https://uk.news.yahoo.com/princess-margaret-apos-fianc-billy-171157427.html Margaret would later say, "He was such a nice person in those days. ", After marrying on May 6, 1960, Margaret and her husband were initially very happy. Margaret accepted one of Wallace's many proposals to marry, but the engagement ended before announcement when he admitted to a romance in the Bahamas; "I had my chance and blew it with my big mouth", Wallace said. The registration of her birth was delayed for several days to avoid her being numbered 13 in the parish register. Despite enduring all of her many tragedies, she did not give them the power to define her. King George is thought to have passed away in his sleep in the early morning hours. Princess Margaret's life was not only marred by tragedy, but also by poor mental and physical health. It was in 1956, believing it better to marry "somebody one at least liked" rather than face lonely spinsterhood, when Princess Margaret agreed to marry Billy Wallace. They went on to have two children, with Armstrong-Jones becoming Lord Snowdon so the children would have titles. Queen Elizabeth II's younger sister led a charmed life as a member of the British royal family but was unlucky in love. The daughter of one of the late king's courtiers added, "The King spoiled her dreadfully. Although she loved her big sis dearly, Margaret also felt that she could never quite compare to the queen. The princess accepted this and even congratulated the couple. This made her the first member of the royal family to divorce since Henry VIII in 1533. Townsend was married, but later divorced his wife and proposed to the princess. 3,131 records for Margaret Wallace. By the early aughts, Margaret had suffered a cancer scare, repeated migraines, the aforementioned hepatitis, bronchitis, laryngitis, pneumonia, and several strokes. After her father passed away, Margaret began to smoke even more — having as many as 60 cigarettes a day. King George VI was known to refer to his two daughters, Princess Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret, as "pride" and "joy," respectively (via Express). And though Camilla Parker-Bowles and Meghan Markle were divorcées themselves, they were each able to marry their respective royal mates. The Cullman Times - a place for remembering loved ones; a space for sharing memories, life stories, milestones, to express condolences, and celebrate life of your loved ones When Margaret was 26, she became engaged to a wealthy member of her social circle, Billy Wallace. Her public statement said in part: "I would like it to be known that I have decided not to marry Group Captain Townsend. However, Margaret and Billy's relationship hit a snag, and the engagement was never formally announced. When the couple announced their engagement in 1960, royal courtiers were both shocked and displeased. Billy Wallace, 33 Windsor, CA. Criticism of Margaret included calls in Parliament for her royal allowance to be cut off. He died three years later; a statement said Margaret was "saddened by the news.". In 1976, Margaret and Llewellyn were photographed together on Mustique. ", Tony Armstrong-Jones and Princess Margaret on their wedding day, May 6, 1960, Photo: Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images, But Margaret's family wanted her to be happy, and they'd all been charmed by Armstrong-Jones. Following the accident, the spokesman revealed to BBC News that Margaret was seen by a doctor before traveling back to London a week later. That is, until Margaret and her lover, landscape gardener Roddy Llewellyn, were photographed vacationing together in the Caribbean, and, before long, their images were plastered on the covers of tabloids. But at least her romantic lows made it easier for other members of the royal family to find love themselves. According to The Telegraph, Margaret reasoned to her pals that it was better to marry "somebody one at least liked" than remain unmarried. Members of the royal family live extraordinarily private lives, and, as such, there are just some things we're never going to really know about them. Though from different worlds, their lives have been intertwined for decades. On March 19, 1976, it was announced: "HRH The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, and the Earl of Snowdon have mutually agreed to live apart. "He had a workshop in the basement of Kensington Palace, and while she was understanding of his work commitments, Margaret didn't realize it would take him away from her so much.". "I guess I'll be second best to my grave," a confidante of Margaret quoted her as saying. "He used to look at her as if he couldn't believe this enchanting thing was his daughter," a courtier told The Telegraph. She was kept from marrying her first love and though initially happy when she wed another man, that relationship soon turned sour. Known for her indulgences, the royal battled various health issues throughout her life. That is, a loser. Margaret said yes, but they continued to keep their romance quiet. Townsend also had a romance with Princess Margaret. "She expected her husband to be with her more, but one of Tony's strongest motivations was work," the author revealed. "Naturally, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon will continue to see each other on the same friendly basis as they have with each other over the last two years.". READ MORE: Princess Margaret: What Really Happened on Her 1965 Tour of the United States. Perhaps the two years she'd spent apart from Townsend had raised enough doubts that she didn't want to marry him after all. Criminal or Civil Court records found on Billy's Family, Friends, Neighbors, or Classmates View Details. The other is British royalty. Although there was a water thermostat, it was apparently not working properly. In her later years, she was often lonely. In the late '90s, it was reported that Princess Margaret suffered a terrible accident, leading her to be bedridden and under constant medical care. In 1961, before their relationship took a turn for the worse, Antony Armstrong-Jones and Princess Margaret welcomed their first child, David. Princess Margaret, in full Princess Margaret Rose Windsor, countess of Snowdon, (born August 21, 1930, Glamis Castle, Scotland—died February 9, 2002, London, England), British royal, the second daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (from 1952 Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) and the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II. When news of her affair broke, a Member of Parliament dubbed Margaret a "parasite," while another labeled the princess "an embarrassment to the whole nation." © 2021 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. "There's an interesting balance to be struck between trying to be truthful and authoritative and not being too syrupy," Matt Smith, the actor who stars as Prince Philip in Seasons 1 and 2, told Forbes. Billy Wallace's Reputation Profile. Wallace apparently admitted to Margaret that he'd had a brief affair while vacationing in the Bahamas. Directed by Benjamin Caron. While he and Margaret were on their honeymoon, the wife of a friend, Camilla Fry, gave birth to his child (Margaret apparently never knew about this; paternity was only confirmed by a DNA test taken decades later). House Dems formally take next step to impeach Trump. When Elizabeth and Philip throw a grand party for their 10th anniversary, both Margaret and the new Prime Minister experience romantic tribulations. To separate him from Margaret, Townsend was sent abroad as an air attaché. She could be naughty," Christopher Warwick, author of the authorized biography Princess Margaret: A Life of Contrasts, revealed to The Cut. Margaret's funeral was held on the 50th anniversary of her father's death and at the same location, St. George's Chapel in Windsor. Given that public opinion was overwhelmingly in favor of letting Margaret marry, the plan was a smart move. "This is the reason that [the royal family has] endured — they've never allowed us behind the palace walls.". "I remember my father despairing of her.". On May 6, 1960, Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, who then became known as Lord Snowden, married. Her coterie of bright young society people were called The Margaret Set and leading members included the Marquess of Blandford and Billy Wallace, the … When Elizabeth and Philip throw a grand party for their 10th anniversary, both Margaret and the new Prime Minister experience romantic tribulations. "She is now recuperating at Windsor," he said at the time, "but these things do take some time to heal." Christopher Warwick, the author of the princess' authorized biography, Princess Margaret: A Life of Contrasts, told The Cut, "The love of her life was one man, and he was the man who died before she was 22, and that man was her father, the king, whom she adored.". In letters discovered decades later, Princess Margaret revealed to then-prime minister Anthony Eden in 1955 that she planned to meet with Peter Townsend in order to "properly decide" whether she could or could not marry him. Soon news of the romantic relationship between the princess and the royal equerry was public — which only brought more attention to the barriers their romance faced. If you're a fan of the series, you've already met Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II's younger sister and only sibling, played by Vanessa Kirby in the first and second seasons and Helena Bonham Carter in Seasons 3 and 4, which are set during a dramatic time in the princess' life. I have reached this decision entirely alone…", Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend leaving Windsor Castle in April 1952. Hailie Deegan apologizes for use of slur in broadcast. Some years later, in 1978, the couple revealed that they would be divorcing. Photos | Summary | Follow. 3 Profile Searches Follow. Margaret and her fiancé shared an interest in the arts, music and clothes. Armstrong-Jones had never been married, but otherwise was a surprising choice for the conservative establishment to accept as a spouse for the princess. Princess Margaret did not lose her royal title after divorcing Antony Armstrong-Jones, but she did lose — and miss out on — a lot of other things throughout her life. The princess, who later married Lord Snowdon, broke off the engagement as a result of Billy’s conduct. Tony's a far too independent sort of fellow to be subjected to discipline. And they had sexual chemistry — the princess would sometimes visit him in an out-of-the-way rented room where they could be alone. Find Margaret Wallace's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading online directory for contact information. And Princess Anne said she used to feel like an also-ran." If Queen Elizabeth II denied her request, Margaret could then petition Parliament after one year's time, but, as History highlighted, "that would have caused a scandal even more dramatic than her affair with a divorced man." In the end, whatever the cause, she opted not to become his wife. After such reports surfaced, BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell noted the press had exaggerated the extent of the situation, but a painful mishap did indeed take place. Snowdon married a pregnant Lucy Lindsay-Hogg in December 1978. But her father was one of the only ones smitten by her. Being the kid sister to the eventual queen was not without its challenges. "That was boring, so the press tried to make out I was wicked as hell. According to The Guardian, Margaret began smoking cigarettes as a teenager. Though we'll never really know what the real-life royal said or did when she found out Billy Wallace… More on the royal baby's names, right here. Margaret's liaison with Llewellyn ended in 1981, as he'd fallen in love with and wanted to marry someone else. You can't comb through Princess Margaret's life and ignore all of the ways in which it was affected by tragedies, but that doesn't mean Margaret's life was all dark, all the time. The night before, he spent time playing with his grandchildren, Charles and Anne, and dining with his beloved daughter Margaret. But Lord Snowden wasn't the only one cheating. Margaret and Townsend, who'd stayed in touch while he was abroad, were reunited in October 1955. Despite Princess Margaret's decision to settle for Billy Wallace, the two did not marry. Both Armstrong-Jones and Margaret continued to have their separate affairs into the '70s, but they were able to keep their liaisons from the press. But thanks to what she lived through, it was easier for Princess Anne, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew to divorce. Before Margaret's wedding, her husband-to-be's father said, "It will never work out. Princess Margaret's Tragic Real-Life Story, a secret relationship with Group Captain Peter Townsend. In 1956, believing it was better to marry "somebody one at least liked" rather than face lonely spinsterhood, Princess Margaret agreed to marry Billy Wallace. But my goodness, she was a lady who loved life and enjoyed friends. "The marriage has broken down and the couple have lived apart for two years. But Elizabeth and her advisors didn't want to sanction a marriage between a divorced man and a member of the royal family. Margaret ended up finding lovers of her own. And Snowdon did tire of royal life, abandoning his role as royal consort to pursue career opportunities. But mindful of the Church’s teachings that Christian marriage is indissoluble and conscious of my duty to the Commonwealth, I have resolved to put these considerations before others. During their time together, she occasionally visited him while he was living on a commune, and he made numerous trips to her home on the Caribbean island of Mustique. Margaret was especially close to the king. Former Citigroup chairman: How to bring unity to U.S. Even Margaret and Princess Elizabeth II's governess, Marion Crawford, thought the young princess crowded out her older sister. According to CNN, when his father died in 1941, he left Billy "a large legacy." This is the tragic true tale of Princess Margaret. Court Records found View. Among her other rumored romantic partners were Mick Jagger and Peter Sellers. It was as if they were hiding in plain sight. While Margaret could be imperious, having been raised to expect deference, Snowdon became cruel and mocking towards her. Though Margaret's later years included many friends and companions, she reportedly often felt lonely. Margaret's first love may also have played a role in her engagement. The couple was perhaps too similar in some ways. "It's sad," Warwick told The Cut, "but the idea that she was a sad woman simply is not true. According to his biography, his death was later determined to be caused by a coronary thrombosis. ", Although Margaret obviously did not agree with that assessment of her character, it's true that she and her sister were opposites. Andrew Duncan, the author of The Reality of Monarchy, told the publication what Margaret once told him: "In my own humble way I've always tried to take some of the burden off my sister." Feeling possessive, and lonely, Margaret would try to track him down, only for him to pull farther away. Even Margaret and Princess Elizabeth II's governess, Marion Crawford, thought the young princess crowded out her older sister. Due to the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, Margaret would need to seek the queen's permission to marry. "When my sister and I were growing up, she was made out to be the goody-goody one," The Queen, a 1996 biography of Queen Elizabeth II, quotes Princess Margaret as saying (via PBS' Frontline). After the divorce announcement was made public, John Lee, a Labor Party legislator, said he planned to question Parliament about Margaret's titles and funds. One is an American political dynasty. In addition to drinking heavily, Margaret was a chain smoker. "At the time," History explained, "divorce was considered a major scandal, and it was unthinkable for a royal to marry both a commoner and a divorced man." "The queen, even when they were girls, always kept an eye on her sister because Margaret could be wayward. "She was always completely in the shadow of her elder sister, because her elder sister was Queen. ", Photo: © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images. In a way, he introduced me to a new world.". "They were both pretty strong-willed and accustomed to having their own way, so there were bound to be collisions," de Courcy explained. These are obviously the grounds for divorce," the princess' spokesman told The New York Times. They thought Margaret should've married someone of her own class — not a "commoner.". He understood my job and pushed me to do things. https://www.thelist.com/171155/princess-margarets-tragic-real-life-story