Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (1930-2002)


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Wonderful article, BeatrixFan! I really enjoyed it. You're a great writer.
 
A great aricle Beatrix Fan. I loved it, it really made me smile. Margaret was really an original and a lady a head of her time not mention a stunning women in her younger years. Thank you so much. I would love to see a series on royal divas. I think it would be a great series and no better a royal to start it off then Princess Margaret.
 
Thankyou both for your kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the article! I think it's a shame that Margaret has been forgotten so quickly and so I'm happy that my article has put her in the spotlight again. Many thanks!
 
Dear BeatrixFan,

Knowing that you are clever, very clever and devious-almost always a good thing- and can get around the block, could you please add to my happiness. You know that apart from a few other vices among them walks, chocolate, books and all those composers you no doubt find so boring the Royal Forums is among my greatest-vices that is. It is what I call my porn. I have corrupted any number of blameless young people with pictures of the goodies in the royal jewels section.

But to the point, the most noble Elspeth, SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED, has roused my lust by pointing out that there is a picture somewhere of the Most Royal Highness, the Princess Margaret, in her bath, horrors, wearing the Politmore tiara. YOU MUST BEG, BORROW, BLACKMAIL, BUY or STEAL that Picture, do you hear. Send me a quote and I will see if I can stretch my credit cards to come up with the quid to buy the blasted thing.

We could have a new thread-putting various royals in their baths, a bath, a shower or even a cool tropical secluded pool wearing the various gorgeous goodies of which the various devious, clever and jewel besotted members have managed to pinch, abscond or otherwise obtain copies.

Then we could have the various plug uglies-both human and jewelwise, all royal stuck in various sewers or mud puddles dripping with nothing but the ghastly horrors from the Worst Jewels Thread, a thread much lamented by it current absence. Yes, I know, I have finally totally gone bonkers. Mail me a care package of those marvelous little chocolate bottles filled with various spirits, whiskeys and liquers. Cheers.
 
A great article! I remember Princess Margaret for three things. Firstly her romance with Peter Townsend, whom she was unable to marry (this was long before I was born). Second, for being the royal who openly smoked (I am a non-smoker, etc). Thirdly, and not least, she was the patron of my old school Mary Hare Grammar School for the Deaf. I remember her coming to Speech Day in 1973 (== prize giving day) as Guest of Honour. She made a glorious arrival in a helicopter which landed in the school's football pitch. The principal (== headmaster) was a nervous wreck trying to be correct in royal protocol, when he accompanied her. I did not see her smoking, and now wonder, looking back with hindsight, how she coped without a fag for two hours in the school hall during the prize-giving meeting!

Thank you Kevin for sharing this story. It is always nice to hear from people who have been fortunate enough to meet or see royalty in person. The stories are usually positive, and yours was so nice! It really puts a human face on someone who is usually only seen in magazines.
 
Oh MY God, this is hysterical. The woman, and hubby dearest, (at least he seemed to be on the day of the wedding) did have a sense of humour. So sadly lacking in this degraded and degerate age. Prostrations and Praise, Oh MOST NOBLE SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED. It only goes to prove that a tiara looks good-if it is a decent piece of jewelry, anywhere and on anybody. This is right up there with story of the Indian princeling clad only in his bejeweled edged loincloth dripping with jewels and gems and goodies galore all over his absolutely gorgeous -bedecked with all those toys that is-body. That picture is as good as five pounds of the best grade chocolate. Cheers.
 
According to the Telegraph, Robert Brown, the man who claims to be Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend's illegitimate son, has won the right to have a hearing over his demand to access the wills of Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother.

Princess Margaret 'love child' wins wills hearing - Telegraph

In the article it says that if he's correct that he's Princess Margaret's son, it would make him 12th in line for the throne. Apparently the Telegraph writer doesn't appreciate that being an illegitimate child would bar him from the succession.
 
"She was far too intelligent for her station in life." Gore Vidal
 
What is this guy hoping to achieve? Does he really think that - after a lifetime where she did not visit him or contact him or acknowledge him - she left him something in her will? This makes absolutely no sense to me.
 
In the article it says that if he's correct that he's Princess Margaret's son, it would make him 12th in line for the throne. Apparently the Telegraph writer doesn't appreciate that being an illegitimate child would bar him from the succession.

And apparently the fact that Margaret's children were bumped down to 13th and below in the succession with the birth of Viscount Severn has escaped them too.
 
Can I just ask, where was the Princess when she was supposedly pregnant with this guy? Did she disappear from the public eye for a few months? Does this story have a remote chance of being accurate?
 
Far as I know, she didn't. One of the papers was making a big deal about a photo of her at an engagement where she was holding a bunch of flowers, and the implication was that she was hiding a bump. But she was surrounded by people, and even if the photographer only got a photo of her with the flowers hiding her waistline, the people near her would have seen her from the side.
 
What a media circus this would all become if by some insane chance he was the illegitimate child of the late Peter Townsend and Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon.

And, for humour sake, what do you think would happen afterwards? Publically acknowledged? An audience with the Queen? A visit to Balmoral?

Personally, he reminds me of a used car salesman. Just missing the neckbrace and coffee stained tie.
 
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Highly doubt it's even remotely true. Harry's Polo, you probably could Google the guy and hit the "Images" bar to find a pic.
 
I just read about that character (who is claiming to be their son) in the biography of Princess Margaret by Tim Heald . He debunked it pretty well using information from Townsend. It's astonishing to me that Lord Snowden (who in the book seems quite intent on ruining any reputation she had left) is planning to write his own tale. He was also quoted extensively in the book by Heald. Although it hasn't been published in the U.S. it is available for purchase on Amazon....

I'm wondering how this bloke won the court over considering that Townsend denied it -- with proof! I'm ignorant of British law and wonder if anyone can explain what he's gained?
 
I'm wondering how this bloke won the court over considering that Townsend denied it -- with proof! I'm ignorant of British law and wonder if anyone can explain what he's gained?

The court case that he has been given the right to appeal isn't about his parentage. It's stictly about the unsealing of royal wills.
 
It seems to me that if she never publicly acknowledged her "son" in life, she's unlikely to do it in her will. I wonder if he's ever harrassed Sarah Chatto or David Linley?
 
so... they are unsealing the will? What would he gain from that?
Not so far they're not. He has only won the right to go to court to try to get the will's unsealed. He seems to be under the impression that Princess Margaret left a fund and wish for him to know the truth, written in her will.
 
Has somebody told him to take his meds? That is sheer lunacy!!
 
Can't Princess Margaret just rest in peace... I don't know this for a fact, but it seems the princess felt slighted in life, second best to her sister, couldn't marry her "true love" (although I do believe she and Lord Snowdon were in love with each other), is recognized as being an extraordinary talent, but tales of snooty behaviour, some may say she was downright rude, seem to get top billing over the good she did whilst she was alive.....However, in the most important job in the world, she was perhaps far superior than anyone thought--her children are intelligent, have really stayed out of the public eye when they have wanted too (I truly think Sarah Chatto could be sitting next to me on the tube and I probably wouldn't know--I think David Linley likes the spotlight more than his sister) and deeply loved their mother-footage from her funeral makes that abundantly clear. I can't look at photos from Lady Sarah at her mother's funeral to this day--she breaks my heart. For all of the drama during the Snowdons marriage, their children seemed to have maintained strong relations with their parents. You've never heard them speak ill of their parents. In fact, in interviews I've read with Lord LInley, he speaks almost reverently about both of them. Lady Sarah and Lord Linley seem loyal to the Queen and get along well with their cousins (Lady Sarah is godmother to Lady Louise and Prince Harry) and I believe David and Serena Linley named their son after Prince Charles. They respect where they came from but live their own lives. In all of the books I've read on Princess Margaret--that was her goal. Wasn't her quote "my children aren't royal, they just happen to have the Queen for an aunt"

I have a hard time believing this man could possibly be her son.
Can't she finally rest in peace?
 
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I have just seen a movie about the life of Princess Margaret. I think this was that very controversial movie(dont know who directed it, I've missed the beginning); it certainly had a lot of controversial scenes....
My personal opinion is that Princess Margaret could have led a different(less controversial life) but it just didnt work out for her. It was a difficult era, many changes in social, economical life and she was swept away by the swirl. I agree that her children are very succesful in their lives. At least I guess so.
And here they are:

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa4/andrewcs/broochunknown1a.jpg
 
I think she did try to live a different life, but realized that the media glare and attention prevented her from doing that. So she accepted her place in the family later in her life.
 
*Friday, 8 February 2002: In the afternoon, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon suffered a stroke and was taken to King Edward VII Hospital ("Sister Agnes" hospital to the royal family).
*Saturday, 9 February 2002: @ 6:30 am, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon dies in her sleep @ the hospital.

Gallery
*Friday, 15 February 2002: The family paying respects to Princess Margaret in Windsor
*Wednesday, 19 February 2002: Service at Westminster Abbey to give thanks for the life of Princess Margaret
(Picture sources: Corbis & Rex)

Queen Mother determined to be at funeral - Telegraph

Buckingham Palace press releases > Funeral arrangements for HRH The Princess Margaret

BBC NEWS | UK | Princess Margaret dies
 
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