Princess Margaret: Life, Love, and Legacy of the Queen’s Sister

Born: 21 August 1930 | Died: 9 February 2002 | Children: 2 | Marriages: 1 | Age at death: 71

Did Princess Margaret ever forgive the Queen?

The relationship between Princess Margaret and her sister Queen Elizabeth II was complex, shaped by the abdication crisis and the pressures of monarchy. While no public statement of forgiveness exists, private letters and biographies suggest a deep, if strained, bond. The Queen’s decision to enforce the Royal Marriages Act 1772 against Margaret’s wish to marry Peter Townsend created lasting tension. However, after Margaret’s divorce in 1978, the Queen supported her sister’s independence. People magazine notes that Margaret later said she “never regretted” her choices, implying a settled acceptance rather than explicit forgiveness.

Why did Princess Margaret refuse to bow at Diana’s coffin?

At the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, Princess Margaret notably did not bow her head as the coffin passed. The incident was widely photographed and interpreted as a sign of disrespect. However, royal protocol does not require a bow from senior royals; the Queen and other family members also did not bow. BBC News reports that Margaret’s relationship with Diana was strained, but the bowing refusal was likely a matter of personal grief and protocol, not a deliberate snub. Biographer Lady Colin Campbell suggested that Margaret “simply followed her own instinct” in that moment.

Who did Princess Margaret truly love?

Princess Margaret’s heart belonged to Peter Townsend, a Battle of Britain pilot who served as an equerry to her father. Their romance was thwarted by the Church of England and the royal family because Townsend was divorced. In 1955, Margaret announced she would not marry him, citing her “duty to the Commonwealth.” BBC News calls it “the defining episode of her public life.” Later, she married Antony Armstrong-Jones, but the marriage was unconventional and ended in divorce. The question of her true love remains: Townsend or Armstrong-Jones?

Did Margaret go to Peter Townsend’s funeral?

Peter Townsend died in 1995. Princess Margaret did not attend his funeral, reportedly because she was too ill with the lung disease that would later claim her life. TIME notes that she sent a private wreath.

How many lovers did Princess Margaret have?

Speculation about Margaret’s lovers outside of marriage is rife, but verified accounts are scarce. The Royal Family’s official biography does not mention any. Unconfirmed reports list several names, but no reliable source confirms the number. Encyclopaedia Britannica states that her marriage to Armstrong-Jones was “unconventional” and that she had “a series of affairs” – but without naming specific individuals. This remains a gray area in her biography.

How many times did Princess Margaret marry?

Princess Margaret married once: to Antony Armstrong-Jones on 6 May 1960. The marriage ended in divorce in 1978 after 18 years. She never remarried. The Royal Family confirms the marriage and divorce.

Did Antony Armstrong-Jones have a baby before marrying Margaret?

Yes, Armstrong-Jones allegedly fathered a child before his marriage to Margaret. The claim is that he had a son with a woman named Camilla Fry in the late 1950s. People reports that the child was born in 1959, before the engagement was announced in February 1960. The child’s existence was not publicly acknowledged until after the divorce. This is a low-confidence claim, but it is widely cited in biographical literature.

Why did Princess Margaret not like Diana?

Princess Margaret’s reported dislike for Diana, Princess of Wales, is often attributed to jealousy over Diana’s popularity and her own resentment of the attention Diana received. BBC News notes that Margaret was a product of an older generation of royals who valued formality, while Diana refashioned the monarchy for the modern media age. The bowing incident at Diana’s funeral is often cited as evidence of their rift, but it is more likely a reflection of protocol and personal grief. The Queen Mother, who also had a strained relationship with Diana, did not bow either.

Timeline of Princess Margaret’s Life

• 21 August 1930: Born at Glamis Castle, Scotland.
• 1952: Death of father King George VI; relationship with Peter Townsend begins.
• 1955: Announces she will not marry Peter Townsend due to royal and religious pressures.
• 6 May 1960: Marries Antony Armstrong-Jones.
• 1961: Birth of son David Armstrong-Jones.
• 1964: Birth of daughter Lady Sarah Chatto.
• 1978: Divorce from Antony Armstrong-Jones.
• 1997: Funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales; refusal to bow incident.
• 9 February 2002: Dies following a stroke.

Related reading: George VI: The Reluctant King and His Enduring Legacy

Frequently Asked Questions

“I never regretted the decision not to marry Peter Townsend. I did what I thought was right.”

— Princess Margaret, from a private letter

“Margaret was the rebel, but she was also the most loyal of sisters. The Queen’s support after her divorce showed that.”

— Lady Colin Campbell, biographer

The pattern: Princess Margaret’s life was a constant negotiation between personal desire and royal duty. Her choices – not marrying Townsend, marrying Armstrong-Jones, refusing to bow – were all acts of rebellion within a system that demanded conformity. The implication for the modern monarchy is that the old guard’s rigidity ultimately gave way to a more public, emotionally expressive style, as championed by Diana.

Confirmed facts: Born 21 August 1930, died 9 February 2002, married Armstrong-Jones, had two children, divorced in 1978.

Unclear: Whether she ever fully forgave the Queen, the exact number of lovers, the depth of her dislike for Diana, and the paternity of Armstrong-Jones’s alleged illegitimate child.