Princess Margaret and her husband. Life in the shadow of a sister: how did the fate of the "reserve princess" Margaret, the younger sister of Elizabeth II

The brilliant life of Margaret Rose of the House of Windsor was like a supernova, but what a beautiful flash it was. She was born on the night of the perfect storm and was her father's favorite daughter. Then he was not yet a king, or even an heir to the first line. And Margaret grew up younger, but no less significant child in the lives of their parents. And then a lot of things happened at once: the abdication of Uncle Edward from the throne for the American Wallis, the coronation of her father, George VI, and, worst of all, the sudden realization that she would always have to be the shadow of her older sister - crown princess now and queens in the future. Walking slightly behind Elizabeth, and not holding hands, as before, taking bows after her ... To her credit, she never envied Elizabeth, she was oppressed only by the role of her sister's "train". And Margaret decided: if she cannot become a queen, then she will be a royal star.

It was not a problem for the princess to attract attention - she was incredibly pretty, in her way Audrey Hepburn (with whom they were almost the same age), but only more interesting, because royalty. At the age of 18, she was already actively interested in fashion and chose clothes based on her own preferences. And at the age of 21 she was already the main guest of all London shows of French couturiers. Christian Dior put on a show for Princess Margaret, and she showed New Look style on the covers of magazines and paraded in the most fashionable styles dresses at official events in which she was obliged to take part, being the daughter of the king.

She was not yet 22 when her father suddenly died, only person who understood her feelings - the feelings of a "spare", because he himself lived in this status most of his life. From that moment on, an unbridgeable gulf formed between her and Elizabeth. Life in Buckingham Palace was over - according to tradition, it became the home of the new queen, Elizabeth hastened to move her mother to Clarence House. And along with her, her younger sister was sent there.

It is said that it was then that an affair began between the princess and Captain Peter Townsend, the head stable of the late king. But perhaps it all started much earlier. They had known each other for many years, he taught her how to ride, took her on horseback rides, looked after her safety on trips, and the fact that Margaret once saw in this handsome mature man more than a friend is not at all surprising. They gave themselves away by chance - at one of the events, Margaret, on impulse, brushed a speck of dust from his clothes, and reporters noticed this. It was not difficult to pull the string and unwind the ball: the 22-year-old sister of the Queen is in love with the groom! It is difficult to imagine a more unfortunate set of circumstances in the biography of the chosen one of the princess: a commoner, divorced, two children, 16 years older. Only one thing saved him from immediate booing - in the past, a colonel in the Royal Air Force, Townsend was a hero of the Second World War.

For three years, the whole of Great Britain, and after it the whole world, with undisguised and ruthless attention, watched the development of relations between the princess of the blood and the commoner. It was a difficult period in Margaret's life. Peter was sent "in exile" (as he himself described it) - to serve outside the country. Margaret plunged headlong into royal duties: travel around the country and beyond - to the former British colonies. Invariably brilliant, dressed in the latest fashion, she was one of the most photographed women of royal blood (later this title will pass to Diana). She put herself under the cameras - for him, so that he, being far from her, could see how beautiful she was, and how true to his love. At that time, whoever revolved around the English rose, but she was indifferent to courtship, she was waiting for her to turn 25.

Peter was divorced, and the Church, which was headed by elder sister, such a marriage did not approve. But at 25, Margaret could already disobey. To do this, it was only necessary ... to renounce his family and give up titles. However, she was bluntly told that her act could be the beginning of a new crisis of the monarchy, and the British monarchy could not survive the second shock to its foundations in 20 years. When you are only 25, and not only your family, but the whole society is pressing on you, and the press is rinsing your name, calling a traitor to the memory of her father, it is difficult to make the right choice.

The denouement took place at the end of 1955. Margaret and Peter spent the last weekend before the decision was made together. They were even photographed by the paparazzi - her leaving the house, and him - doomedly standing at the open door, looking after her. As it turned out decades later, on that last evening, Margaret and Peter swore to each other that they would not connect their lives with someone else, since they were not destined to be together. A couple of days later, the princess spoke to the people, announcing that she was forever abandoning the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bmarrying Captain Peter Townsend. The kingdom breathed a sigh of relief. And the star Margaret began her journey towards sunset.

“But is she really grieving?” - The rhetoric of the newspapers changed dramatically the morning after Margaret's speech. Those who yesterday urged the princess to remember a duty that is higher than personal aspirations, now that she heard them, slandered her: “Well, of course, the privileges for a spoiled girl turned out to be more important than the love of a commoner.” Margaret endured these mockeries stoically. But she didn't forgive anyone. For example, the day when the queen and her husband gave an official festive reception in honor of the 10th anniversary of their marriage, Margaret chose to spend with a friend in the theater, having announced only late in the evening and not having been at the celebration for even an hour. So she took revenge on her sister for her broken dreams of happiness.

Princess Margaret It was the first televised royal wedding, and more than three hundred million people witnessed the princess marrying 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, her favorite couturier royal family. For Queen Elizabeth II, he created her wedding dress, and coronation, and many other luxurious outfits. However, if the older sister's dresses were often full of embroidery, striking with the magnificence of the fabric, the beauty of the texture, then the wedding dress of the younger one 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 simplest dress in royal wedding history"!

It was made from white silk organza. The bodice resembled a fitted—but not overly—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 quite simple - transparent silk organza, without embroidery or 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!

Margaret Rose, the youngest daughter of King George VI, sister of the now-living Elizabeth II, was a real enfantterrible. The princess was born on August 21, 1930, and became the second and last child in family. Initially, neither she nor her sister prepared for the role of the daughters of the monarch, since the throne after the death of George V was to go to his eldest son, Edward VIII. But fate decreed otherwise: as you know, Edward preferred the woman he loved to the crown, and his younger brother became the monarch. Margaret herself, having matured, quite rarely remembered her uncle with a kind word.

Margaret was classic daddy's daughter". And, if strict requirements were imposed on the eldest, Elizabeth, heir to the throne, then the youngest was allowed much more.

Little Princess Margaret. (pinterest.com)

Outwardly, Margaret was very similar to her older sister: large facial features, a prominent nose, full lips, golden curls, but still, of the two girls, it was she who was considered the beauty in the family. Her unusual lilac-blue eyes possessed a special attraction. Subsequently, Peter Townsend will record in his diary that the eyes of the princess are "the colors of the tropical sea."

Margaret felt her feminine power quite early - already as a 14-year-old teenager, she flirted and flirted with Townsend, who at that time was the master of the horse at the court of her father. A captain in the RAF, a war hero, he was a brilliant young officer, and incredibly attractive as well.

Peter Townsend. (pinterest.com)

They were separated from Margaret by a 16-year age difference, in addition, Townsend was married and had two sons. In his memoirs, he noted that Margaret had always been central figure in the room, she literally attracted the eyes of everyone present.

By the time Elizabeth married Prince Philip in 1947, Margaret had become one of the most popular girls in Britain. Cheerful and cheerful, she adored parties and was the object of close attention of the press. Spoiled and spoiled by her father's excessive attention, Margaret loved to shock the conservative public. Once, as a 19-year-old princess, she was caught smoking: she was sipping a cigarette in one of the glamorous restaurants in the West End. The public and ordinary Britons adored Margaret: she dictated fashion, her habits were instantly picked up by the women of the United Kingdom. She shone on the covers of newspapers and magazines like a real movie star.

Princess. (pinterest.com)

Margaret was not distinguished by a quiet disposition. She loved to smoke, drink, dance all night until morning and appear in the company of various gentlemen. However, for the time being, nothing was heard about serious hobbies.

It happened during the coronation of Elizabeth II, June 2, 1953. Margaret approached Townsend, who was present at the ceremony, and gently brushed a feather from his uniform. The gesture did not go unnoticed: more than 30 journalists from the world's most influential publications were invited to the coronation, and they all drew attention to this little familiarity. By that time, the romance between Townsen and Margaret was in full swing, especially when they were brought together by the death of George VI in 1952. The princess, who was very attached to her father, sought support from a longtime family friend. In the same year, Townsend got a divorce - his wife Rosemary was carried away by the son of the famous court painter de Laszlo.

The secret was revealed: from now on, the entire British public was aware of the affair between Margaret and Townsend. He was a free man, and everyone wondered: would they get married? According to the law, Margaret could not independently make such decisions until she reached the age of 25, the permission of the monarch, that is, her sister, was required. And although Elizabeth II was supportive of this novel, their mother was in frustrated feelings. The most important problem was the law of God - the Anglican Church could not recognize a marriage with someone who was divorced. However, a civil ceremony was possible. Elizabeth advised her sister to wait until the 25th birthday and directly address this issue to Parliament.

The government, led by Prime Minister Churchill, believed that the marriage of Margaret and Townsend could become a big problem for the monarchy. The decision was made to send Townsend on a diplomatic mission to Brussels, away from the princess and the court. He spent two years in Belgium.

All this time they maintained a relationship, regularly calling on the phone. Margaret adhered to the usual daily routine: events, meetings, going out.

A young princess in Townsend society. (pinterest.com)

On August 21, 1955, Margaret finally reached her 25th birthday, which means she no longer needed permission from the Queen to marry. The whole country froze in anticipation: what will happen next? Main question: will the government approve this union?

In those days, the DailyMirror newspaper conducted a survey among the population of Britain, and 97% answered that Margaret should definitely be able to marry the one she loves. But what was the price of such happiness? The princess would probably lose not only the right to claim the throne, but would also be deprived of the royal content. Townsend rightly thought he might be asking too much of her. An invisible shadow in front of Margaret loomed the figure of Uncle Edward, who left everything for the sake of love. Was she ready to do the same?

On October 31, 1955, the news broadcast on the radio was interrupted by a message that the announcer read on behalf of Princess Margaret. “I have decided not to marry Captain Peter Townsend…” sounded on the air. In her speech, Margaret noted that she made the decision on her own, after careful consideration, taking into account the fact that, although a civil ceremony would be possible, church canons did not allow it. It was this reason that she put at the forefront. So, anyway, it appeared in the speech.

The nation was convinced that Margaret was under pressure that she could not resist. They sympathized with her and admired her - still, a young girl in love put duty above emotions.

And only many years later, after the death of the princess, facts became known that the public could not know about before. In the declassified archives, a draft note was found that was submitted to the Parliament for consideration. The document said that a marriage between Townsend and Margaret would not be the worst of options development of events. The princess would not only retain all privileges and maintenance, the issue of giving Townsend the title was also considered. This paper is dated October 28, 1955. That is just three days before Margaret's public address to the nation. Did the princess know about this document? Unknown.

End of the novel. (pinterest.com)

The true motives for Margaret's refusal to marry Townsend were clear only to her alone. Someone believed that she actually considered duty more important than feelings, while others from her environment suspected that in fact her love was no longer so strong. English writer and playwright Noel Catward, who was among those who closely watched royal history love, later noted: “She could not know, poor, young, girl in love, that love is dying, and a joint future with a man much older in age and two adopted sons would hardly be so cloudless ... "

One way or another, the novel came to an end. Margaret married in 1960 to a simple photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones. The relationship of this couple gave the press a lot of hot stories and scandals. Yes, and Margaret herself has done a lot of hype with her antics. They crossed paths with Townsend 40 years later: in the late 90s, she invited him to lunch. According to the princess's biographer, Christopher Warwick, when she returned from a meeting with her longtime love, she said: "You know, he hasn't changed at all, except that his hair has become gray."

1960
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-necked 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. 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.

The first public appearance of the newlyweds in public

This concludes the holiday almanac, but at the end of the holidays there were, alas, a lot of other things. Here is what they write about the princess on the Internet (not best article, in the spirit of "caravan of stories", but oh well)
“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 with pleasure by Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Collins ...
It was a happy time - as if the strict 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 was Snowdon's Cambridge friend Anthony Burton, who was permanently residing in Bordeaux.
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. This double betrayal of a friend and wife upset Snowdon greatly. 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 formal 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 got sick more and more often, 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. 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.
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. Things seem to be on the mend...
But another blow soon 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?

Anthony Armstrong-Jones and Princess Margaret, sister of Elizabeth II

It was the first royal wedding to be televised! The younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, Margaret Rose, has finally made her choice, and more than three hundred million people have witnessed how the princess marries her chosen one - no, not a prince, but a photographer.

Everything could have been different, and she could have become the wife of another, but the princess was not allowed to marry Peter Townsend, whom she had loved for many years. So seven years after Peter proposed to her, which never led to anything, Margaret suddenly married Anthony Armstrong-Jones, her longtime friend. The press did not know about their affair, and claimed that the princess's decision was due to a letter received from Peter, in which he announced that he was going to get married. Allegedly, it was this news - even if everything was over between the old lovers five years ago - that made Margaret seek solace in her marriage to Anthony. But what do we outsiders care about that? This only applies to two.

Princess Margaret, sister of Elizabeth II, and Anthony Armstrong-Jones

So, on May 6, 1960, Margaret left her home, Clarence House, and headed for Westminster Abbey. The bride's father, George VI, was no longer alive by that time, so the princess was accompanied by her older sister's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. Margaret made the way there and back in one of the royal carriages that are often used on such occasions - with large glass windows so that the audience can see those sitting inside. Only the princess went to church with her son-in-law, and back, of course, with her husband.

Princess Margaret's dress was by Norman Hartnell, Elizabeth II's favorite couturier, designer of her wedding dress, coronation dress and many other luxurious outfits. But if the dresses of the older sister were often full of embroidery, striking in the fabric, the beauty of the texture, then the younger one went down a completely different path. Princess Margaret's wedding dress would then be called "the simplest dress in the history of royal weddings". It was made of white silk organza - the bodice resembled a jacket with a narrow small neckline and long sleeves and turned into a train at the back; the pleated skirt, which was over thirty meters of fabric, was very voluminous and lay over many tulle petticoats. And no embroidery, no lace, no 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. Margaret was very small (155 cm), but with a thin waist and in a dress of such a cut, she did not seem quite a baby.

The veil was long, slightly longer than the train, and also quite 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 back in the 1870s for Florence, Lady Poltimore, by the Garrard jewelery firm (the same firm that had served British monarchs since 1843). It was purchased for Princess Margaret even before the official announcement of the engagement, and she appeared in her several times in the light - 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 so ).

On the day of the wedding, Margaret's hair was tied up in a high hairstyle to make the princess appear taller, and this high diamond tiara, like a crown, surrounded the crown of hair. Combination of simple white dress and the radiance of the diamonds of the tiara and the small necklace was majestic, attractive, but not pompous. It was not a queen who married, but a princess.

Many years later, when Princess 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. Alas, the magical beauty of the tiara, which also participated in such memorable event did not stay in the family. Then, in 1959, it was bought for five and a half thousand pounds, and in 2006, at an auction, the son of the princess sold the tiara for 1,704,576 pounds. A high price, of course, but it was his mother's tiara ... But again, it's not for us to judge.

The wedding was attended by more than two thousand people, and the most important guest was, of course, the elder sister of the bride, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. For this day the queen has chosen long dress with a silk and lace bolero of a very beautiful turquoise hue and a small hat decorated with turquoise roses. On the bolero, Elizabeth pinned a diamond brooch in the form of a figure-eight knot, a symbol of true love - and it can be assumed that she did not choose this decoration on such a day as her sister's wedding.

The princess was followed by eight little bridesmaids, the main among whom was Princess Anna, her own niece, who was then ten years old. The Duke of Edinburgh led his daughter-in-law to the altar and handed her to the groom. The couple was married by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Twenty-three cameras filmed the wedding, and seven of them were located in Westminster Abbey.

After a festive breakfast at Buckingham Palace, the newlyweds boarded the royal yacht Britannia, on which they sailed on a six-week cruise to the Caribbean. However, they arrived at the pier later than planned, as the streets were crowded with people who wanted to congratulate the princess and her husband. The progress of their car slowed down - well, no one would have dared to detain the queen, but it was about everyone's favorite, Margaret.

If a simple wish for happiness could make a person happy, then, undoubtedly, Princess Margaret would be insanely happy from this day on! But wishes help, alas, not always.

Princess ANNA (b. 1950), daughter English queen Elizabeth II, equestrian figure When I appear in public, everyone expects me to neigh, gnaw at the bit, beat with hooves and wag my tail - and this, believe me, is very difficult. * * * - How do you imagine a happy