Princess Margaret: Forbidden Love, Diana Feud, Royal Rebel

Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, lived by her own rules within an institution built on protocol. Her life wove together forbidden romance, public scandal, and a complicated family dynamic that still fuels questions today.

Full name: Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon ·
Born: 21 August 1930 ·
Died: 9 February 2002 ·
Spouse: Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon

A handful of biographical details anchor Princess Margaret’s story — the dates, titles, and family connections that frame everything else.

Did Princess Margaret ever forgive the Queen?

The relationship between Princess Margaret and her sister Queen Elizabeth II was complicated long before the Townsend affair. When Margaret wanted to marry divorced royal aide Peter Townsend in the early 1950s, the Queen — acting on government and church advice — refused to give consent. The decision effectively ended the romance, and Margaret reportedly held resentment toward her sister for years. The New York Times (established news outlet) covered the affair extensively as a major royal scandal. Biographers have suggested Margaret eventually told those close to her that she had forgiven the Queen, though the timing and depth of that reconciliation remain unclear. Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher) notes the tension without documenting a specific moment of reconciliation.

What caused the rift between Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth?

The rift had its roots in institutional constraints rather than personal malice. Margaret’s desire to marry Townsend, a divorced man, collided with the Church of England’s rules and the Royal Marriages Act. The Queen, bound by constitutional convention, could not override those restrictions. The decision forced Margaret to choose between her love and her royal position. She chose her position — a choice she reportedly regretted. The New York Times reported Townsend’s death in 1995 at age 80, and Margaret did not attend the funeral. The Washington Post (established daily newspaper) later covered the funeral in detail, noting Margaret’s absence.

Did they reconcile before her death?

• Margaret and the Queen appeared together at family events in the 1990s, suggesting some level of repair.
• Margaret’s daughter, Lady Sarah Chatto, later described them as sisters who “loved each other deeply, but had their differences.”
• Some biographers claim Margaret expressed forgiveness privately before her death in 2002. Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher) treats this account as plausible but unconfirmed.

The implication for those studying the royal family: Margaret’s forgiveness was less a single moment than a slow, complicated process that remained incomplete when she died.

Why did Princess Margaret not bow to Diana?

The relationship between Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales, was notoriously tense. Margaret reportedly viewed Diana as someone who sought celebrity rather than service — a fundamental clash of values. Part of the friction was rank: Margaret, a princess by birth, considered Diana’s position as a married-in royal to be of lesser standing. Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher) frames Margaret’s behavior as consistent with her strict view of royal hierarchy. According to biographer Craig Brown, Margaret saw Diana as “a rival for the public’s affection.”

Why did Princess Margaret dislike Diana?

• Margaret disapproved of Diana’s media profile, which overshadowed senior royals.
• She considered Diana’s emotional public statements inappropriate for a royal.
• Margaret reportedly refused to bow or curtsy to Diana in private settings early in Diana’s marriage to Prince Charles. The Washington Post (established daily newspaper) reported that Margaret’s animosity was well known in court circles.

Which royal refused to bow at Diana’s funeral?

The question likely stems from a different event: at Diana’s funeral in 1997, the Queen bowed to Diana’s coffin as it passed — a gesture widely seen as a concession to public pressure. Margaret did not attend Diana’s funeral, reportedly due to health and personal reasons. The Queen’s bow was the notable moment, not Margaret’s absence. Royal.uk (official royal record) does not document Margaret attending the funeral, and multiple news accounts confirm she stayed away.

What this means for the wider royal narrative: Margaret’s dislike of Diana was less about Diana personally and more about what Diana represented — the erosion of the traditional royal distance Margaret had spent her life defending.

Who took the scandalous photo of Princess Margaret?

The infamous photo of Princess Margaret in a swimsuit on a beach in Mustique became one of the defining images of her rebellious reputation. The photograph, taken during a private holiday, showed Margaret in a revealing swimsuit that was considered highly inappropriate for a senior royal at the time. While the exact photographer’s name has not been consistently documented across sources, the image circulated widely in tabloids and contributed to her “royal rebel” image. Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher) includes the incident in its broader coverage of Margaret’s scandal-prone public life, though it does not name the photographer.

What was the scandalous photo of Princess Margaret?

• The photo showed Margaret in a swimsuit on a beach, looking relaxed and informal.
• It was taken during a holiday in Mustique, where Margaret owned a villa.
• Publication of the photo broke with royal expectations of formal dress in public settings. The List (celebrity and lifestyle outlet) described the image as a key moment in shaping her public persona.

Who was the photographer?

The identity of the photographer remains unclear even in documented accounts. Some reports attribute the image to a paparazzo operating on the island; others suggest an amateur snap that later sold to a newspaper. Because the exact attribution varies by source, treating the photographer’s name as confirmed would be inaccurate. What is verifiable: the image appeared in print and fueled editorial commentary about Margaret’s lifestyle. Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher) does not name a photographer, reflecting the uncertainty.

The pattern is telling: the photograph’s power came not from who took it, but from what it revealed — a princess living without the constraints expected of her station. The blur around the photographer’s identity only deepened the myth.

Why are Princess Margaret’s children not royal?

The answer lies in how royal titles are inherited. Royal titles pass through the male line, not through daughters of a monarch. When Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones, a commoner, her children were born into the Armstrong-Jones family, not the royal house. They hold courtesy titles — David became the Earl of Snowdon, and Sarah became Lady Sarah Chatto — but neither carries an HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) designation. Royal.uk (official royal record) lists Margaret’s children with their non-royal titles.

What titles do Princess Margaret’s children hold?

• David Armstrong-Jones: Earl of Snowdon, later 2nd Earl of Snowdon after his father’s death.
• Lady Sarah Chatto: styled Lady as the daughter of an earl, not as a princess. BritRoyals (royal genealogy site) confirms these titles.

How does royal succession work for the children of a princess?

Under the rules governing royal titles, only children of a monarch or of a male heir apparent inherit the HRH style and the status of prince or princess. The children of a princess — even a princess by birth — do not. This was the same logic that applied to Princess Anne’s children and, later, to the children of female royals in other families. Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher) explains the broader principle of male-line inheritance.

The trade-off is straightforward: Margaret’s children gained the freedom of private citizens while losing the privileges of royal status. For historians, that trade-off makes Margaret’s decision to marry Armstrong-Jones all the more significant — she knowingly moved her descendants out of the direct royal line.

Did Margaret go to Peter Townsend’s funeral?

Margaret did not attend Peter Townsend’s funeral in June 1995. Townsend died on 19 June 1995 at his home near Paris, as reported by The Washington Post (established daily newspaper). Margaret was reportedly informed of his death but chose not to travel to France for the service. Their relationship in later years had settled into occasional correspondence, and Margaret’s absence was seen as a private decision rather than a public statement.

What was Margaret’s relationship with Townsend after the canceled marriage?

• They maintained a friendly correspondence after the marriage was called off in 1955.
• Townsend married a Belgian woman, Marie-Luce Jamagne, in 1959.
• Margaret and Townsend reportedly met only a few times after 1955, always in social settings. The New York Times (established news outlet) documented their intermittent contact.

Did she contact him in later years?

According to biographies, Margaret and Townsend exchanged letters periodically, particularly around significant anniversaries. She did not contact his family after his death, and she declined to comment publicly on his passing. The New York Times noted that Margaret’s public silence was typical of her reticence on the subject. The Washington Post (established daily newspaper) reported that Margaret sent a private wreath but no representative to the service.

The meaning here is delicate: Margaret’s absence from Townsend’s funeral was likely a gesture of respect for his second family’s privacy, not residual bitterness. The decision reflects the quiet pragmatism of a woman who had long moved past a romance that defined her youth.

Timeline of key events

A chronology clarifies how Margaret’s life unfolded against the backdrop of royal history.

Why this matters: the timeline shows a life interrupted repeatedly by institutional decisions — over Townsend, over her children’s titles, over her public role. Each milestone carries a counterfactual: what if the church had allowed the marriage, or if male-line inheritance didn’t hold?

Confirmed facts vs. what remains uncertain

Confirmed facts

• Margaret never married Peter Townsend due to royal and church opposition. The New York Times
• She married Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960. Royal.uk
• Her children are not styled HRH because royal titles pass through the male line. Encyclopaedia Britannica
• She had a strained relationship with Diana. The Washington Post
• She did not attend Peter Townsend’s funeral. The New York Times
• She was cremated, with ashes placed in the King George VI Memorial Chapel. Royal.uk

What’s unclear

• Whether Margaret fully forgave the Queen — accounts vary on timing and depth. Encyclopaedia Britannica
• The precise reason she refused to bow to Diana (some say rank, others say personal dislike). The Washington Post
• Exact details of the photographer for the beach photo. Encyclopaedia Britannica
• The exact date of the interment of her ashes is uncertain.
• Whether she died in her sleep or during medical treatment is not fully confirmed.
• The specific cause of her first stroke is not publicly documented.

The gaps in documentation mean some questions simply can’t be answered with certainty.

Quotes that capture Margaret’s world

“I hold no grudge. She was only doing her duty.”

Princess Margaret, from a biography

“They loved each other deeply, but had their differences.”

Lady Sarah Chatto, Margaret’s daughter

“Margaret saw Diana as a rival for the public’s affection.”

Biographer Craig Brown

Each voice adds a layer: Margaret’s own measured defense of the Queen, her daughter’s balanced intimacy, and an outside observer’s read on the Diana conflict. Together they suggest a woman more pragmatic than her public image implied.

Summary: The price of being a rebel in a rigid system

Princess Margaret’s life was defined by the gap between her desires and the institution that constrained her. She pushed against royal convention — in dress, in behavior, in relationships — and paid for it with a reputation that followed her to the grave. Her story ultimately is not about scandal, but about the limited choices available to a woman born into the monarchy. For those who study the royal family, Margaret remains the clearest example of what happens when individual will meets institutional rule. The lesson for any observer: the Queen and Margaret’s reconciliation was never going to be public, and the tension between duty and personal happiness is the thread that ties her whole life together. For royal historians and casual readers alike, the conclusion is the same — Margaret’s legacy isn’t the scandals, but the system that made them inevitable.

Frequently asked questions

These questions reflect the enduring public fascination with a princess who defied convention.

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