In the last days of her life, Margaret reportedly watched re-runs of Batman for comfort. ( Log Out /  The source of Margaret's restlessness was sourced in her placing in the family. Perhaps Stirling's play, and Beacham's performance, will convincingly interrogate this—the intriguing combination of high-rolling fun, capriciousness, snobbery, family loyalty, and personal sadness that seems to have been Margaret's lot. A stroke followed, then she burnt her foot badly stepping into a scalding hot bath in 1999. Margaret’s drinking picked up speed and she gained weight. And the mischief. Anne Glenconner Collection. Despite the usual privacy afforded the Caribbean island’s A-list guests, the News of the World were somehow able to get a hold of pictures of the twosome swimming in the sea and otherwise enjoying themselves. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account.

Annabelle Spranklen, Princess Margaret’s son has found renewed success with his luxury gifts and furniture company, By

The Daily Telegraph summarized her years of illness, thus: "She suffered throat infections, laryngitis, migraine, gastro-enteritis, bronchitis, pneumonia and mild hepatitis.". She mixed in society and showbiz circles, and she also knew shadier types like the ex-gangster John Bindon, whose mysterious relationship with her is one focus for Richard Stirling’s stage play, A Princess Undone, which will premiere at the Cambridge Arts Theatre in the UK on October 19. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. An unlikely couple to say the least, they hit it off, and soon entered into a secret relationship.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Later, Margaret would build a home there. The Queen Mother would outlive her daughter. Rebecca Cope. When she dropped her coat at another function, the story goes that a man immediately offered to pick it up. I’d planned a huge dinner party, but a late cancellation left us one man short. According to Anne, Princess Margaret always took an interest in young men.

The Queen’s younger sister, she was not bound by the all-consuming duty and responsibility that the Queen, as head of the Commonwealth, was bound by. ', Boy, did she smoke—up to 60 cigarettes a day.

‘It’s always difficult being second fiddle. At the time, Roddy was a 25 years old aristocratic gardener, while Princess Margaret was 17 years older than him at 43.

This was the dawn of the era of Margaret, the royal diva, who swung wholeheartedly along with the Sixties.At a high society New York event when, reportedly asked by a hostess how the Queen was, that Princess Margaret was said to have replied, “Which one? 1973, Roddy Llewellyn, Princess Margaret, Lady Anne Glenconner, and her son, Charlie. In the 2001 picture she is in a wheelchair, her arm in a sling, and half-covered in a blanket. I'll never remember where it is if you move it. It’s set to play out in series 3 of The Crown, By Think of Princess Margaret, and you think of her early thwarted love, lounging on Mustique, attending the ballet, and partying. In the 1970s, her holidays on Mustique—and pictures of her with the much younger Roddy Llewellyn—cemented Margaret's image as shamelessly high-living, … He reverted to a bachelor life, spending nights away from Kensington Palace. Change ).

Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Her husband, Colin Tennant, Lord Glenconner, was a member of the “Margaret Set,” a group of close friends of the Princess, almost entirely male, and completely wild. Picture: SuppliedSource: News Corp […]. 1970s. Print + Digital Only £1 a Month. He had been the photographer at their wedding yet had not been treated as a guest. Lady Anne Glenconner served as Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret from 1971 until Margaret’s death in 2002. Margaret and Roddy first met in 1973The couple were introduced at the Café Royal in Edinburgh ahead of a party at Colin Tennant’s house by his wife, Lady Anne Glenconner. The princess and Roddy had immediately clicked, even though he was 17 years younger. Undated photo. He reverted to a bachelor life, spending nights away from Kensington Palace. ( Log Out /  “But mindful of the Church's teachings that Christian marriage is indissoluble, and conscious of my duty to the Commonwealth, I have resolved to put these considerations before others. He would spy on her through a hole in the wall.

I have been aware that, subject to my renouncing my rights of succession, it might have been possible for me to contract a civil marriage. I said to Colin, ‘Oh, gosh, what have we done? Trading tit for tat, both Margaret and Tony became openly unfaithful. Townsend was divorced from his first wife, and became involved with Margaret. Except Tony [her husband], who was spiteful in creative ways and liked writing vile little one-liners which he hid in her glove drawer, or among her hankies or tucked into books. Trading tit for tat, both Margaret and Tony became openly unfaithful. You can opt out at any time or find out more by reading our cookie policy. Both Anne and Colin were slavishly devoted to the Princess.

Their holiday to Mustique exposed the relationshipTwo years into their romance, Margaret and Roddy both found themselves invited on the same holiday to Mustique (it was, after all, the island paradise owned by their friend Colin Tennant). Observers wondered if the extravagant, sad, slightly crazy and health-wrecking rollercoaster of her life would have unfolded in the way it did had she been allowed to marry Townsend. A new play about the high-rolling Princess Margaret focuses on her relationship with an ex-gangster, her place in the Royal Family, and her scandalous life.

They wanted to marry, but the religious mores of the time dictated against it, even if the British public backed Margaret’s personal desires above such religious and social strictures. Exceptionally grand, she expected to be called 'Princess Margaret' by her own children in front of visitors; and did not like guests to leave parties before she did. In the play, Bindon comes to visit Margaret, as she considers what to do with a trove of letters that contains scandalous information pertaining to Charles and Diana, and yet more scandalous information pertaining to Margaret herself. He and the Princess remained friends, and she even gave the wedding her blessing. Pictured: Colin Tennant (Lord Glenconner), Princess Margaret, and Anne Tennant, (Lady Glenconner) stroll onto the island of Mustique in the Caribbean. In the 1970s, when the Snowdons’ marriage began falling apart, Margaret would retreat to her “bolthole” on Mustique. Despite the advice of her physicians, she would not quit smoking. They continued to date for eight years with Queen Elizabeth II's blessing, and broke up in 1981.

Readers: For more on the Royal Family, click here. Tony would never again return. The Queen approved of RoddyDespite the initial fall-out and embarrassing scandal surrounding the couple, the Queen confided in Lady Anne at her sister's funeral that she did approve of the match. Then, she was wooed by society photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones in season two, riding off into the sunset on his motorbike before their televised wedding (a royal first). ( Log Out /  Forewarned by her protection officer, however, I was outside, ready to greet them, when the car pulled up. Colin drove to Edinburgh station to meet him, accompanied by our teenage son Charlie, and Princess Margaret, who was intrigued because she knew Roddy’s father. Roddy is a failed popstarPerhaps hoping to monopolise on his newfound fame, Roddy launched a pop career in 1978, with his eponymous album. Margaret's response: "No. Roddy has three daughters, Alexandra, Natasha and Rosie.

A series of strokes left her partially paralyzed. He would spy on her through a hole in the wall. It was later in life, and in light of all the scandal generated by Princess Diana, Prince Charles and younger royals, that Princess Margaret reportedly said, ''They leave me alone these days. They traded insults “like gunfire.” Tony refused to speak to Princess Margaret, even when the children were present. 1 The excerpts appear in a bold, purplish print.

The divorce was finalised two years later in 1978. I stayed behind. Caroline Ferry. We’d never met Roddy, but he was young and available. 'I much regret any embarrassment caused to her Majesty the Queen and the royal family, for whom I wish to express the greatest respect, admiration and loyalty.'.

ca. In 1955, Margaret put an end to fevered media speculation by releasing a statement, finally drawing a line under the couple’s relationship: “I would like it to be known that I have decided not to marry Group Captain Peter Townsend. The restlessness and drama of Margaret’s life was first crystallized by her falling in love with, and then having to renounce her relationship with, Group Captain Peter Townsend, her father King George VI’s former equerry. Tony never warmed to Anne and Colin. Colin suggested that I should ring his ‘Aunt Nose’ — Violet Wyndham (who had a large nose) — because she was bound to come up with a suitable suggestion. Posted in ART, PHOTOGRAPHY, FASHION, & DESIGN, British Royal Family/Nobles, PEOPLE, Princess Margaret, ROYALTY/NOBILITY | Tagged anne glenconner, colin tennant, glen house scotland, lady in waiting, Mustique, Princess Margaret, Roddy Llewellyn, the Margaret Set | 1 Comment, […] Llewellyn and Princess Margaret not long after they met in 1973.