Princess Margaret’s marriage to talented photographer Antony Armstrong Jones looked like a fairy tale on the surface, but behind closed doors, it was anything but. They were seen as Britain’s most glamorous and exciting couple.
Princess Margaret And Lord Snowdon Had The First Televised Royal Wedding
Princess Margaret and Armstrong Jones were married on May 6, 1960, and divorced on July 11, 1978. Armstrong Jones was the first Lord Snowdon, a title he received after marrying the Queen’s sister. Theirs was the first televised royal wedding.
The couple lived at Kensington Palace and had two children: Viscount David Linley, born in 1961, and Lady Sarah, later known as Lady Sarah Chatto, born in 1964.
After her relationship with King George VI’s equerry, Group Captain Peter Townsend, ended, the Princess found herself surrounded by handsome, wealthy admirers. According to royal legend, no man could resist Princess Magaret.
Armstrong Jones was also well-known. He revolutionized contemporary theater photography. His use of color and other techniques was unique and far more interesting than perfectly posed portraits.
On the surface, the couple had a lot in common. They shared a love for ballet and the arts and a similar sense of humor.
However, both parties had extramarital affairs, and Tony’s started early on. The photographer was described as “promiscuous” and bi-sexual.”
Margaret still agreed to marry him due to her grief over losing the man who is thought of as the love of her life, Peter Towsend.
When royal author Anne de Courcy asked him about his sexuality, he responded, “I didn’t fall in love with boys, but a few men have been in love with me.”
Margaret And Tony Had The First Royal Divorce Since King Henry VIII
The Princess loved how Tony treated her as an equal, which would later prove to be part of why the marriage fell apart, as he “began to treat her with no respect or difference at all.”
Both Tony and Margaret wanted to be the center of attention. Tony hid his true manipulative personality, dressing it instead with charm, wit, and ease with people.
Tony would romance his female assistants and have sexual relationships with some of his male friends. He had a super-charged libido and tons of energy to boot.
As if Tony’s affairs weren’t painful enough for the Princess, his creative spark often had him working on projects until late at night after Margaret had been home alone all day.
Margaret also had several affairs. One of her more notable affairs was with the nephew of Prime Minister Alec-Douglas-Home, Robin Douglas-Home.
Their marriage became very contentious. Margaret would “have sex with someone else and flaunt it at him. Then he would go off and do the same and let her know.”
By the end of the marriage, Tony would leave packets of drugs and dare her to “do everyone a favor and take all the pills.”
When Margaret and Tony finally divorced in 1978, they were the first couple in the royal family to divorce since King Henry VIII’s annulment to Anne of Cleves in 1540.
Tony died peacefully in his home on January 13, 2017, at the age of 86. His marriage to Princess Margaret is remembered as controversial, historic, and tempestuous.
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