Biography of Queen Elizabeth's sister. How did the fate of the "reserve princess" Margaret, the younger sister of Elizabeth II

The bride and groom met on the set. He was an actor, and she was an assistant dresser. He was the son of an actor and theatrical agent. She was the daughter of a princess and the granddaughter of a king. He played the role of the prince (one of her cousins) in the film.
Lady Sarah Francis Elizabeth Armstrong-Jones was born on 1 May 1964 at Kensington Palace in London, England. Her parents are Princess Margaret, youngest daughter King George VI, and Anthony Armstrong-Jones. Her father was made Earl of Snowdon and Viscount Linley on October 6, 1961. Therefore, Sarah owns the title, worn according to custom - Lady Sarah. Sarah has an older brother, David.


Lady Sarah wore the Snowdon floral tiara to the wedding. This is a tiara given to Princess Margaret by her husband, but she never wore it to formal events.
The tiara unfolds into brooches. Lady Sarah at the celebration of the golden anniversary of the wedding of Elizabeth II and Philip Mountbatten, 1997


Sarah and Daniel chose a small 17th century church built by Sir Christopher Wren because wanted to get married in a romantic and cozy place. There is only enough space for 200 people, children were not invited precisely because of the size of the church. The bride decided not to use the royal carriage, and also to do without the red carpet and chimes. Daniel was so worried not to be late that he arrived at the church an hour and a half before the start of the ceremony.
Sarah arrived with her father, Lord Snowdon, and three bridesmaids: half-sister Lady Frances Armstrong-Jones, cousin Zara Philips and friend Tara Noble Sing.

The bride's arrival was almost overshadowed by the arrival of her more famous relatives, the Prince and Princess of Wales, who appeared at the same event, albeit separately, for the first time since Charles's public admission of adultery a month earlier.

After reciting their marriage vows, the couple exchanged simple gold rings. The ceremony lasted only 30 minutes and, unexpectedly for everyone, the newlyweds left the church without an announcement. Even the driver was not in place, which caused the laughter of the newly-made spouses. There was a reception at Clarence House after the ceremony, which the Princess of Wales did not attend. The couple spent their honeymoon in India - that's where they met.
The couple had two children: Samuel David Benedict Shatto, 28 July 1996, London, and Arthur Robert Nathaniel Shatto, 5 February 1999, London. Queen Elizabeth II maintains close contact with both of her sister's children, their families are always invited to royal events and they usually spend Christmas at Sandringham.
Sarah and Daniel are pursuing careers as artists, and their work can be seen on the website of their art gallery. (

Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth II

Princess Margaret, despite being related to her sister Queen Elizabeth II, was, perhaps, her complete opposite. The permissiveness and indulgences that her parents did (while the older sister was brought up in severity) greatly influenced the formation of her personality: Margaret grew up a spoiled and rather unprincipled girl ..

The owner of an attractive appearance, Margaret at a young age began to break the hearts of men. When she was 14 years old, she met a young officer, Peter Townsend. In addition to being a captain in the Royal Air Force, a war hero and a ringmaster in the king's court, he was also incredibly handsome. Of course, such a track record and the bright appearance of a young officer attracted a young girl, and the fact that Townsend was married and had two sons did not bother her at all. Peter himself, despite his marital status, was fascinated by Margaret and later admitted in his memoirs that all men paid attention to her. He couldn't resist either.

Princess Margaret and Elizabeth II

However, Margaret's behavior (she led a rather free lifestyle by royal standards: she was not against alcohol, smoked and changed suitors like gloves) did not mean that her heart belonged to Townsend. But everything changed after the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953, Margaret brushed a speck of dust from Peter's uniform. This proximity of the queen's sister and the officer did not go unnoticed by journalists, and then it became clear that Margaret and Peter had a very close relationship for a long time. By the way, by that time Townsend was already divorced from his wife, and, it would seem, now he and Margaret no longer had to hide. If not for one but. According to British law, the queen's sister could only marry upon reaching the age of 25, and since she was then only 23 years old, only her elder sister could bless her marriage to Townsend. Elizabeth, however, was not opposed, but the church could not give consent to marriage with a divorced man.

As a result, believing that this union could only bring trouble to the kingdom, the British government sent Townsend to Belgium for two years. Nevertheless, all this time, Margaret and Peter continued to maintain a relationship, and literally the whole country was wondering if the lovers would get married when the Queen's sister turned 25 years old. Two months after her 25th birthday, Margaret issued an official statement in which she announced that she had changed her mind about marrying Peter Townsend. main reason Margaret called that this marriage would not be recognized by the church.

However, not everyone believed in this explanation. Someone was sure that Margaret was not yet ready for such a serious step, and her love for Peter had long since passed. And someone thought that it's all about big difference in Peter's age and in the children she would have to raise.

Anyway, Margaret got married. In 1960, she married photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones. In a marriage that lasted 18 years, the couple had two children.

The meeting between Margaret and Peter Townsend happened in the 1990s - the queen's sister invited him to dinner. What then the former lovers talked about is unknown. However, returning from the meeting, Margaret noted that Peter had not changed at all, "except that his hair turned gray" ...

Source E!

The first scandal happened with Margaret Rose, Princess of York in 1955: the younger sister of Elizabeth II, almost married the royal equerry, sixteen years her senior, father of two children and also divorced. The sister-queen, parliament and the church, headed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, opposed Margaret's marriage to the officer Peter Townsend, considering it a monstrous misalliance, moreover, not a single member royal family not married to a divorced partner! In the autumn of 1955, the BBC interrupted its transmissions to broadcast a statement by Margaret, who notified the nation of the end of a twelve-year relationship with Captain Townsend. The lovers parted. The tabloids, having lost interest in the “reserve princess” and “abandoned younger sister”, left her alone for a while ... But what the paparazzi, who were hungry for sensations, could not see in Margaret, the editors of the fashion and beauty sections saw. In 1956, 26-year-old Margaret, transformed into a dark-haired beauty with huge blue eyes and a sensual mouth, appeared on the list of the most stylish people in the world. In this prestigious list, Margaret was mentioned second only to Grace Kelly. Not only the royal daughter, the sister of the queen, and after the birth of Prince Charles, the third in line for the throne, but as it soon became clear to everyone, the first beauty of the kingdom! Petite, thin, with a beautiful figure, she became the inspiration for the New Look style. Her outfits were instantly published in women's magazines, and then copied by fashion dressmakers across the country. She was dazzling in exquisite hats and evening dresses Norman Hartnell and Victor Stiebel. Wherever she went, she was accompanied everywhere by a crowd of secular admirers, who became known as the "Margaret set." Offended by her mother and sister, Margaret insisted on her resettlement in Kensington Palace, where she created an alternative court from 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 the clubs in the morning. With a brightly painted mouth, large violet eyes, a dazzling smile, high-combed dark red hair, flawless marbled skin, for which the women of the Windsor family were so famous, she simultaneously resembled Hollywood star and the classical aristocrat of the 19th century. Shades of lipstick, perfumes and cocktails, tulips, gladioluses, roses were named after her. But, receiving up to twenty marriage proposals a year, at the age of 30 Margaret was never married. None of her admirers corresponded to the status of the spouse of the “royal sister” - the princess did not dare to challenge this decision of her crowned relatives. But when the pretty, witty and very talented society photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones began to hoot after her, Margaret unexpectedly showed firmness for everyone. They met in the summer of 1958 at the wedding of a relative, and in the fall they already danced at the Halloween ball at the Dorchester Hotel. In December 1959, Armstrong-Jones asked Elizabeth II for Margaret's hand in marriage. On May 6, 1960, life in England came to a halt - a wedding was broadcast on TV from Westminster Abbey, which was watched by another 300 million people. With a bouquet of orchids, Norman Hartnell's deep V-neck silk gown with pearl beads, and a veil held by a diamond Poltimore Tiara from the Queen Victoria collection, the bride was, as the newspapers wrote, "a masterpiece of style and hairdressing." She was accompanied by eight girlfriends and her beloved nephew - the little Prince Charles dressed up in the traditional Scottish kilt. The young couple spent their honeymoon riding the royal yacht Britannia around the Caribbean. Margaret Colin Tennant's friend Lord Glenconnor showed her Mustic Island, which he purchased in 1958. And when the princess could not hide her admiration, the lord gave her as wedding gift four hectares of this heavenly land. In London, the princess and her husband were given Kensington Palace to live in. In May 1961, Margaret's pregnancy was officially announced, and in October, a month before the birth of their first child, David, Armstrong-Jones was awarded the title of Earl of Snowdon. With the advent of her son, Margaret's life almost did not change, only her circle changed - now there are almost no aristocrats left in it, they were replaced by bohemia: an aspiring actress, the future "Bond girl", Swedish Britt Ekland, her husband, comedian Peter Sellers, dancers Rudolf Nureyev and Margo Fontaine, The Beatles, Rolling Stones”, writer Edna O'Brien, hairdresser and stylist Vidal Sassoon, mini-skirt designer Mary Quant and hippy chic inspirer Thea Porter, whose bright oriental robes were worn by Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Collins ... It was a happy time - as if the austere world of her past, with bitter experiences and a failed relationship with Captain Townsend, retreated into the shadows, and gave way to the world of fashion, style and the art of living. In Hollywood, the couple had breakfast with Frank Sinatra, chatted with Gregory Peck, the princess tested her spell on Paul Newman. In those golden days there were many parties - in Sardinia, the Costa Esmeralda and St. Tropez. There, Margaret looked younger, sexier, happier than ever ... In May 1964, the Snowdons had a daughter, Sarah. Her godfather Snowdon's comrade from Cambridge, Irishman Anthony Barton, who permanently resided in Bordeaux, became. Almost every week, Margaret opened exhibitions, auctions, charity concerts, horse races, traveled with official visits, was present as a representative of the royal house at weddings, christenings and funerals, made official visits to the colonies and countries of the Commonwealth. Snowdon was far from being assigned the main role in this highest protocol. The princess's servants did not accept Anthony Armstrong-Jones for a long time, believing that the hostess's marriage to some photographer "with a dog's face and in frayed jeans" was a monstrous misalliance. Every morning the maid, who had served Margaret since childhood, entered the couple's bedroom with breakfast. And each time she had only one cup of coffee on the tray and only one glass of orange juice for Margaret. And Anthony complained to the dregs that he was being treated as if he had been picked up in the gutter. The summer of 1965 was the last happy vacation that Anthony and Margaret spent together. In 1966, while Snowdon was in India, she began an affair with Anthony Barton, who at that time finally settled in Bordeaux and began, with the help of an uncle, to manage the two family estates of Leoville-Barton and Langoa-Barton. Snowdon this double cheating- friend and wife - very upset. And she fell in love with a gentleman winemaker so much that she even confessed her feelings on the phone to Burton's wife Eva. But then both marriages were saved. In the late 60s, Margaret and Lord Snowdon barely spoke to each other. On her 39th birthday in 1969, the Snowdons began to bicker loudly in a nightclub. He, having lost his temper, in the presence of guests began to put out cigarettes on her Evening Dress. “I have never seen someone congratulate the birthday girl like that,” American writer Gore Vidal commented on this scene without hiding sarcasm. The photographer left notes on the table, one of which was titled "Twenty Reasons I Hate You." Friends said that the spouses "exchange insults like shots." These scenes were reminiscent of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? In the early 70s they living together went downhill, Margaret's style also changed. The retro style that adorned her so much in the late 50s has waned. She looked squat in casual tweed suits, neither mini-skirts nor ethnic outfits suited her, and the famous shirt dresses of the 70s sat on her baggy. In high-platform shoes, with luxurious family jewelry that clearly did not fit a strict suit, and an invariable miniature handbag, which she did not let go even when she met guests, she gradually became an anachronism. (An American journalist once quipped, "Who is that walking around the house with a wallet?") In those years, she rarely left the ranks of the most tastelessly dressed celebrities. In the list compiled by the American critic Robert Blackwell, she was invariably given special place: he called her "an ugly waitress from a roadside cafe of the 1950s", then "a chaos of glamorous brands", then "the curse of world fashion." He called her 1973 wardrobe the pinnacle of bad taste, commenting that the sight of Margaret "makes Londoners wish there was no more fog in their city." She was number one on Blackwell's list that year. Her love of whiskey was already legendary. For breakfast, she appeared with the same glass of Famous Grouse. During official visits, a specially assigned waiter with an ashtray followed her from room to room. Friends under various pretexts rejected her invitations to Kensington Palace, "because she will drink, and we will be stuck there until the evening." The only place where Margaret felt safe was Mustik Island. All the years of marriage and many years after the divorce, Lord Snowdon could not hear either the name of Colin Tennant or the name of the island: after all, only Margaret was given as a wedding gift Mustik! In 1972, theater designer Olivier Messel built a 10-room coral-colored bungalow for Margaret with access to an isolated bay. A new villa with a swimming pool, terraces, stunning views of the Caribbean Sea and the Grenadines Islands was named Les Jolies Eaux "Wonderful Waters". This house she called "the only real home on earth and the best haven outside of London." In addition, far from the paparazzi, she could organize any, the most informal and unrestricted parties. Private concerts with Elton John and Mick Jagger, dinners with champagne, caviar and lobsters, and her invariable gin and tonic were on everyone's lips in those years. Margaret didn't seem to care. public opinion. “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. In September 1973, at the estate of her old friend Colin Tennant, the Princess met Roderick, "Roddy" Llewellyn, in Scotland. The long-haired hippie turned out to be 17 years younger than her, and, of course, was without certain occupations. Upon discovering that the young man had arrived undressed for a swim in the warm pool, the Queen's sister took the young man to the store and chose British flag-colored swimming trunks for him. The next day they were seen in the vicinity of Glasgow - she bought him a sweater. Journalists spread the sensation all over the world, but this news looked so absurd that they simply refused to believe it then! Llewellyn and Margaret vacationed together on the Mystique in 1974, where they attended a week-long 50th birthday party for Colin Tennant. The culmination of the evening was a performance by Mick Jagger and a special "golden reception", to which the tanned princess appeared draped in gold brocade. Two years later, in 1976, the Sunday Times published photographs of the bikini-clad princess in the arms of her young lover on Mustica. These pictures again immediately flew around the world. And when the enraged Anthony Armstrong-Jones demanded an official retraction, the princess's personal household secretary advised him not to be ridiculous, because his wife's relationship with Luvellin had been going on for quite some time. The princess was informed by phone that the frenzied Lord Snowdon had finally left her house. She was still on her island. Her reaction was calm: “He left? All the better. it the best news you ever reported to me,” she told her secretary. In March 1976, it was officially announced that the couple would live separately - with the corresponding remark from Queen Elizabeth II that "she is very sorry about what happened." In the newspapers, Margaret was called "expensive", "scandalous", "extravagant" and "useless". In 1978, the Snowdons divorced - this was the first divorce in the English royal family in 400 years since the time of Henry VIII. She spent the next years between London and Mustique, living on the island like a shipwrecked Robinson who lost everything he had ever had. AT free time she swam in the sea, lay in a sun lounger, solving crosswords in The Times. Roddy constantly visited her Caribbean villa, who from time to time helped the neighbors to landscape their bungalows. The press called the princess "tedious", "spoiled", "lounging" and "irritable". Elizabeth II excluded her from the number of guests of honor and refused to pay the annual 219 thousand pounds laid down for the maintenance of a member of the royal house. In the year of her 50th birthday, Roddy Llewellyn announced his engagement to a fashion dressmaker. But it seems that this fact did not upset Margaret: “If his engagement hadn’t happened, I would have been stuck in this story for a long time.” She was increasingly sick, complained of feeling unwell, while not parting with either cigarettes (in those years she smoked 60 cigarettes a day) or Famous Grouse whiskey. In Los Angeles, she met the Queen of Hollywood, Elizabeth Taylor. Having seen the Krupp diamond on her hand, weighing 33.19 carats, she did not hesitate to call it vulgar. Taylor restrained herself and with a fake smile suggested that Margaret try on the ring. And when the princess could not hide her admiration, the queen of Hollywood triumphantly said: “Now that it is on your arm, it doesn’t look so vulgar anymore, does it?” The press called Margaret "inattentive" and "insensitive". Even close friends complained that sometimes she behaved with people as if she said - "there is no need to be nice to these people, they are just subjects of my sister." She could not forget that she had once been second in line to the throne, always with the shadow of a queen in her speech and demeanor. In 1985, Margaret underwent lung surgery. The doctors were truly alarmed, they knew that four monarchs - Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII and the princess's own father, George VI - had died of smoking-related illnesses. But even the operation did not force Margaret to part with the lighter. In 1991, her health began to decline dramatically. Her loneliness became habitual and boring - she more and more went into the shadows. Cynical, dissatisfied with nothing and never satisfied, by the end of her life she was known more as Prince Charlie's favorite aunt - the always grumbling "Charley's aunt", an aging, far from paramount character of the royal family, eleventh in line for the throne, a "monster" and " rude." In 1999, Les Jolies Eaux was sold by Margaret's son David Lynley for £1 million. Margaret from this news struck the first stroke. The alcohol was done away with, two thousand cigarettes were returned to the suppliers, and Margaret never used the lighter again. Wanting to cheer up her sister, Elizabeth invited her to the theater, which she always loved, but Margaret unexpectedly refused. It was then that the queen said: "It seems that my sister has lost interest in life." In March 2001, Margaret suddenly stopped seeing objects. At the celebration of the 101st birthday of the Queen Mother, she appeared in a wheelchair with a swollen face, which was covered by large dark glasses. On the first day of the new year 2002, Elizabeth II canceled her daily ritual of riding a horse and came to sit with her sister. That case seemed to be on the mend ... But soon another blow followed. On the morning of February 9, 2002, Princess Margaret died in her sleep, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. When her coffin, covered with a blue and purple cloth with white lilies, was taken out of the hospital, a few terist onlookers asked: “What happened? Is the queen mother dead? Not? Princess Margaret? Has she survived to this day?

Any event in the British Royal Family instantly becomes public. Therefore, the august persons try to monitor their actions. But not Princess Margaret, the younger sister of K. " spare princess". Joinjo.ua will tell you about her life filled with extravagant deeds and tragic circumstances.

Childhood and youth

And it all started very well. The little potential heir to the throne had absolutely everything she wanted. It only clouded the fact that she was youngest child in family. This means that she could inherit the throne only after her sister, Elizabeth II. But this did not prevent the sisters from establishing really warm and friendly relations. And this went on for quite a long time - until November 16, 1936, when King Edward VIII agreed to abdicate the throne.

There was quite interesting story- He had several alternatives. Either refuse to marry the twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson, or dissolve parliament, which simply could not accept such a decision of the king, than to cause an acute crisis in the country. political crisis or renounce. By the way, remember this fact.

After the abdication of King Edward, his brother, Duke Albert George VI, automatically became his successor. Father of Elizabeth and Margaret. That is, there was an easy "shift change" of the dynasty. And before Elizabeth clearly loomed the prospect of becoming a real monarch. But it was necessary to prepare for this, and very strongly - etiquette, politics, economics, psychology. It only seems from the outside that under a constitutional monarchy, kings play an exclusively representative role. Everything is much more complicated.

And in 1952, the king died of a coronary thrombosis. Elizabeth II became Queen of Great Britain, and Margaret plunged into a deep depression. The death of her father affected her too much, as did the almost "break" with her sister, who now had too many responsibilities to the Crown. In fact, the young princess found herself all alone

Youth and scandals

Of course, there were those who tried to brighten up this loneliness. With varying degrees of success, though. Peter Townsend, at that time a captain in the Royal Air Force, did the best (in fact, the title of Group captain does not correspond to a captain, but to an army colonel. And the wrong interpretation was simply fixed historically).

They really had an affair, everything was kind of normal, but ... But. The royal court did not approve of this. My sister did not approve of this. The archbishop and members of parliament did not approve of this. And Margaret was put forward an ultimatum - either she refuses marriage, or concludes it, but is deprived of all royal privileges and the required maintenance. Yeah, exactly the same thing that happened to her uncle - the king Edward VIII. Only she did not have the authority to "dissolve all the dissatisfied". The princess thought for 2 years before giving up this marriage.

And then everything went downhill. Realizing that the life of a member of the royal family is not even a gilded cage, but much worse, Princess Margaret went "into the dressing". Parties, booze, parties, booze with parties. Mix, repeat. At the same time, practically without going beyond the limits of what is permitted. I really didn't want to lose content. But about the rampant lifestyle of the "reserve princess" began to talk around the world.

And after a while the situation repeated itself. Photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones, with whom the princess had an affair, asked her hand. Again a misalliance, again a potential scandal. But morals were slowly changing, so that Elizabeth herself gave permission for this marriage, wishing her sister to finally find happiness.

Alas, for 18 years it did not work out. Divorce, by the way, is also an extremely atypical phenomenon for the royal family, but everyone was already mentally prepared for the fact that anything could be expected from Princess Margaret. And everything went back to normal. Although, frankly, copious libations and active " Savor"didn't stop.

Even when chained to wheelchair as a result of the accident, Princess Margaret did not stop drinking and smoking. And she died safely on February 9, 2002.

As you can see, neither money, nor a huge weight in society, nor some kind of power - all this does not necessarily bring happiness. Therefore, the site team and journalist Artyom Kostin remind you that the most important thing is to be with yourself. Only in this way can one find personal happiness, to which success in business and good luck in personal life will automatically catch up.

Princess Margaret It was the first televised royal wedding, and more than three hundred million people witnessed the princess marry her chosen one - no, not a prince, but a photographer, Anthony Armstrong-Jones. Eccentric - especially by royal standards, an ardent, charming princess, a real " english rose"(her middle name, by the way, is Rose) was the favorite of the public, she was ready to forgive a lot, including this marriage.

Margaret ordered the dress, of course, from Norman Hartnell, the royal family's favorite couturier. For Queen Elizabeth II, he created her wedding dress, and coronation, and many other luxurious outfits. However, if the dresses older sister often abounded in embroidery, amazed by the splendor of the fabric, the beauty of the texture, the wedding dress of the youngest unexpectedly turned out to be completely different.

plume. The multi-pleated skirt, which was over 35 meters of fabric, was very fluffy, and lay softly over many tulle petticoats.

Margaret was vertically challenged- only a meter fifty-five centimeters, and at that time very thin. She rightly decided that luxury dress, which everyone would expect at a wedding of this level, with lace, embroidery, pearls, will simply outshine it. What bride would want this effect? So that Princess Margaret's wedding dress would then be called "the most simple dress in the history of royal weddings"!

It was made from white silk organza. The bodice looked like a tight-fitting - but not too much - jacket with a narrow, small neckline and long sleeves. He perfectly emphasized a thin waist, and a rather magnificent bust at the same time looked very feminine, but absolutely not defiant. At the back, the bodice turned into a train. The multi-pleated skirt, which was over 35 meters of fabric, was very fluffy, and lay softly over many tulle petticoats.

And no lace or frills. Nothing. The dress was one of those that at first glance seem very simple, but it is worth taking a closer look, and you understand - this is the simplicity that is given only by great skill. It fit perfectly on Margaret, and in it she did not seem quite so baby.

The veil was long, slightly longer than the train, and also very simple - transparent silk organza, without embroidery and lace, only with a narrow ivory border, which seemed to create a frame for the image.

However, the uneasy simplicity of the dress and veil emphasized the magnificent tiara. It was made in the last thirds of XIX century for Lady Poltimore, at the Garrard jewelry firm, which long years served British monarchs. It was purchased for Princess Margaret even before the official announcement of the engagement, and she appeared in it several times - however, not in the form of a tiara, but in the form of a necklace or brooches (many tiaras were made with the expectation that they could be worn both way and way) .

On the wedding day Margaret's hair was tied up in a high updo to make the princess appear taller, and this high diamond tiara surrounded the crown of hair. The combination of a simple white dress, tiara and a small necklace that complements it was majestic, attractive, but not pompous. It was not a queen who married, but a princess.

Vogue magazine called Margaret " new princess“Her unadorned dress brings a fresh, clean touch.”

Many years later, when Margaret's son gets married, his bride will wear an outfit that is clearly inspired by the image of her mother-in-law - including a dress, a high hairstyle, and a veil ...

Well, the exquisite and simple princess outfit is a great example to follow!