Lady Glenconner
Princess Margaret: The Trouble with Townsend
Princess Margaret. Known for her glamour and beauty, her early love for nightlife and the arts, and her consistent appearance in the papers. She struggled throughout her life to balance an independent spirit and artistic temperament with her duties as a member of Britain’s Royal family. From her dramatic almost-marriage to her very public divorce, Margaret’s turbulent love life dominated the Royal spotlight for years. The Princess’s romantic entanglements were the stuff of rumour, tabloid speculation and scandal, yet they played a critical role in modernising Royal love along the way. Hand in hand with her marriage was her shocking divorce, which almost became her unwritten legacy, and normalised Royal divorce for the future generations, despite the backlash she faced at the time. Coming of age at a unique time when celebrity culture and tabloid journalism were just beginning, her status as younger sister to the Queen of the Commonwealth and her natural beauty, made her the first choice for the press to write stories about, particularly when they were so scandalous. Princess Margaret had a large part in modernising the Royal Family, more so than her sister, The Queen. Although she may have been a darling of the gossip columns, she will always be remembered as glamorous individual who stood out amongst Royal stereotypes.
Apple TVPrincess Margaret: From Armstrong to the End
After her shocking public announcement that she would not be marrying Peter Townsend, Margaret appeared at more Royal engagements and events, with several different suitors. Eventually, Margaret began secretly seeing photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones. Although the press were obsessed with following her and identifying her likely suitors, Antony was completely overlooked. She would visit him in secret at his studios and he would accompany her to events, but Antony was often in the background. Antony Armstrong-Jones was considered a ‘commoner’, not considered a real prospect for Margaret, which is why their romance went undetected for so long. The announcement of their engagement in February 1960 caught many by surprise. Despite appearing to be happily married, both of the Snowdons engaged in public love affairs. But Margaret was also keeping secrets. In 2002, Margaret’s passing came just three days after the 50th anniversary of her father King George VI's death. Princess Margaret was in many ways the quintessential modern royal, caught between tradition, duty, desire and public opinion. She maintained a love for life, not worried about how the tabloids perceived her, as once told French poet and filmmaker Jean Cocteau, “Disobedience is my joy”.
Apple TV
Princess Margaret: A Fine Romance
The tale of Princess Margaret's search for true love is one filled with heartbreak, tough decisions and scandal. An idyllic childhood, surrounded by her sister, mother and father, swiftly changed into an upbringing full of loneliness caused by fate, the death of her father, heartbreak, adultery, and her sister's new role as the Queen of England.
Apple TV
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