Princess Margaret's romance with Group Captain Peter Townsend, her father's divorced equerry, was one of the most talked-about scandals of the 1950s. Now, a new biography reveals fresh insights into the affair that forced the Queen's sister to choose between love and duty.
Lord Snowdon, Margaret's former husband, cast doubt on the intensity of the relationship, suggesting it was 'overblown' and a 'schoolgirl crush'. He made the remarks during interviews for the biography, in which he spoke at length about his marriage for the first time.
The affair began after the death of King George VI in 1952, when both Margaret and Townsend were grieving and seeking solace. Townsend, 16 years older than the princess, had been a constant presence at court since she was 14, serving as her father's equerry.
According to Townsend's memoirs, the pair discovered their love for each other in February 1953 during a private meeting at Windsor Castle. However, private secretary Sir Alan Lascelles noted in his diaries that he had warned Townsend six months earlier about the gossip surrounding his close relationship with the princess.
The romance ultimately ended when Margaret chose duty over marriage, a decision that was seen as crucial for the monarchy's reputation after the abdication crisis of Edward VIII. The biographer's revelations shed new light on the personal cost of that choice.
