Children of Princess Margaret Rose. Biography

Princess Margaret was not only a royal daughter, the sister of the queen, and after the birth of Prince Charles, the third in line for the throne, but was also known as the first beauty of the kingdom of Great Britain. Shades of lipstick, perfumes and cocktails, tulips, gladioli, roses were named after her.
She flared up like a bright comet, but in an endless series of secular scandals, her star faded. Disease and oblivion followed. When her coffin, covered with a 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? Not? Princess Margaret? Has she survived to this day?

Princess Margaret, younger sister 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 "reserve princess", to be on the sidelines, in the shadow of her crowned sister. To be noticed, she had to be much brighter than Elizabeth defying conservative conventions. 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 metric book would not be assigned the 13th number. But it is difficult to deceive even a princess from fate. 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, not without scandals and disputes. Mother wanted to name her Ann - "Elizabeth and Ann go so well together." Father was vehemently opposed 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 performance scattered them. Another girl loved to be the center of attention, and elder sister Elizabeth allowed this to her, 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 older brother's abdication, described Elizabeth as his pride and Margaret as his joy.
At this time, Margaret was already second in line to the throne and received the status of a child of the sovereign.

After the outbreak of World War II, Margaret and her sister were at Birkhall on the estate of Balmoral Castle, where they stayed until Christmas 1939. The nights there were so cold that drinking water froze in the decanters by their beds. Throughout the war, despite the bombing, the royal family spent 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 do without my help. I will not leave without the King. And the King will never leave."

After the end of the war in 1945, Margaret appeared on a balcony at Buckingham Palace with her family and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Afterwards, both Elizabeth and Margaret joined the crowds outside the palace, singing incognito, "we want a King, we want a Queen!"

Her twenty-first birthday party was held at Balmoral in August 1951. In next month her father underwent surgery for lung cancer and died in 1952.

Growing up, Margaret has grown 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 drew attention to her. 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." 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 only to Grace Kelly.

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.

famous open dress Margaret for a reception in Hollywood, where it caused a sensation, 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, headed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, opposed this marriage of Margaret, considering it a monstrous misalliance! 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.

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.

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. In May 1961, Margaret's pregnancy was officially announced.

With son and daughter
son - David, Viscount Linley, born November 3, 1961, daughter 0 Lady Sarah, born May 1, 1964. Both children were born by caesarean section

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, designer, mini-skirt creator Mary Quant and hippy chic inspirer, Thea Porter, whose bright oriental robes were worn with pleasure by Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Collins ...

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.

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.

Her husband, who received the title of Earl of Snowdon, in this highest protocol was far from the main role. Anthony complained to his friends that he was being treated as if he had been picked up from the gutter. The summer of 1965 was the last happy vacation 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 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, their life together went downhill, and Margaret's style changed. Along with youth, the retro of the 50s has also gone. In casual tweed suits, she looked squat, neither miniskirts nor ethnic outfits suited her, and the famous shirt dresses of the 70s were baggy on her. In those years, she rarely left the ranks of the most tastelessly dressed celebrities and received comments that her the view "leaves Londoners wishing there was no more fog in their city".

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.
“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 betrayals that became public property 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", "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. As more and more new heirs to the throne were born, Princess Margaret's turn dropped to 11, and interest in her was completely lost over 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 1985, Margaret underwent lung surgery. In 1991, her health began to decline dramatically. A series of strokes followed.

In March 2001, Margaret suddenly stopped seeing objects. For the celebration of the 101st birthday of the Queen Mother, she appeared in wheelchair with a swollen face, which was covered by large dark glasses. But another blow soon followed. 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. 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 both Margaret's childhood years, her "light-hearted fun" and her "funny and outrageous ... antics." Marion Crawford wrote: "The impulsive and flamboyant remarks she made made headlines and, taken out of their context, began to produce in the public eye an oddly 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 is a Queen, one must be the source of honor and everything, something good, while while the other should be the center of the most creative malice, the evil sister." However, the sisters' letters to each other show no signs of disagreement between them.

Margaret's most important legacy is said to have paved the way for the public acceptance of royal divorce. Her sister's children followed suit, three of whom divorced and much more easily than would have been possible before.

In the art of the kinkmatographer, Margaret's personality has found many incarnations from her childhood years (Oscar-winning "The King's Speech" 2010) to reflecting the details of her troubled life
("Princess Margaret, a love story" 2005). In addition, she became the heroine of many television series (Women of Windsor (1992) and others).

21 August 1930 – 11 December 1936: HRH Princess Margaret of York
11 December 1936 – 3 October 1961: HRH Princess Margaret
3 October 1961 – 9 February 2002: HRH Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon

In beauty and charm, as well as in her ability to present herself in high society, she was in no way inferior to English princess"Lady Dee" In addition, the representative of the Windsor dynasty, who was a "reserve" contender for the British throne, possessed such qualities as friendliness, goodwill, responsiveness, which attracted the attention of her inner circle. Also, many considered her a trendsetter, and some perfume smells, shades of lipstick were named after this beauty with radiant eyes. One way or another, Princess Margaret was the pride of all England, but, unfortunately, until a certain time. At some point, she turned into a rebel, and her name began to appear frequently in the press, which described in detail the scandals with her participation. There was also a period when Princess Margaret became addicted to alcohol and showed promiscuity in relations with the opposite sex.

Then the “reserve” heir to the English throne began to be overcome by illnesses and ailments, after which few people remembered her. Nevertheless, the biography of Princess Margaret is of great interest to historians. She lived her life brightly and richly. Let's dwell on this in more detail.

Years of childhood and youth

Princess Margaret was born on August 21, 1930 at Glamis Castle in Scotland. At the time of her birth, she was the fourth contender for English throne. Her father was the future King George VI, and her mother came from a noble Scottish family, Bowes - Lyon. Princess Margaret was four years younger than her sister Elizabeth, who later inherited the British crown. In childhood, they were very friendly with each other, but after a while, the relationship of the two contenders for the throne became more estranged. Margaret was christened at Buckingham Palace. The stepfather of the "reserve" princess was Edward VIII (British monarch) and the future Queen of Denmark - Ingrid.

Upbringing

It should be noted that both Elizabeth and Margaret were equally surrounded by parental care and affection.

The girls were raised by a governess, Marion Crawford, so there was no need for them to attend school. But the quality of the knowledge gained was carefully monitored by the mother of the princesses.

Margaret is already early years tried to be the center of attention. She began to spend a lot of time dancing and singing, wanting to surprise the court audience with her solo performances.

As for the role of George VI in the upbringing of the youngest daughter, it should be noted that he allowed her a lot and often indulged her whims. For example, Princess Margaret in her youth could stay up until dinner. However, such indulgence of the father left its definite imprint of a negative quality. Already at the age of fifteen, the youngest daughter of the king began to smoke, and notes of disobedience and waywardness began to appear more and more clearly in her character. However, after a little time, her father began to turn a blind eye to the capriciousness of the girl even more after the events that occurred in 1936. It was then that Edward VIII lost his crown due to entering into a morganatic marriage. England was ruled by George VI, the parent of Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. Moreover, the latter was already second in line to the throne.

During World War II

When Hitler began to conquer one European country after another, there was a real threat to the lives of the British royal family. Winston Churchill, at the insistence of Lord Hailsham, recommended that the monarchs leave the castle and save their daughters, sending them to the safety of Canada. However, the queen abandoned this idea, because she did not want to part with her daughters for a minute. As a result, the family took refuge in the dungeon of the family castle. It was very difficult to survive the everyday life of the war, which was accompanied by constant hunger and cold. Everyone was completely unaware of the future.

However, the story of Princess Margaret did not end there.

After victory

Only in 1945, on a day significant for the whole world, the royal family of England went out onto the balcony of Buckingham Palace to rejoice at the Great Victory and greet their subjects. Shortly thereafter, Princess Margaret (sister of Elizabeth II) began to go out and study public affairs. Elegant and stylish, she showed a genuine interest in fashion and art.

The era of the 50-60s

During this period of time, the youngest daughter of Gorg VI proved to be almost the first beauty british kingdom. Her stylish and luxurious outfits, attractive appearance, sophisticated demeanor, like a magnet, attracted the attention of men. And Princess Margaret (sister of Elizabeth II) was in complete awe of what can thrill men's hearts. happened in her life big love but in the end she was unhappy. Perhaps that is why the youngest daughter of the king went into all serious trouble and began to do things that later seriously tarnished her "reputation". The turn to an “anti-social” lifestyle also took place because the princess lost her beloved father, who died in February 1952. Margaret was very upset by this loss, and for the first time after the death of George VI, she could not sleep at night, so the doctors recommended that she take sedatives. And then she began to drown grief in strong drinks.

Personal life

Margaret had both fleeting romances and long-term relationships that eventually came to naught.

She was a romantic and refined nature, so failures on the love front were perceived by the princess very painfully. One way or another, but Margaret's personal life was filled with both bright and inexpressive moments.

Russian officer

Even seven years before her marriage, the “reserve” princess did not deny herself the pleasure of completely plunging into the maelstrom of love passions.

In 1953, a naval parade was planned in honor of the fact that Elizabeth II took the royal throne. On this solemn event not only ships of the national fleet were invited, but also foreign ships, among which was the Russian cruiser Sverdlov. The ship was commanded by an officer of the Baltic, captain of the first rank Olympy Rudakov. A few days after the celebration, British newspapers were already writing about him. And he really surprised everyone then. Firstly, he managed with pinpoint accuracy, without maps and a pilot, to bring the ship to the parking lot where foreign ships were based. The captain managed to draw attention to himself one more time. During the queen's bypass of the formation of ships, each ship was obliged to greet the royal person with one volley from a cannon. But Olympia Rudakov's team saluted three times and greeted Elizabeth II with a loud "Hurrah!" And although the protocol was violated, the queen liked such an unusual congratulation from the Russians. Moreover, while honoring the persons who serve in the Navy, she was the first to approach Rudakov and handed the medal to the officer.

The crew of the Russian cruiser and Olimpiy Ivanovich were invited to the coronation ball, which was organized at the Royal Naval Barracks. The commander of the Sverdlov spent time with great pleasure at the event with the participation of the queen herself. But after some time, Rudakov was informed that Elizabeth II wanted to dance with him. Naturally, he agreed. Well, after that, the queen introduced her younger sister Margaret to Olympia Ivanovich. Soon the captain of the Russian cruiser was already waltzing with the "reserve" princess. Then he retired to a personal audience with the royal special, and soon after he returned to the ship, he received a luxurious bouquet of roses. Such an unambiguous gift was made by Princess Margaret (Elizabeth's sister). The attention of a woman of "royal" blood somewhat discouraged the Russian officer, who ordered the flowers to be taken to the cockpit, as he suffered from allergies. But after some time, Margaret herself unexpectedly came aboard the Sverdlov, surprised by the absence of donated roses. She began to scold the butler for not following the delivery process, but Olympy Ivanovich stood up for the servant. He thanked the princess for such a "royal" gift and said that he had distributed flowers to the sailors. The girl stopped being angry and said she would send more flowers.

At the next meeting, Princess Margaret (Elizabeth's sister) herself told the captain that she was not indifferent to him. However, the captain was mindful of the consequences that communication could provoke. Soviet man with a representative of a bourgeois country. Rudakov began to come up with pretexts to move away from the royal person, because he did not want to harm his own career. However, Princess Margaret (English) only increased the pressure, in an effort to win the heart of the Russian captain. She even invited Olympia Ivanovich on a trip to her native places. But the special officer, who was on the Russian cruiser, demanded that Rudakov call Moscow to receive further instructions. As a result, the captain was ordered to leave the border of a foreign state in two days.

Olympia Ivanovich's career did not suffer, but Princess Margaret (Elizabeth's younger sister) received a spiritual wound from failed love.

English pilot

However, the youngest daughter of George VI very soon was again captured own feelings. After a failure on the love front with a Russian officer, she liked the pilot Peter Townsend, who served at the royal court. After some time, Margaret (Princess of Great Britain) was already thinking about him all 24 hours a day. But on the way to her happiness there were obstacles, and insurmountable ones. Why couldn't Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend be together? Everything is very simple. First, there was a serious social inequality between them. Well, and secondly, her chosen one was divorced, and British customs, including royal traditions, did not approve of marriages with divorced people. To avoid gossip, Buckingham Palace decides to send Peter to work in Belgium, where he subsequently acted as military attache. However, after the separation, Margaret remembered her lover, secretly hoping that they would be happy. And when Townsend returned to English capital, the local press immediately began scribbling notes about the alleged engagement. But, it never took place, because Princess Margaret, whose photo often flashed in British newspapers in the mid-50s, changed her mind about linking her fate with the pilot. She motivated her decision by her unwillingness to lose her royal prerogatives.

Marriage

The youngest daughter of George VI nevertheless married. The wedding took place in the spring of 1960. Her chosen one was the photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones. This man did not belong to a noble family. After the wedding, Margaret's husband received the titles of Viscount Linley and Earl of Snowdon. Was this marriage happy? As it turned out later, no. Anthony was burdened by the responsible mission of the spouse of the royal person. But in this union appeared heirs. Children of Princess Margaret: son David (b. 1961) and daughter Sarah (b. 1964).

Divorce

After a while, the relationship between the spouses gradually began to fade away. Anthony simply did not fit into the life that they used to lead in the royal palace. Social inequality was too great. The servants often ignored him and perceived him as: "a photographer with a dog face in frayed jeans." Chosen Margaret did not like her friends. And he complained to his friends that in the castle he was treated as if he had been picked up in the gutter. Increasingly, Anthony began to disappear on creative business trips and business trips in order to take a break from the hateful role of "prince consort". Well, Margaret soon began to cheat on her husband. She first fell in love with winemaker Anthony Barton. She then had an affair with the Prime Minister's nephew. Margaret even wrote to Love letters, which he then profitably sold at an auction in New York. Then she met actor Peter Sellers and again plunged into the pool of passions. Together they often went to restaurants and nightclubs. In general, in the late 60s, the youngest daughter of George VI and her husband practically did not communicate with each other.

The family idyll between Margaret and Anthony came to an end in 1976, and in 1978 they officially filed for divorce. This event immediately became the No. 1 topic on the pages of the English press. Shortly thereafter, scandals in the Windsor household began to happen with frightening regularity. And almost all of them became public property. Princess Margaret (the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II) began to lead a life that consisted of fleeting romances, entertainment nightlife, cheerful and noisy companies where whiskey and champagne flowed like water. She began to visit nightclubs almost daily, and many rockers appeared among her friends.

Fashion critics began to notice that one week the "rebellious princess" could look elegant and the next week she could wear awkward outfits. Retro - the style of clothing that suited her so well in the 50s, 20 years later looked already somewhat ridiculous. During that period, Margaret began to abuse whiskey.

last years of life

But the youngest daughter of George VI spent a lot of time not only on fun and entertainment. She was engaged in the promotion of art to the masses, being the head of the Royal Ballet. In addition, she chaired the National Committee for the Prevention abuse with kids. However, parties, active night life, alcohol and nicotine soon had a negative impact on health, so she began to appear less often in public.

Back in the mid-1980s, Margaret underwent surgery to remove the structure of her left lung, but she continued to smoke until 1991. In 1993, doctors diagnosed the "rebellious princess" with pneumonia. And six years later, Margaret had an accident in the bathroom, as a result of which she received serious burns. lower extremities. So she ended up in a wheelchair. This tragedy provoked the first stroke. Then there was a second, a third...

Death

The fourth stroke was the last for Princess Margaret. She passed away in her sleep. It happened on February 9, 2009. A farewell service was organized at Windsor Castle. After that, the relatives performed last will the deceased, who wished that her body was cremated, and the ashes were buried next to her father's grave.

It is noteworthy that the death of the youngest daughter of George VI did not cause any serious emotions among ordinary Englishmen. Her death was not reported in detail in the newspapers. And yet unusual biography Princess Margaret still could not help intriguing historians, writers, directors. Her life story is detailed in fiction. Several documentaries and feature films about the fate of the "rebellious princess" were filmed. For example, in 2010, Tom Hooper's picture "The King's Speech!" was released, where the image of little Margaret went to a young girl - actress Ramona Markuse. Also, the viewer remembered the film "London Holidays", which was shot by Julian Jarrold in 2015. The director gave the role of the sister of Elizabeth II to actress Bel Powley.

She flared up like a bright comet, but in an endless series of secular scandals, her star faded. Disease and oblivion followed. When her coffin, covered with a 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? Not? 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 "reserve 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 the 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 metric book would not be assigned the 13th number. But it is difficult to deceive even a princess from fate. 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, not without scandals and disputes. Mother wanted to name her Ann - "Elizabeth and Ann go so well together." Father was vehemently opposed 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. Another girl was very fond of being in the spotlight, and older sister Elizabeth allowed her to do this, commenting: "Oh, how much easier when Margaret is there - everyone laughs at what Margaret says."
Their father, who became King George VI after his father's death and his older brother's abdication, described Elizabeth as his pride and Margaret as his joy.
At this time, Margaret was already second in line to the throne and received the status of a child of the sovereign.

After the outbreak of World War II, Margaret and her sister were in Birkhall on the estate of Balmoral Castle, where they stayed until Christmas 1939. The nights there were so cold that the drinking water in the carafes by their beds froze. Throughout the war, despite the bombing, the royal family spent 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 do without my help. I will not leave without the King. And the King will never leave."

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.

Growing up, Margaret has grown 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 drew attention to her. 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 gowns by 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." 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 only to Grace Kelly.

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 auburn hair, flawless marbled skin for which the women of the Windsor family were so famous, she resembled both a Hollywood star and a classic 19th-century aristocrat ..

The famous open dress of Margaret for a reception in Hollywood, where it caused a sensation, and a scandal in the English press

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. 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 friends and her beloved nephew, little Prince Charles, dressed in a traditional Scottish kilt.

The young couple spent their honeymoon riding the royal yacht Britannia around the Caribbean. In May 1961, Margaret's pregnancy was officially announced.

With son and daughter
son - David, Viscount Linley, born November 3, 1961, daughter 0 Lady Sarah, born May 1, 1964. Both children were born by caesarean section

With the advent of her son, Margaret's life has not changed much, only her circle has changed - now there are almost no aristocrats left in it, they have been 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, The Rolling Stones, writer Edna O'Brien, hairdresser and stylist Vidal Sassoon, designer, miniskirt maker Mary Quant and hippy chic inspiration, Thea Porter, whose bright oriental robes are worn by Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Collins...

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, visited the colonies and Commonwealth countries on official visits.

Her husband, who received the title of Earl of Snowdon, was far from being assigned the main role in this highest protocol. Anthony complained to his friends that he was being treated as if he had been picked up from the gutter. The summer of 1965 was the last happy vacation 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 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 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. But another blow soon followed. 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. These were the last days of Princess Margaret. On the morning of February 9, 2002, she died in her sleep.

Today is (almost) a round date for yet another event in the life of royalty.
On July 14, 1994, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, daughter of Princess Margaret, married Daniel Shatto at St. Stephen Walbrook in London.

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, the youngest daughter of 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. (

Biography of Princess Margaret sad story about the fact that even the inhabitants of royal houses are lonely, that even the title, wealth and fame do not at all guarantee ordinary happiness and love. The life of Princess Margaret Rose passed in the shadow of her sister (the current Queen of Great Britain). However, despite this, Margaret managed to be remembered by the whole world for her love of freedom, courage and even some eccentricity, unusual for the inhabitants of Windsor.

Childhood and youth

Margaret Rose was born on August 21, 1930 at Glamis Castle in Scotland. The girl was youngest daughter and . Godfather Margaret was her paternal uncle, who later became king Edward VIII, and the godmother - the Swedish princess Ingrid (in the future - the Danish queen). When Margaret was six years old, Edward renounced the throne, and the girl's father became king. This moment was a turning point in the fate of Margaret.

AT early childhood Margaret and Elizabeth were inseparable. The girls spent a lot of time together and could not imagine life without each other. However, after the father ascended the throne, a spirit of rivalry appeared between the sisters.

At first it was not obvious, but soon the elder Elizabeth had to study the intricacies of politics and the political system, court etiquette and other palace nuances necessary for the future queen. Margaret was out of work.

The situation became more complicated after the death of the girls' father. The mother, having put on mourning, withdrew into her own experiences. Elizabeth was absorbed in palace obligations, and Margaret felt herself useless and lonely.

Queen's sister

This state of affairs oppressed Margaret: by nature, the girl got a cheerful character, a cheerful disposition and sociability. In addition, the princess was very beautiful and skillfully emphasized the dignity of her appearance. fashionable outfits and cosmetics. Later, Margaret will often be compared to an actress. Such interests were considered bad manners in the royal family: the princess was supposed to be more serious and think about palace duties, and not about dresses and parties.

The sisters were very different in this - the stiff Elizabeth attached a lot of importance to the established regulations, rules and etiquette. Margaret, on the other hand, took pleasure in going against the odds, shocking relatives and the public. Perhaps, with such a rebellion, the girl tried to attract the attention of loved ones, which she lacked so much after the death of her father.

Pretty quickly, Margaret won the glory of the "rebellious princess." Before last days she did not consider it necessary to deny herself any pleasures. The princess was repeatedly caught in London clubs and pubs. There was even talk of Margaret's alcoholism. Notes constantly appeared in the press that the princess was not averse to drinking. In addition, she smoked two packs of cigarettes a day. Such intemperance in bad habits seriously crippled Margaret's health and influenced her later life.

Personal life

The personal life of Princess Margaret developed rapidly and intensely. At the age of 23, the girl met the captain of the British fleet, Peter Townsend. The man was 16 years older than the princess, but this did not become an obstacle for lovers. Unfortunately, palace rules did not allow Margaret to marry her chosen one. The fact is that Townsend was divorced, in addition, he had children from his first marriage.

This relationship angered the royal family. On the part of Margaret, it was unheard of impudence and the height of indecency to agree to a relationship with a divorced man who, moreover, was much older.

However, the discontent of the family did not frighten the girl, and the romance was gaining momentum. Margaret decided to wait until her 25th birthday: at that age, she could officially renounce her title and marry her lover like an ordinary woman. It was on this path that the uncle of the girl, who sacrificed the throne for the love of a divorced woman, went in his time.

However, the situation did not turn out the way Margaret wanted. Soon Captain Peter Townsend was sent to serve in Belgium, where the man was to stay for two years. The princess's family hoped that the girl's love would subside, and she would forget about her lover. Thanks to this love story, Margaret became the idol of the women of the country: gossip was passed from mouth to mouth, many hoped for a happy ending to the novel.

The reality turned out to be more prosaic. When Peter Townsend returned to England, Margaret announced her decision to leave. Most likely, the girl was forced to take this step by the pressure of her mother and sister, who were opposed to the reckless, in their opinion, act of the princess.

What happened changed Margaret. The princess seemed to have decided not to spare herself and went into all serious trouble. The press talked about the girl's numerous novels, and her photos with new and new gentlemen appeared on the spreads of publications. Finally, Margaret did get married. The photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones became the chosen one of the wayward beauty. The wedding took place on May 6, 1960.

This marriage, unfortunately, broke up. In 1978, the princess divorced her husband. Over the years life together Margaret gave birth to two children - son David and daughter Sarah. It was Lady Sarah who, years later, became a bridesmaid at the wedding and. Margaret had four grandchildren.

Death

The last years of Margaret were tragic: the princess was very lonely. The woman's health became worse and worse - addiction to alcohol and tobacco made itself felt. A couple of years before her death, a misfortune happened: Margaret scalded her feet in the bathroom. After this incident, the princess practically did not get up on her feet, moving in a wheelchair.

On February 9, 2002, Princess Margaret passed away. Doctors said the cause of death was a stroke. But even after her death, Margaret was able to impress the inhabitants of Britain and members royal family, expressing a desire to have her body cremated. The ashes of the rebellious princess are buried next to the grave of her father.

Memory

The name of Princess Margaret has repeatedly appeared in the movies. In 2005, the film "Princess Margaret, a love story(Princess Margaret, A Love Story). The picture was based on rumors and gossip, for which the princess did not get tired of giving reasons. Three years later, the film directed by Roger Donaldson, The Baker Street Robbery, was released.

Here, the plot was also based on the provocative actions of Margaret, about which the criminals allegedly became aware. They want to steal dirt on the princess in order to blackmail members of the royal family. The main roles in the film were played by Saffron Burroughs.

And in 2016, Peter Morgan's TV series The Crown was released, which reveals the history of the royal family. After the first season, the project was awarded the Golden Globe Award and received positive feedback from both critics and viewers. Princess Margaret was played by actresses and. Ben Miles plays Peter Townsend. Also participating in the filming (in the role of young Elizabeth), John Lithgow (who played), Jeremy Northam.