Who married Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon?

Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002), was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and the only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II. Born when her parents were the Duke and Duchess of York, she became second in line to the British throne after her father's accession in 1936, though her place in the succession declined as her sister's children and grandchildren were born.

Margaret spent much of her childhood with her family and elder sister. During the Second World War, the princess remained at Windsor Castle despite suggestions that she and Elizabeth should be evacuated to Canada. Too young to perform official duties, she continued her education while her sister undertook public responsibilities. Her father's death in 1952, which brought Elizabeth to the throne, marked a turning point in Margaret's life and coincided with her relationship with RAF officer Peter Townsend.

Celebrated for her glamour and social life, Margaret attracted widespread attention in the 1950s for her romance with Townsend, which she ended under pressure from government and church. In 1960 she married photographer Antony Armstrong‑Jones, later Earl of Snowdon, with whom she had two children, David and Sarah, before their divorce in 1978. Margaret's private life, including her reputed romances and social circle, was often the subject of speculation by the press.

Her divorce and lifestyle drew controversy, and she became a symbol of both royal modernity and scandal. A heavy smoker, her health declined in later years, and from 1998 she suffered a series of strokes. She died in 2002, aged 71, following another stroke. She is remembered as one of the most glamorous and controversial members of the British royal family.

Read more...

Antony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon (7 March 1930 – 13 January 2017), was a British photographer. He was best known internationally for his portraits of prominent cultural and political figures, many of which were published in Vogue, Vanity Fair, The Sunday Times Magazine, The Sunday Telegraph Magazine, and other major outlets. More than 280 of his photographs are held in the permanent collections of the National Portrait Gallery. Between 1968 and 1973, he directed several television documentaries and contributed to design and accessibility reforms. A committed advocate for disabled people, he helped shape policy and infrastructure across the United Kingdom. He married Princess Margaret, sister of Queen Elizabeth II, in 1960; he was created Earl of Snowdon the following year, and they divorced in 1978.

Read more...