Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (1930-2002)


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A great article BeatrixFan, you have captured the essence of Margaret so well!

She married Anthony Armstrong-Jones when I was 13 (that dates me!:D) . I too often wonder how life would have turned out for her if she'd been able to marry Peter Townsend but of course coming right on the heels of Edward 8th's abdication (so to speak) it was unthinkable, her sister was already the Queen.
 
Oh I'm going to steal that line

Thomas Parkman said:
I hate to preach but it is the deamons Ethyl and Nick that did the poor woman in. If only she had been able to cut out or never take up the weed and had been more moderate in her pursuit of the bubbly we would probably still have her with us today. She was a Royal who knew very well how to be Royal. And these boring republicans and drearh political correctness apparatachiks are going to be the death of us all. cheers.
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Ethyl and Nick--priceless!
I'm also sick to death of political correctness! I don't smoke but I don't care if you do in your own home or outside, just not in my face or dinner.
How lovely--reading two of my favorites today--BeatrixFan and Thomas!
I may not always agree with you all but I love your turn of phrase.
Thanks for brightening an otherwise dreary day (weatherwise).:flowers:

BeatrixFan--great article! Unfortunately the younger set do not have the same sense of style nor where to draw the line for their antics today. However, they have to deal with more tabloids and paps than Margaret's generation so I see where some of the differences come from. I also loved your other article and agree that the "Queen Marys" are falling by the wayside. What bearing and grace the elder Royals have. I'm envious!
 
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Maybe it's already been mentioned, but is there any truth to the story behind the movie "The Bank Job" ? Very entertaining movie by the way !
 
A few of my most favorite images of the late Princess Margaret (we'll always remember her ... ) :angel:
 

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I've always thought Pss Margaret was an adorable little girl.
 
She was so tiny and extra-ordinarily beautiful, like a doll. My all time favorite photo is the one Beaton took of her on her 21st birthday. Exquisite.

I am so sad that the Princess never found fulfillment in love. She was a true Leo, and Leonine personalities wilt and die if they are not happy in love.

On the more humorous note I have a vintage issue of Paris Match from about 1958 and the Princess's name was being bandied about as a possible bride for the young King of the Belgians, Baudouin. The very thought of such a match makes me giggle...wild, party loving flamboyant Margaret with the ascetic and almost priestly Baudouin! They would have driven one another mad!
 
Bella said:
I've always thought Pss Margaret was an adorable little girl.
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A beautiful child and adult. I saw her on her wedding day and I don´t think I have ever seen such a beautiful bride. I always think of her under her childhood name of Princess Margaret Rose, it suited her beautifully.
 
Some people go way back ! :p * just teasing * ... does anyone else have any vivid recollections of past royals they'd like to share with the rest of us ? :flowers:
 
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The very people who decry the "yellow press" use it when it works to their advantage. Who knows what makes Snowdon tick. Margaret was self-centered, but that could not be helped, she was raised that way. Her Grandmother, Queen Mary, felt that way. She had a less than stellar life, but she did raise two marvelous children. She is dead, so let her rest in peace.
 
COUNTESS said:
The very people who decry the "yellow press" use it when it works to their advantage.
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Here we call them the Red tops, but I fail to see how this article works to anyone's advantage. Most people post articles that come to their notice whether they are good or bad (in their opinion). :rolleyes:
 
Skydragon said:
Here we call them the Red tops, but I fail to see how this article works to anyone's advantage. Most people post articles that come to their notice whether they are good or bad (in their opinion). :rolleyes:
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I found it interesting to be informed about a new biography about Lord Snowdon and to get a glimpse in which way these very private details are handled. I think it would be worth reading the book if you're interested in a picture of the time when princess Margaret and Snowdon were young and very much in fashion. Alas, both got older and of course while this is not as spectacular to read it is an important part of their lifes and needed to round it up. I sometimes wonder if the queen ever reads biographies (the more serious ones) of people she has known or knew and what she makes of that reading? I wonder eg if she ever read the Dimbleby-book about Charles to learn more of his side of the story and if she read one of the serious attempts to research her sister's life? She surely knows that she is in many ways sheltered from real life and such books could be a way to find out more.
 
The Queen just might read biographies. I read one about a person I knew and I found myself writing in the margin. Things like, that is not true blah blah blah, or it happened like this... I wonder if my copy will end up in a second hand bookstore and someone will be interested and think "who on earth wrote this?".
I did once find a book about the ascent of Nanda Devi written by a third person and the margin was full of these little notes, I am sure they were written by someone who had taken part in the climb. Unfortunately someone borrowed it and committed, from my point of view, the no 1 deadly sin, did not return it.
 
As Chat Noir would say, "Never, EVER loan your books out!"
I've lost too many that way! :cry:

Yes they were young, and lovely and very much in fashion, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon. And he's exceptional at photography as well.
Would she do it all over again? Change her mind? Marry the man she really loved?
 
I don't think she would ever give up be "The Princess Margaret", for being Mrs. Peter Townsend. Some say it was her religious convictions that made her reject Townsend. But, in my opinion, that seem silly, as Townsend's situation did not change from when she started her romance with him. Times change, but people rarely do. She may have married him and still ended up divorced. He would have been treated to the same second class treatment that Snowdon received. Townsend was better off marrying his Belgian wife, with whom he had 3 children and remained married for the rest of his life.
 
Red Tops

I gather the term "red tops" comes from the flash of red ink at the top of the first page. "Yellow journalism" comes the yellowish hue of the paper the tabloids were printed on in the USA (probably due to using unbleached paper or paper with limited bleaching).
 
I too agree that Princess Margaret would not have been happy as a plain Mrs Townsend and that would have been the argument that made her give up any idea of marrying him, also she may have been told she would lose her royal income. Isn´t it amazing that when Peter Townsend did marry again it was to a Princess Margaret lookalike. In fact in some photos they could be taken for identical twins. Two very beautiful women.
 
LASSE15 said:
Please,look my collection of Margaret`s photos at Images of Queen Elisabeth and Princess Margaret
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This is a FABULOUS photo collection!! Thank you for sharing. Most of the photos of the young princesses were new to me. I esp. enjoyed the photos of Pss Elizabeth w her children when they were small. Both Elizabeth & Margaret were so pretty and graceful. I know the world has changed and times have changed but the BRF just doesn't seem as dignified and regal as it did when the princesses were young. Thanks again.
 
I really love your pictures LASSE15, they are great! How did you manage to have such a collection? Thank you very much for sharing!
 
PssMarie-Elisabeth said:
Please DO NOT claim other people's work as your own - and you wonder why some of us don't even bother anymore !!! :ohmy:


* How very droll *
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I don't think Lassie was claiming the work as his own, just posting a link to a collection of photos he owns, which is OK as far as the forum rules are concerned.
 
Thank you Lassie 15, those photographs are wonderful. What beautiful young women the Queen and Princess Margaret were. I remember seeing the Queen on a few occasions in Australia and what amazed me more than anything else was her beautiful colouring and complexion. Somewhere about that time my husband was a member of her guard of honour when she made a visit to Portugal and he often speaks, even now, of how beautiful she looked.
 
I saw this and thought of you...

Hi all,

As I know there are countless collectors among you... I thought I'd draw your attention to this item I stumbled across on ebay that I thought might be of interest.

It's a commemorative magazine for Princess Margaret's wedding.
"The Royal Wedding In Pictures".

Looks like a bargain... but what do I know!


Enjoy. :flowers:

GB.
 
Princess Margaret was indeed a very beautiful woman. It´s a great shame that she wasn´t allowed to marry her great love, Captain Townsend. I think her life would have been very different.
But, anyway, she did manage to enjoy herself and bring up two lovely children.
May she rest in peace.
 
Margaret was so pretty, she reminds me of the model Bianca Balti. A shame she did not a very happy life in terms of husbandry.
 
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