Princess Margaret of England: biography and personal life. Famous wedding dresses: Princess Margaret Princess Margaret
The younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret Rose, was born on August 21, 1930 at Glamis Castle in Scotland. The future Countess of Snowdon from the royal family of Windsor will live 71 years and die of a stroke on February 9, 2009. Like space crew backups, her destiny was to always remain in the Queen's shadow.
Both sisters were born on the 21st, four years apart. Only the eldest Elizabeth - in April, and the youngest Margaret - in August. As children, their parents raised them together, and the girls were friendly. Margaret's life changed dramatically in December 1936 when King Edward VIII abdicated the throne due to his morganatic marriage to Bessie Wallis Warfield. His brother George VI, the father of Elizabeth and Margaret, becomes king.
Her Royal Highness's contemporaries believed that Margaret was spoiled by her parents, especially her father, who allowed her liberties that were usually not permissible for a 13-year-old teenager of royal blood, such as staying up until dinner. King George spoke of Elizabeth as his pride and Margaret as his joy.
During World War II, the sisters, despite the bombing of London, remained at Windsor Palace and did not leave for Canada. Margaret was considered too young to be entrusted with any affairs. The teenager continued to learn lessons and improve in singing and playing the piano. In 1950, former royal governess Marion Crawford published biographies of Elizabeth and Margaret. In a book called The Little Princesses, she described Margaret's "light-hearted pranks" and her "funny and outrageous... antics." The royal family was appalled by what they perceived as Crawford's intrusion into their privacy and breach of trust, leading to her being ostracized by those close to the monarch.
Fifty-six-year-old George VI died suddenly on February 6, 1952. Margaret was heartbroken, and doctors prescribed her sedatives for insomnia. By that time, her longtime acquaintance Peter Townsend had been appointed Comptroller of the Household of her mother’s court and proposed marriage to the sister of the Queen of England. He was 16 years older than Margaret and had two children from a previous marriage. According to the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, this required the queen's consent. In addition, in 1936, the Anglican Church refused to register remarriage for divorced people. After several years of romance, Margaret publicly announces her separation from Peter "on account of her responsibilities to her country."
And so eccentric, Margaret went into all sorts of troubles. Her many rumored admirers included Billy Wallace, Scottish aristocrat Colin Tennant and John Turner, later Prime Minister of Canada. On May 6, 1960, Margaret married her age-mate, English photographer and director Antony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones, who thereby received the title of 1st Earl of Snowdon. Armstrong-Jones invented the electric wheelchair, for which he received patent number 1230619 (“Mobile aids for people with disabilities”) in 1971.
Margaret's circle of acquaintances expanded. In addition to aristocrats, she began to communicate with bohemians and representatives of big business. Her duties included charitable activities. The Earl and Countess of Snowdon loved experimenting with fashionable clothing styles. In this marriage, Margaret gave birth to a son and a daughter. Both children, at her request, were born by caesarean section. David, Viscount Linley, born 3 November 1961. Lady Sarah - May 1, 1964. The marriage lasted 16 years and all this time was on the verge of collapse, as the media constantly wrote about. The scandals were accompanied by drinking, drug use and adultery. On July 11, 1978, the couple divorced. The reason could be Anthony's bisexuality.
Many books are dedicated to Princess Margaret in her homeland; her biographies are published, which, as a rule, are not translated into other languages. Quite a lot of both documentaries and feature films are being made about her life. In them, Princess Margaret is presented at different ages and in different episodes. In the 2010 Oscar-winning film The King's Speech! (The King's Speech) the role of little Princess Margaret was played by eight-year-old English actress Ramona Marquez. In the melodrama “A Royal Night Out”, released in 2015, teenage Margaret was played by actress Bel Powley. .
The princess started smoking at the age of 15. On January 5, 1985, part of her left lung was removed. Margaret quit smoking in 1991, but continued to suffer from heavy drinking. In 1993, she was hospitalized with a diagnosis of pneumonia. In early 1999, as a result of an accident in the bathroom, the princess received severe burns on both legs. I had to transfer to a wheelchair. Princess Margaret died at King Edward VII's Hospital in London. The farewell ceremony took place on February 15, 2002, exactly on the 50th anniversary of her father’s funeral. Unlike most other members of the Windsor royal family, Princess Margaret's body was cremated and her ashes were placed in her parents' grave.
This is exactly what happened with Princess Margaret, the younger sister of the British Queen Elizabeth II. Despite the splendor and luxury of her existence, the “spare princess” always suffered from loneliness. Faktrum publishes a selection of facts from the biography of the princess.
1. In the first years of their lives, the sisters were very close. But when, due to the abdication of their uncle Edward VIII, their parents had to ascend the throne, the girls’ lives changed dramatically. A spirit of rivalry emerged between the sisters. Elizabeth was destined to become queen, so she began endless lessons on the structure of a constitutional monarchy. Margaret was left out of work.
Photo source: Kulturologia.ru
2. A real shock for the princess was the death of her father, King George VI, at the age of 56. The mother suddenly distanced herself from everyone, wearing mourning, Elizabeth II was consumed by royal obligations, and 21-year-old Princess Margaret felt useless to anyone.
3. The first scandal associated with the princess's name occurred in 1953. On June 2, during the coronation of Elizabeth II, Margaret had the imprudence to brush away the ashes from the uniform of Captain Peter Townsend. The press regarded this gesture as significant and defiant.
In fact, the relationship between them had lasted for many years. The princess wanted to marry the captain, but he was divorced and had two children. The sister, the archbishop and parliament opposed such a statement, since the royal person had no right to marry a divorced person. Margaret was given an ultimatum: if she married Captain Townsend, she would lose all royal privileges and lifelong maintenance.
Two years later, Princess Margaret appeared on television and publicly renounced her intention to marry the captain, citing obligations to her country.
4. After this, Margaret became embittered and decided that now the whole meaning of her life would be fun. She began to drink and lead a riotous life. Her behavior in public places became extraordinary: her days began with the fulfillment of royal obligations at endless receptions, trips to theaters, and invariably ended in nightclubs.
5. Despite her obnoxious character, Princess Margaret was gladly received in any establishment. She was attractive: marble skin, thin waist, sensual mouth. Every outfit she appeared in was immediately published in magazines and then copied by fashionistas.
6. The princess flirted with the most famous handsome men of the time. She was not offended by jokes with obvious subtext. The princess declared: if one sister is a queen, a manifestation of good, then the second is destined to be the embodiment of evil and corruption - the queen of the night.
7. Despite numerous novels, no one suited Margaret's status as a suitor. This really depressed the girl. In 1959, photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones asked for the hand of the 29-year-old princess. This led to another resonance, since the last time a person of royal blood married a commoner was 450 years ago. Queen Elizabeth II nevertheless agreed to the marriage, wishing her sister female happiness.
8. Unfortunately, this relationship did not bring the princess the desired peace, and after 18 years of marriage, she filed for divorce. From this marriage Margaret had two children: David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley, born 3 November 1961, and Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, born 1 May 1964.
9. Margaret was nicknamed the “rebel princess” because of her scandalous behavior: she was a regular at London clubs and willingly appeared in the company of rockers, with a glass of alcohol and a long cigarette holder in her hand. Since the eighties, she has had serious health problems. The press states that she smokes up to 60 cigarettes a day and is fond of gin.
10. Margaret's last years were deeply tragic. As a result of an accident in which she scalded her feet, the princess was confined to a wheelchair. She died on February 9, 2002 from a stroke.
Who are the “children of the moon”?
Cat declawing is an amputation of the fingers.
What is the rarest eye and hair color combination in the world?
What is the “poverty trap”?
Sociologists call a “poverty trap” a situation where children growing up in poverty cannot, for this reason, receive a decent education, a well-paid profession and a decent pension, and are forced to remain on the social bottom all their lives. According to the latest data from Rosstat, in Russia the share of children from low-income families is 26% of the total: all of them are at risk of falling into the “poverty trap.”
What Russian surnames are considered amulets?
Dissonant surnames that characterize a person from a negative or funny side, such as Durakov, Zlobin, Bezobrazov, Nezhdanov, Nevzorov, etc., are amulets surnames. In Rus', it was customary to give such surnames to children in order to deceive evil spirits. It was also assumed that the surname would protect against the “evil eye” and would have the opposite effect: Bezobrazov would grow up handsome, Durakov - smart, etc.
Bouncers for export
There is a village in India that exports male bouncers to the country's bars. All the boys in this village train four hours a day and eat high-protein foods to build muscle mass. Upon reaching adulthood, men leave the village and take jobs in nightclubs and bars.
wind eggs
Occasionally, chickens lay eggs without shells at all or with soft shells. Obviously, this is due to a lack of calcium in the chicken’s body. In England, such eggs are popularly called “wind eggs”, since, according to legend, a hen that laid such an egg was fertilized not by a rooster, but by the wind. Find out the most important facts about eggs that Roskontrol recommends everyone know.
People are drowning in silence
When someone is drowning, they don't scream or call for help. In order to make a sound, we need air in our lungs, and in order to scream, we need to take a deep breath. Unfortunately, the process of drowning means that you are unable to breathe as your lungs fill with water. You can drown literally in front of your loved ones, without any opportunity to call for help. Remember this when you're on the beach: drowning people don't scream.
City under one roof
This is exactly what happened with Princess Margaret, the younger sister of the British Queen Elizabeth II. Despite the splendor and luxury of her existence, the “spare princess” always suffered from loneliness. Faktrum publishes a selection of facts from the biography of the princess.
1. In the first years of their lives, the sisters were very close. But when, due to the abdication of their uncle Edward VIII, their parents had to ascend the throne, the girls’ lives changed dramatically. A spirit of rivalry emerged between the sisters. Elizabeth was destined to become queen, so she began endless lessons on the structure of a constitutional monarchy. Margaret was left out of work.
Photo source: Kulturologia.ru
2. A real shock for the princess was the death of her father, King George VI, at the age of 56. The mother suddenly distanced herself from everyone, wearing mourning, Elizabeth II was consumed by royal obligations, and 21-year-old Princess Margaret felt useless to anyone.
3. The first scandal associated with the princess's name occurred in 1953. On June 2, during the coronation of Elizabeth II, Margaret had the imprudence to brush away the ashes from the uniform of Captain Peter Townsend. The press regarded this gesture as significant and defiant.
In fact, the relationship between them had lasted for many years. The princess wanted to marry the captain, but he was divorced and had two children. The sister, the archbishop and parliament opposed such a statement, since the royal person had no right to marry a divorced person. Margaret was given an ultimatum: if she married Captain Townsend, she would lose all royal privileges and lifelong maintenance.
Two years later, Princess Margaret appeared on television and publicly renounced her intention to marry the captain, citing obligations to her country.
4. After this, Margaret became embittered and decided that now the whole meaning of her life would be fun. She began to drink and lead a riotous life. Her behavior in public places became extraordinary: her days began with the fulfillment of royal obligations at endless receptions, trips to theaters, and invariably ended in nightclubs.
5. Despite her obnoxious character, Princess Margaret was gladly received in any establishment. She was attractive: marble skin, thin waist, sensual mouth. Every outfit she appeared in was immediately published in magazines and then copied by fashionistas.
6. The princess flirted with the most famous handsome men of the time. She was not offended by jokes with obvious subtext. The princess declared: if one sister is a queen, a manifestation of good, then the second is destined to be the embodiment of evil and corruption - the queen of the night.
7. Despite numerous novels, no one suited Margaret's status as a suitor. This really depressed the girl. In 1959, photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones asked for the hand of the 29-year-old princess. This led to another resonance, since the last time a person of royal blood married a commoner was 450 years ago. Queen Elizabeth II nevertheless agreed to the marriage, wishing her sister female happiness.
8. Unfortunately, this relationship did not bring the princess the desired peace, and after 18 years of marriage, she filed for divorce. From this marriage Margaret had two children: David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley, born 3 November 1961, and Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, born 1 May 1964.
9. Margaret was nicknamed the “rebel princess” because of her scandalous behavior: she was a regular at London clubs and willingly appeared in the company of rockers, with a glass of alcohol and a long cigarette holder in her hand. Since the eighties, she has had serious health problems. The press states that she smokes up to 60 cigarettes a day and is fond of gin.
10. Margaret's last years were deeply tragic. As a result of an accident in which she scalded her feet, the princess was confined to a wheelchair. She died on February 9, 2002 from a stroke.
Who are the “children of the moon”?
Cat declawing is an amputation of the fingers.
What is the rarest eye and hair color combination in the world?
What is the “poverty trap”?
Sociologists call a “poverty trap” a situation where children growing up in poverty cannot, for this reason, receive a decent education, a well-paid profession and a decent pension, and are forced to remain on the social bottom all their lives. According to the latest data from Rosstat, in Russia the share of children from low-income families is 26% of the total: all of them are at risk of falling into the “poverty trap.”
What Russian surnames are considered amulets?
Dissonant surnames that characterize a person from a negative or funny side, such as Durakov, Zlobin, Bezobrazov, Nezhdanov, Nevzorov, etc., are amulets surnames. In Rus', it was customary to give such surnames to children in order to deceive evil spirits. It was also assumed that the surname would protect against the “evil eye” and would have the opposite effect: Bezobrazov would grow up handsome, Durakov - smart, etc.
Bouncers for export
There is a village in India that exports male bouncers to the country's bars. All the boys in this village train four hours a day and eat high-protein foods to build muscle mass. Upon reaching adulthood, men leave the village and take jobs in nightclubs and bars.
wind eggs
Occasionally, chickens lay eggs without shells at all or with soft shells. Obviously, this is due to a lack of calcium in the chicken’s body. In England, such eggs are popularly called “wind eggs”, since, according to legend, a hen that laid such an egg was fertilized not by a rooster, but by the wind. Find out the most important facts about eggs that Roskontrol recommends everyone know.
People are drowning in silence
When someone is drowning, they don't scream or call for help. In order to make a sound, we need air in our lungs, and in order to scream, we need to take a deep breath. Unfortunately, the process of drowning means that you are unable to breathe as your lungs fill with water. You can drown literally in front of your loved ones, without any opportunity to call for help. Remember this when you're on the beach: drowning people don't scream.
City under one roof
Princess MargaretShe was not only the royal daughter, the queen’s sister and, after the birth of Prince Charles, third in line to the throne, but was also known as the first beauty of the kingdom of Great Britain. Shades of lipstick, perfumes and cocktails, tulips, gladioli, and roses were named after her.
She flashed like a bright comet, but in an endless series of social scandals, her star faded. Disease and oblivion followed. When her coffin, covered with blue and purple cloth with white lilies, was taken out of the hospital in February 2002, a few onlookers asked: “What happened? Is the Queen Mother dead? No? Princess Margaret? Has she survived to this day?”
Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, was born on 21 August 1930 at Glamis Castle, the ancestral home of her mother Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, in Scotland.
At the time of her birth, she was fourth in the line of succession to the British throne.
She was destined to be a “spare princess”, to be on the sidelines, in the shadow of her crowned sister. To be noticed, she had to be much brighter than Elizabeth, challenging conservative foundations. No wonder Margaret was called the rebellious princess. The registration of her birth was delayed for several days so that the entry in the parish register would not be assigned number 13. But fate is difficult to deceive, even for a princess. However, all the storms are ahead, but for now she is just a lovely little “Her Royal Highness” in a beautiful castle, surrounded by the love and care of the entire royal family.
But even from early childhood there were scandals and disputes. Her mother wanted to name her Anne - “Elizabeth and Anne go so well together.” Her father was categorically against it and insisted on “Margaret Rose.”
Elizabeth and Margaret did not attend school; they were taught by the Scottish governess Marion Crawford. Their education was controlled by their mother, who said: “After all, my sisters and I only had governesses, and we all married well—one of us very well.” Margaret later regretted her limited education.
Margaret played music and sang beautifully, which did not interfere with the rumors that spread among the people that the girl was deaf and dumb. Only her first public appearances dispelled them. The girl also loved to be the center of attention, and her older sister Elizabeth allowed her to do so, commenting: “Oh, how much easier it is when Margaret is there - everyone laughs at what Margaret says.”
Their father, who became King George VI after his father's death and his elder brother's abdication, described Elizabeth as his pride and Margaret as his joy.
At this time, Margaret became second in line to the throne and received the status of a child of the sovereign.
After the sudden outbreak of the Second World War, Margaret and her sister were at Birkhall on the Balmoral Castle estate, where they remained until Christmas 1939. The nights there were so cold that the drinking water in the carafes by their beds froze. The royal family spent the entire war, despite the bombing, at Windsor Castle. Lord Hailsham wrote to Prime Minister Winston Churchill advising that the princesses be evacuated to Canada, to which their mother famously replied that “The children will not get along without my help. I won't leave without the King. And the King will never leave."
After the end of the war in 1945, Margaret appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace with her family and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Subsequently, both Elizabeth and Margaret joined the crowds outside the palace, incognito chanting, "we want a King, we want a Queen!"
Her twenty-first birthday party was held at Balmoral in August 1951. The following month, her father underwent surgery for lung cancer and died in 1952.
As an adult, Margaret grew into a dark-haired beauty with huge blue eyes, a voluptuous mouth and an 18-inch waist. The editors of the fashion and beauty sections immediately took notice of her. Petite, thin, with a beautiful figure, she became the inspiration for the New Look style. Her outfits were immediately published in women's magazines and then copied by fashionable dressmakers across the country. She dazzled in elaborate hats and evening gowns by Norman Hartnell and Victor Stiebel. Wherever she went, she was accompanied by a crowd of secular admirers, who began to be called “Margaret’s set.” In 1956, 26-year-old Margaret appeared on the list of the most stylish people in the world. In this prestigious list, Margaret was mentioned second after Grace Kelly.
Offended by her mother and sister, Margaret insisted on moving to Kensington Palace, where she created an alternative court of her friends and where there was no place for formal dresses and tuxedos. In the evenings, her blue Rolls-Royce left the palace gates and headed towards Soho. Almost every day she returned from clubs in the morning. With a brightly painted mouth, large violet eyes, a dazzling smile, high combed dark red hair, the flawless marble skin for which the women of the Windsor family were so famous, she resembled both a Hollywood star and a classic 19th-century aristocrat.
Margaret's famous open dress for a reception in Hollywood, where it caused a furore and a scandal in the English press
The first scandal happened with Margaret Rose, Princess of York in 1955: the younger sister of Elizabeth II almost married the royal equerry Peter Townsend, sixteen years older than her, the father of two children and also divorced. The sister queen, parliament and the church led by the Archbishop of Canterbury opposed this marriage of Margaret, considering it a monstrous misalliance! In the autumn of 1955, the BBC interrupted its broadcasts to broadcast a statement from Margaret, who notified the nation of the end of her twelve-year relationship with Captain Townsend. The lovers separated.
Receiving up to twenty marriage proposals a year, at the age of 30 Margaret was still not married. None of her admirers met the status of the husband of the “royal sister” - the princess did not dare to challenge this decision of her crowned relatives. But when the handsome, witty and very talented society photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones began to court her, Margaret unexpectedly showed firmness.
On May 6, 1960, life in England stopped - a wedding was broadcast on TV from Westminster Abbey, which was watched by another 300 million people. The bride, wearing a bouquet of orchids, a Norman Hartnell deep-V silk dress with pearl beads, and a veil held by the diamond Poltimore Tiara from Queen Victoria's collection, was, as the newspapers wrote, "a masterpiece of style and hairdressing." She was accompanied by eight girlfriends and her beloved nephew, little Prince Charles, dressed in a traditional Scottish kilt.
The newlyweds spent their honeymoon riding on the royal yacht Britannia around the Caribbean islands. In May 1961, Margaret's pregnancy was officially announced.
With son and daughter
son - David, Viscount Linley, born 3 November 1961, daughter 0 Lady Sarah, born 1 May 1964. Both children were born by caesarean section
With the advent of her son, Margaret’s life has hardly changed, only her circle has changed - now there are almost no aristocrats left in it, they have been replaced by bohemians: an aspiring actress, the future “Bond girl”, Swede Britt Ekland, her husband comedian Peter Sellers, dancers Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, writer Edna O'Brien, hairdresser and stylist Vidal Sassoon, designer, creator of the miniskirt Mary Quant and inspirer of the hippy chic style, Thea Porter, whose bright oriental robes are a pleasure worn by Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Collins...
In Hollywood, the couple had breakfast with Frank Sinatra, chatted with Gregory Peck, and the princess tested her charms on Paul Newman. There were lots of parties in those golden days - in Sardinia, Costa Esmeralda and St. Tropez.
Almost every week Margaret opened exhibitions, auctions, charity concerts, horse races, went on official visits, was present as a representative of the royal house at weddings, christenings and funerals, and made official visits to the colonies and Commonwealth countries.
Her husband, who received the title of Earl of Snowdon, was not given the main role in this highest protocol. Anthony complained to friends that he was treated as if he had been picked up in a gutter. The summer of 1965 was the last happy holiday that Anthony and Margaret spent together.
In the late 60s, Margaret and Lord Snowdon barely spoke to each other. On her 39th birthday in 1969, the Snowdons started arguing loudly in a nightclub. Losing his temper, he began to put out his cigarettes on her evening dress in the presence of guests. “I’ve never seen anyone congratulate the birthday girl like that,” American writer Gore Vidal commented on this scene without hiding his sarcasm. The photographer left notes on the table, one of which was entitled “Twenty reasons why I hate you.” Friends said that the couple “exchanged insults like gunshots.” These scenes were reminiscent of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
In the early 70s, their life together went downhill, and Margaret's style also changed. Along with youth, the retro 50s also went away. In casual tweed suits, she looked squat, neither miniskirts nor ethnic outfits suited her, and the famous shirtdresses of the 70s sat like a bag on her. In those years, she rarely left the ranks of the most tastelessly dressed celebrities and received comments that she the sight "makes Londoners wish there was no more fog in their city."
Her love for whiskey was already legendary. She showed up for breakfast with her usual glass of Famous Grouse. During official visits, she was followed from room to room by a specially assigned waiter with an ashtray.
“We need to meet with young people - the rest of the applicants are either busy or have died long ago,” Margaret liked to say in those years. The newspapers called Margaret "expensive", "scandalous", "extravagant" and "useless".
Both spouses cheated on each other, but it was Margaret’s infidelities that became public knowledge thanks to the ubiquitous paparazzi.
The Snowdons divorced in 1978, the first divorce in the English royal family in 400 years since Henry VIII. Despite the fact that her husband had a very tarnished reputation, all the blame was placed on Margaret. The press called the princess "tedious", "spoiled", "idling" and "irritable". Elizabeth II excluded her from the number of guests of honor and refused to pay the annual 219 thousand pounds required for the maintenance of a member of the royal house. As more and more heirs to the throne were born, Princess Margaret's turn dropped to 11, and over time interest in her was completely lost.
She got sick more and more often, complained of poor health, while not parting with either cigarettes (in those years she smoked 60 cigarettes a day) or Famous Grouse whiskey. In 1985, Margaret underwent lung surgery. In 1991, her health began to decline sharply. A series of strokes followed.
In March 2001, Margaret suddenly lost sight of objects. She arrived at the Queen Mother's 101st birthday celebrations in a wheelchair with a swollen face covered by large dark glasses. But another blow soon followed. On New Year's Day 2002, Elizabeth II canceled her daily ritual of riding a horse and came to sit with her sister. These were the last days of Princess Margaret. On the morning of February 9, 2002, she died in her sleep.
In 1950, the royal governess, Marion Crawford, who raised the princesses, published a biography of Elizabeth, describing Margaret's childhood years, her "carefree fun" and her "amusing and outrageous... antics." Marion Crawford wrote: "The impulsive and colorful remarks she made became headlines and, taken out of their context, began to produce in the public eye a strangely distorted personality that bore little resemblance to the Margaret we knew."
American writer Gore Vidal recalled a conversation with Margaret in which she discussed her public fame, saying, "It was inevitable: when there are two sisters, and each a Queen, one must be the source of honor and all that is good, while while the other should be the center of the most creative criminal intention - the evil sister." However, the sisters' letters to each other show no signs of disagreement between them.
It’s hard to imagine, but some sixty years ago the British monarchical system was rocked by loud scandals, and the Queen prayed only that another article would not appear in the yellow press mentioning her family. The main instigator of this chaos was Margaret, the younger sister of Elizabeth II.
Meghan Markle is called the main violator of the foundations of the British royal family and they are still perplexed how Elizabeth II allowed her grandson to marry a foreign commoner, and even a divorcee. Knowledgeable people remember very well that once, in similar circumstances, she did not bless the relationship of her younger sister, Princess Margaret.
She was a bright woman in all respects and her beauty (in the British sense) easily overshadowed Elizabeth II, but in everyday life she had to be content with a supporting role.
Fans called her the “English rose,” but she was definitely not a sissy and was famous for its very sharp thorns. Margaret was known to be impulsive, hot-tempered and always said what she thought straight to her face. Her aristocratic arrogance was often so excessive that even close friends could not get used to it. There were many rumors about this eccentric person, and they were generated by the princess’s completely unroyal behavior.
She drank a lot, smoked from the age of 15 and recklessly started fleeting novels.
Her Majesty's contemporaries believed that Margaret was spoiled by her parents, who allowed her much more than her sister. However, many are sure: Elizabeth II herself played a big role in the difficult fate of this woman, forgotten by many.
Sister's Shadow
Elizabeth and Margaret were born on the 21st, four years apart (the eldest in April 1926, the youngest in August 1930). Since childhood they were very friendly, but those around them noted how different the girls were. This was emphasized by their father, who called Elizabeth his pride and Margaret his joy.
Everything went wrong after the death of George VI and the accession of his eldest daughter to the throne. The last threads of sisterly love were severed. With all attention focused on Elizabeth, who became queen at the age of 26, Margaret felt unwanted.
Young girl and adult man
There was only one person next to her - Peter Townsend. She fell in love with a handsome officer, a hero of the Second World War, who often visited their house, as a teenager. She was 14, he was 16 years older - what kind of relationship can we talk about? Nevertheless, the years passed, and their affection for each other only grew stronger, until it turned into adult, mutual, genuine love.
The couple was forced to hide their romance, but one day everyone found out about it. During one event, Margaret and Peter were betrayed by a characteristic intimate gesture - the girl brushed a speck of dust from her companion's shoulder. The journalists present in the hall saw this, and the next morning a devastating article was published in one of the British newspapers.
There was no question of a wedding: the man was divorced and had two children in his arms. Besides, he is a commoner. Elizabeth herself was against such a union; if she wanted, she could easily rewrite the law and allow her sister to marry her beloved. Instead, she gave Margaret an ultimatum: if she married Townsend, she would lose all royal privileges and lifelong maintenance. The unfortunate girl did not dare to repeat the fate of her famous uncle (Edward VIII, who abandoned the throne for the American actress Wallis Simpson) and publicly abandoned her intention to marry the captain, citing obligations to her country.
Bad habits and dirty rumors
Rumor has it that it was the painful separation from Townsend that pushed Margaret onto a crooked path. Yes, she always loved to have fun, but, left without her beloved man, it was as if she had broken free - she became a regular at nightclubs, from where she returned only in the morning. The princess became addicted to alcohol (she preferred “male” whiskey to light sparkling whiskey), smoked up to (!) 60 cigarettes a day, as a result of which part of her lung was later removed.
This lifestyle gave rise to a lot of different gossip. However, they spoiled the mood only for Elizabeth II - Margaret herself had nothing to do with them. The media did not skimp on epithets, calling the Queen's younger sister "spoiled", "irritating" and "cynical".
The princess always answered the same thing: “If one sister is a queen, a manifestation of good, then the second is destined to be the embodiment of evil and corruption - the queen of the night.”
There were even rumors that Margaret was sleeping with her own sister's husband, Prince Philip. It has long been said about him that he does not miss a single skirt. But what was driving the princess? Most likely, a banal desire to take revenge on the one who deprived her of the main love of her life, not allowing her to marry Townsend.
A wedding that went down in history
Years passed, Margaret was already thirty, and she remained an unmarried girl. She was not interested in parties beneficial to the royal family; romances with men who ended up in the royal bed were fleeting. The only one who was able to attract her attention was photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones.
Another commoner! But the way the princess looked at him and how happy she was with him melted the heart of Elizabeth II, and the queen agreed to the marriage. True, she asked to postpone the ceremony planned for mid-February - the birth of Prince Andrew was expected soon, and the wedding of her younger sister should not overshadow this event.
On May 6, 1960, life in Great Britain came to a standstill - the wedding of Princess Margaret, which took place in Westminster Abbey, was broadcast on television (for the first time in the history of the royal family).
The bride was dressed in an unusually modest (for herself) wedding dress, created by the main royal couturier Norman Hartnell. Her outfit, the diamond Poltimore tiara (from Queen Victoria's collection) and a bouquet of miniature orchids created a beautiful, but not pompous, image. So that everyone understands, it was not the queen who got married, but the princess.
Britain doesn't remember this
The marriage, which lasted 18 years, could hardly be called successful: two difficult characters and big egos got along worse and worse, and soon not only Anthony, but also Margaret herself began to have affairs on the side.
So she turned her attention to her husband's close friend, Anthony Barton. Her feelings for him were so strong that Margaret, without any hesitation, began to call his wife and talk in detail about how much her husband loved her. We don’t know how, but Eve Barton managed to win back her husband, and Margaret, instantly forgetting about him, went in search of another victim.
Soon, long-haired hippie Roderick Llewellyn appeared on her path, who turned out to be 17 years younger than our heroine. In the future, he would become a well-known landscape designer in narrow circles, and at the time of his meeting with the royal person, his main hobbies were fun and alcohol. With Margaret, Roddy (as his relatives called him) vacationed at fashionable resorts, attended private parties with the participation of world celebrities - in general, he enjoyed life.
This “dolce vita” continued for two whole years, and then The Sunday Time journalists managed to get photographs of 46-year-old Margaret in the arms of a young and hot lover. A Sound of Thunder! Elizabeth II, tired of her younger sister’s antics, refused to pay her the annual 219 thousand pounds sterling required for the maintenance of members of the royal family, and her husband, having finally seen the light, announced that he was leaving. This was the first divorce in the British royal family in 400 years! And how many of them will there be after...
Forgotten style icon
On the eve of her fiftieth birthday, Margaret lost her status not only as a married lady, but also as a style icon. Since the mid-1970s (it was then that her family life went downhill) Margaret has rarely left the rankings of the most tastelessly dressed celebrities. Fashion critics called it “the curse of world fashion.” One of them even said: “the sight of Margaret makes Londoners regret that there are no more fogs in their city.” According to these ruthless experts, in fashionable tweed suits the princess looked squat, miniskirts (and she especially loved them) did not suit her at all, and shirt dresses hung like a bag.
What a blow these words were for the one who was sung by Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent! Margaret adored these two fashion creators and did not care that members of the English royal family should go out in the outfits of British fashion designers. Unlike her older sister, the younger sister could afford much more experiments in clothing. Moreover, once she posed without it at all. Unthinkable for a royal, but it really happened. In 1965, her then loving and beloved husband Andrew photographed Margaret in a bathtub with a diamond tiara on her head. The same one she wore on her wedding day.
Ugly ending to a beautiful life
Despite the splendor and luxury of her existence, the “spare” princess always suffered from loneliness. She felt this especially strongly in the last years of her life.
In 1991, she had her first stroke. I immediately had to forget about alcohol and cigarettes, which, to the surprise of all relatives, was what Margaret did. She no longer went to parties, and she was invited there less and less. Men began to lose interest in this once beautiful, but now “extinguished” woman who had lost her glamorous radiance. And Margaret herself began to lose interest in life.
The reason for this was an accident that happened to her in 1998. While taking a bath, the princess severely burned her feet. The injury was so serious that the freedom-loving woman could now only move in a wheelchair. At the end of 2001, Margaret stopped distinguishing objects, and at the beginning of 2002 she was taken to the hospital, where she died on February 9. Family members attended the funeral, including the 101-year-old Queen Mother.
- Margaret did her own makeup and (!) invited her hairdresser to her place twice a day
- Her height was only 155 centimeters, so the princess always wore high-heeled shoes and had special padding on car seats
- Being spoiled in everything, Margaret had a very unpretentious taste in food: she hated oysters and black caviar, and ordered the simplest food like stew and mashed potatoes.
- Margaret's grandson (son of her only daughter Sarah) became a bodybuilder