Princess Margaret: From Armstrong to the End

After her shocking public announcement that she would not be marrying Peter Townsend, Margaret appeared at more Royal engagements and events, with several different suitors. Eventually, Margaret began secretly seeing photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones. Although the press were obsessed with following her and identifying her likely suitors, Antony was completely overlooked. She would visit him in secret at his studios and he would accompany her to events, but Antony was often in the background. Antony Armstrong-Jones was considered a ‘commoner’, not considered a real prospect for Margaret, which is why their romance went undetected for so long. The announcement of their engagement in February 1960 caught many by surprise. Despite appearing to be happily married, both of the Snowdons engaged in public love affairs. But Margaret was also keeping secrets. In 2002, Margaret’s passing came just three days after the 50th anniversary of her father King George VI's death. Princess Margaret was in many ways the quintessential modern royal, caught between tradition, duty, desire and public opinion. She maintained a love for life, not worried about how the tabloids perceived her, as once told French poet and filmmaker Jean Cocteau, “Disobedience is my joy”.