. At that point, her father was made King George VI and she moved up to become third in line to the British throne.
Princess Margaret's Love Affair with Peter Townsend
In her late teens, Margaret had begun a quiet affair with a young World War II hero named Group Captain Peter Townsend. With her father's passing in 1952, her sister Elizabeth became Queen. Up until this time the relationship was kept from the media, but during the coronation event the next year, the watchful eye of the media caught a glimpse of affection between Margaret and Peter and the story broke. Just sixteen years after the abdication crisis of her uncle, Margaret found herself in the midst of another royal scandal.
Princess Margaret's Decision: Royalty or Marriage
Only twenty-two when the romance became public, Margaret still needed to have the Queen's consent to marry and at that time the Church of England forbade divorce. If she waited until she reached the age of twenty-five, she could marry him without the consent of the Queen; however in doing so, she would forfeit her royal rights and income. The public sentiment was for Margaret to break off the relationship. Hoping to avoid another crisis, the government sent Captain Townsend to Brussels shortly thereafter, but the lovers continued the affair for another couple of years. In 1955, when Margaret was twenty-five, the public anticipated the announcement of an engagement, however after much debate she made the painful decision to break off the relationship and continue with her royal duties.
Princess Margaret Marries Lord Snowden but Continues Affairs
In 1960, Margaret married Anthony Armstrong-Jones and although a commoner, he was given the titles Viscount Linley and the Earl of Snowden. The marriage produced two children, and weathered much publicity surrounding her many alleged affairs. The most notable being her public liaison with Roderic Llewellyn and a tropical island holiday in 1976. He was nearly twenty years her junior and the media produced scandalous photographs of them together that fronted many newspapers. The following month, the palace announced the end of the Armstrong-Jones marriage. Not since the days of Henry VIII had the royal family been so scandalized by divorce and extra-marital affairs.
Princess Margaret Succumbs to a Life of Poor Health
A heavy smoker all of her life, by her mid fifties Margaret suffered the loss of a lung, a reminder of her father's fate thirty years prior. A nervous breakdown, pneumonia and several strokes were to follow and by the new century she was partially paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. In early 2002, at the age of seventy one, the once radiant princess succumbed to heart failure related to a recent stroke. Today, she is remembered for her beauty and her controversy. She is survived by her son David, the current Viscount Linley and her daughter, Lady Sarah Chatto.
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