For the true story of Princess Margaret's ill-fated relationship with Peter Townsend, read on: When season one of The Crown first arrived on Netflix in November of 2016, viewers were given a look inside the life of a young Queen Elizabeth II as she took to the throne. Townsend, who had been divorced from his first wife in 1946, was a equerry (a personal attendant of the royal family). Richard Kay And Geoffrey Levy For The Daily Mail Then she simply said: 'That is exactly how I feel, too.'". To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Group Captain Peter Wooldridge Townsend, born in November 1914, was a Royal Air Force officer. Peter Townsend Dies at 80; Princess Margaret's Love, https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/21/obituaries/peter-townsend-dies-at-80-princess-margaret-s-love.html. Group Captain Peter Wooldridge Townsend was a Royal Air Force officer, and was equerry to Princess Margaret's father, King George VI, until the King's death in 1952. At the time, divorcees weren't allowed to remarry in the Church of England and Margaret required her sister's permission to wed before the age of 25. Mark Phillips. CRAIG BROWN on why his book about the Princess may be finished but the story goes on, Ethics watchdog says Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau broke conflict of interest rules when he vacationed on a private island belonging to the Aga khan last Christmas. Townshend lives with Miss Fuller in Richmond, South West London, where they are frequently spotted out together. ", Twenty-three years later, in 1978, Townsend releases his official autobiography, Time and Chance, in which he expresses his ultimate peace with Margaret's decision. Season 3 is awesome. Comment. Its a miracle it hasnt come out before. The BBC interrupted its scheduled radio programme to broadcast the statement. The news was soon printed in newspapers around the world. Now, some viewers are discovering the seriesand the dramatic royal relationshipfor the first time following Queen Elizabeth's death; others, are refreshing their memories before new episodes drop on November 9. A decorated pilot in the Royal Air force, Group Capt. He was equerry to King George VI from 1944 to 1952 and held the same position for Queen Elizabeth II from 1952 to 1953. After a series of strokes left the princess wheelchair-bound, she died in her sleep on February 9, 2002. The size of the settlement will be bolstered by the longevity of the marriage. Later on, in 1959, he married Belgian woman Marie-Luce Jamagne. And one year later, on May 6, Margaret marries photographer Antony Armstrong Jones, who later becomes the Earl of Snowdon. On 17 July 1941, Townsend married (Cecil) Rosemary Pawle (19212004). A decorated pilot in the Royal Air force, Group Capt. [23] He was promoted to group captain on 1 January 1953,[24] and retired from the Royal Household the same year. The divorce paves the way for Townshend, 63, to marry girlfriend Rachel Fuller, 35. Their romance began eight years later, when 22-year-old Margaret fell in love with Peter soon after the death of her father in 1952. Is it time Harry & Meghan accept Clarkson's apology and move on? I simply hadnt the weight, I knew it, to counterbalance all she would have lost.. 6th October 1947: At Hillborough Castle, front row, from left to right: the Marchioness of Hamilton, His Excellency the Earl of Granville, (the Governor), Princess Margaret Rose (1930 - 2002), Her Excellency the Countess of Granville, and the Marquis of Hamilton. The former residence of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Le Moulin de la Tuilerie in Gif-sur-Yvette . Peter Townsend was appointed to the royal household in 1944 by King George VI after serving in World War II. Is inflation FINALLY on the way down? But were the crowds seeing the real Princess? RAF Group Captain Peter Townsend, then in a relationship with Princess Margaret, pictured getting in to his car in Brussels, March 14th 1955. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. She could have married me only if she had been prepared to give up everything her position, her prestige, her privy purse, he wrote in his memoir. Group Captain Peter Townsend of the Royal Airforce and former King's equerry, with his wife Maria Luce Jamagne in Milan. [17] He later became commanding officer of RAF Drem in Scotland in April 1942 and commanded No. PETER TOWNSEND AND HIS WIFE MARIE LUCE AT HOME For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Townsend marries Marie-Luce Jamagne in 1959. His books include Earth My Friend (about driving/boating around the world alone in the mid-1950s), Duel of Eagles (about the Battle of Britain), The Odds Against Us (also known as Duel in the Dark, about fighting Luftwaffe night bombers in 19401941), The Last Emperor (a biography of King George VI), The Girl in the White Ship (about a young refugee from Vietnam in the late 1970s who was the sole survivor of her ship of refugees), The Postman of Nagasaki (about the atomic bombing of Nagasaki),[25] and Time and Chance (an autobiography). Armstrong-Jones was the first commoner to marry into the royal family in some 400 years. She and her second husband, banker John de Laszlo, had two children, before they, too, divorced. Pete Townshend and his first wife separated in 1994 and divorced in 2009. He was equerry to King George VI from 1944 to 1952 and held the same position for Queen Elizabeth II from 1952 to 1953. He met the princess in his role as an equerry and proposed marriage. Princess Margaret was, after all, launching her first ship, and the crowds at Belfasts Harland and Wolff shipyard went out of their way to help her through the ordeal. Reports of her visit to the Province described women and children fainting with excitement at seeing her. Under Review. Princess Margaret married Armstrong-Jones at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 1960. After the war, he worked in a variety of jobs in the households of Princess Margaret's father, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth II. The couple were married in December 1959. "I think it was this experience with her sister that prompted the Queen to allow Charles and Diana to divorce in 1996," she said. In the mean time, Townsend was sent away to Brussels to serve as an air attach in Belgium for a two-year term, per his obituary. [7] On graduation, he joined No. However, the British government prepared plans in the event that Margaret would decide to marry Townsend after turning 25. Cold, hard facts about how freezing winter weather can harm your health, Farmer, 71, who appeared on BBC documentary This Farming Life is killed by one of his own cows. However, this recent series truly stands out as his most impressive and beloved work. Although the plan was to wait until she turned 25, things didnt work out. Sarah Lemire is a lifestyle reporter at TODAY.com with more than a decade of experience writing across an array of channels including home, health, holidays, personal finance, shopping, food, fashion, travel and weddings. Their relationship was considered especially controversial because Margaret's sister, Queen Elizabeth II, was the Church's supreme governor. Who is your father's sports idol?. Peter Townsend, the dashing World War Il fighter pilot who loved and lost Princess Margaret, has died after more than 30 years of self- imposed exile. Despite the media trying to put an insidious spin on the age gap, Townsend was reported as saying he showed no interest in her when they first met, and there is no evidence to suggest otherwise. Three years later he was dead, but Margaret still had his letters, which she decreed could not be read until 100 years from her birth in 2030. She first met Peter Townsend while portraying the 14-year-old princess at Buckingham Palace. Peter Townsend, the divorced war hero forced 40 years ago by the royal family and the British Government to end his love affair with Princess Margaret, sister of Queen Elizabeth II . Princess Margaret's marriage to Lord Snowdon ended in divorce. When Princess Margaret turned 25 and was no longer bound to do what her sister told her, it was widely expected that she and Group Captain Townsend would announce their engagement. 1915Offizier, GB- mit seiner Frau bei einem Spaziergangin London.1966 Group Captain Peter Townsend of the RAF arrives in London with his wife Marie-Luce, 20th April 1960. Townsend left Britain after Margaret, bowing to a disapproving establishment, told the nation on Oct. 31, 1955, she had decided not to marry him because he was divorced. During the festivities, a reporter saw Princess Margaret flick something off of Townsend's jacket, prompting speculation about their relationship. Karen Astley, who has been separated from The Who guitarist for 15 years, has hired Fiona Shackleton, the formidable lawyer who represented Sir Paul McCartney in his split from Heather Mills. It was the last time they saw one another. Group Capt. But last week, Brown used his Mail column to reveal that someone who had read his book has unearthed fresh information which some might view as startling. For a girl of just 17, she was understandably nervous as she sent the champagne bottle crashing against the bow of the 28,700-ton liner Edinburgh Castle. $1 Million - $5 Million. In January 1943, he was appointed commanding officer of RAF West Malling in Kent. The couple were married in December 1959. [28], Townsend was one of several military advisors for the film Battle of Britain (1969). Conflicted, Queen Elizabeth II asked Margaret to pause her nuptials before making any final decisions. He ended his wartime service with the temporary rank of wing commander and was promoted to the permanent rank of wing commander on 1 January 1949.[22]. Townsend had been ill for quite some time when he died in Paris at the age of 80. [11] Townsend was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in April 1940:[12]. Astley was born on June 12, 1947 to Edwin Astley and Hazel Balbirnie in Grappenhall, Cheshire. The family was resident in Adelaide Cottage in the 1940s. (English and Spanis. Earlier in 1947, Margaret and her sister, Elizabeth, had accompanied the King and Queen on a three-month State tour of Southern Africa. The R.A.F. From Hugo, a psychotherapist who lives in London, there was virtually silence, his only comment on the death of Margaret that we are all sad for the Royal Family that the Princess has died. Armstrong-Jones and Margaret filed for divorce in 1978, the first divorce in the royal family since Henry VIII divorced Catherine of Aragon in the 16th century. In his . After the divorce, Margaret engaged in several high-profile relationships, including a romance with Roddy Llewellyn, a gardener and aspiring musician 17 years her junior that ended after almost a decade. Everyone knew my father was seeing the Princess. Peter Townsend," the statement said. The death, at the age of 81, of the social policy researcher and campaigner Peter Townsend closes a career that sometimes seemed as if it would never end. Margaret would find love again in the years after her split from Townsend. A decorated pilot in the Royal Air force, Group Capt. Group Captain Peter Wooldridge Townsend was a Royal Air Force officer and was Equerry to King George VI between 1944 and 1952, later sustaining said title for Queen Elizabeth II from 1952 up until 1953. According to multiple reports, Peter had been interviewed by Margaret's father, George VI, for a position as his equerry . .css-1du65oy{color:#323232;display:block;font-family:NewParis,Georgia,Times,serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;-webkit-font-smoothing:auto;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-1du65oy:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.3125rem;line-height:1.2;}}Diana on the Fayed Yacht in Saint Tropez in '97, Prince Harry Reportedly Writes About James Hewitt, The Crown's Dominic West Talks Prince Charles, The Royal Family's Long History with Harrods, Apparently, Prince Charles Really Does Love Eggs, Prince Charles Interview with Jonathan Dimbleby. In fact, as is known, she was only 14 when Townsend arrived as Equerry and Deputy Master of the Kings Household, and immediately had a crush on him. In April 1940, whilst on patrol over the North Sea, Flight Lieutenant Townsend intercepted and attacked an enemy aircraft at dusk and after a running fight shot it down. Later in 1947, Townsend accompanied Margaret on a trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland, where she christened her first ship. In later years, Margaret reportedly told a confidante, "We rode together every morning in that wonderful country, in marvelous weather. It was widely argued that she held a striking . Three years later, in 1995, Townsend died from cancer. Ahead, see the historical overview of Margaret and Townsend's tempestuous love story, from its sweet beginnings to its heartbreaking end. Peter Townsend married Rosemary Pawle in 1941 and the couple divorced in 1952. Younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth A Timeline of Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend. 1 Squadron RAF at RAF Tangmere flying the Hawker Fury biplane fighter. Peter Townsend was appointed to the royal household in 1944 by King George VI after serving in World War II. "It is only by seeing him in this way that I feel I can properly decide whether I can marry him or not," she wrote. . Notorious YouTube prankster strikes again: How Daniel 'Jarvo' Jarvis invaded The Oval, X Factor stage, a 'My hatred for you keeps me alive and we will never forgive you', father tells drink-driver who was Is this the real reason Amazon 'axed' Jeremy Clarkson? An avid traveler, foodie, helicopter parent and couch film critic, Sarah is originally from Minneapolis and has spent the last two decades unsuccessfully trying to figure out the difference between a hoagie and a sub. But in future years Margaret would speak of remembering every minute of the tour. This is the third success obtained by this pilot and in each instance he has displayed qualities of leadership, skill and determination of the highest order, with little regard for his own safety. [27], Townsend was a director of one of Gerald Carroll's Carroll Group companies. As Princess Margaret herself later told a confidante: We rode together every morning in that wonderful country, in marvellous weather. Later on, in 1959, he married Belgian woman Marie-Luce Jamagne. His citation credited Townsend as an officer who had[16]. He had met her in his role as an equerry to her father, King George VI. or your mothers rockstar?. Back row, from left: Commander S W Mann, Commander Peter Townsend, Lady Mary Leveson-Gower, Lady Margaret Egerton, Lady Moyra Hamilton and Colonel Gyles Reilly. "SFO looks at 500m fall of Carroll empire", Dominic O'Connell, Last edited on 22 November 2022, at 23:32, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon Romance with Peter Townsend, "Townsend, Peter Woolridge (19141995), air force officer and official in the royal household", "Townsend, Group Captain Peter Wooldridge", "3rd February 1940: Peter Townsend scores first with first plane shot down over England", "A-bomb book by Briton to be reprinted on Nagasaki anniversary", "Peter Townsend, at 65, Settles In as a Successful Author; Relentless Horror Assistance From World Agencies 'Longing for Revenge' Off Around the World", "TELEVISION REVIEW; Kings, Queens and Commoners: A Tasting of the Windsor Stew", "Adelaide Cottage, duke and duchess's new home, was scene of royal scandal", "Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend's Love Affair The Real Story of Margaret & Captain Townsend", "1955: Princess Margaret cancels wedding", "Princess Margaret: recently unearthed letter sheds new light on decision not to marry", "Princess Margaret Dies at 71; Sister of Queen Elizabeth Had a Troubled Life", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Peter_Townsend_(RAF_officer)&oldid=1123293115, This page was last edited on 22 November 2022, at 23:32. Rosemary Pratt, Marchioness Camden. By May 1940, Townsend was one of the most capable squadron leaders of the Battle of Britain, serving throughout the battle as commanding officer of No. It was at a book-signing session that a figure approached Brown with the information. Afterward, Margaret is said have noted that other than his grey hair, Townsend was exactly the same as she remembered, according to Christopher Warwick, Princess Margaret's authorized biographer who spoke about the meeting in "Princess Margaret: A Love Story.". Their resulting romance came at a time when marrying a divorcee was not only frowned upon, but also forbidden by the church of England. Townsend and his wife, Rosemary Pratt, Marchioness Camden, were divorced in 1952 after 11 years of marriage. They have one son and two daughters. Princess Margaret died on Feb. 9, 2022, after suffering several strokes. G/V large country house in the estate of the Jamagne family, in Brasschaet near Antwerp. Margaret got engaged to fashion photographer, Anthony Armstrong-Jones, in 1960. Why didn't they ever marry? "She could have married me only if she had been prepared to give up everything her position, her prestige, her privy purse," he wrote. I have to say, though, that having met Peter Townsend, I would be surprised if he was sleeping with the Princess when she was so young.. In August 1950, Townsend was made deputy Master of the Household and was moved to comptroller to the Queen Mother in 1952. The new cast carried on the perfection of their predecessors! "I simply hadn't the weight, I knew it, to counterbalance all she would have lost.". Townsend and his first wife, Rosemary Pratt, Marchioness Camden, divorced in 1952 after 11 years of marriage. Photo 16/2/97 Pete Townshend and his wife Karen at the Laurence Olivier Awards in London. Peter married his first wife,Read More Townsend, a hero in World War II, was a commoner, 16 years older than the princess, and he'd been divorced. On Oct. 31, 1955, the princess issued a statement that said while "it might have been possible for me to contract a civil marriage," that "conscious of my duty to the Commonwealth, I have resolved to put these considerations before any others," effectively ending the relationship. Anyone can read what you share. The pair also work on music together in their Richmond studio by the Thames. Her beloved sister, Princess Margaret, died peacefully in her sleep this morning at 6.30 am, in The King Edward VII Hospital," read an official announcement from Buckingham Palace. Historical TV dramas rarely come so attentive, immersive and ambitious. Her and her former lover Peter Townsend then went for lunch together, 30 years after . Margaret does not receive approval from the queen. The Queen had to give permission for Princess Margaret to marry, as outlined by the Royal Marriages Act of 1772. PERSONAL GIFT. They married in 1968, by which stage The Who had made a name for themselves with hits such as My Generation and Substitute. Although Townsend ended up divorcing his first wife and proposing to Margaret in 1953, their relationship ultimately didn't work out. That's when I really fell in love with him," Margaret reportedly later said. BUT, with that being said, I cant wait for season 4. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Townsends sons were uncomfortably aware their mother took the blame to protect the Royal Familys honour. June 13. In 1959, four years after their breakup, Townsend wrote Margaret a letter saying he was marrying a 19-year-old named Marie-Luce Jamagne, his Belgian secretary. Despite these newfound freedoms, Margaret has also been apart from Townsend for two years while he's been stationed abroad in Brussels to serve as an air attach. The princess' union was ill-fated. Townsend muistetaan romanssistaan prinsessa Margaretin kanssa.. Townsend syntyi 1914 Burman Rangoonissa (Yangun) ja kvi koulua Englannin Haileburyss.Hn liittyi Kuninkaallisiin ilmavoimiin 1933 ja sai . [13] On 31 August, during combat with Messerschmitt Bf 110s over Tonbridge, Townsend was shot down and wounded in the left foot by a cannon shell which went through the glycol tank and exploded in the cockpit. She then married the 5th Marquess Camden and had five happy years before he died in 1983. Salary in 2020. . Though they got engaged, a royal wedding wasn't in the cards for the Royal Air Force pilot and the princess, 16 years his junior. The two began a relationship, and Townsend divorced his second wife in 1952. Olivia Colman is awesome. He worked as equerry to King George VI and was married with two children, but entertained an ongoing affair with Princess Margaret. According to multiple reports, Peter had been interviewed by Margaret's father, George VI, for a position as his equerry, when he first met the 14-year-old princess at Buckingham Palace. In 1952 he divorced his wife on the . The death of Peter Townsend occurred during the year 1783. What is the best TV series still running today? His wartime record was nine aircraft claimed destroyed, and two shared, two 'probables' and four damaged. With his quick wit and boyish charm, Townsend rapidly became a popular member of the Kings staff. The generous Ulster folk saw what they took to be King George VIs unworldly younger daughter, a novice princess learning on the job. I am deeply grateful for the concern of all those who have constantly prayed for my happiness. "I would like it to be known that I have decided not to marry Group Capt. Due to amendments made preemptively by the queen and the Parliament in the Royal Marriages Act in light of Margaret and Townsend's potential marriage, Margaret would now be exempt from the church of England's rules prohibiting a marriage with a divorcee insofar as she is removed from the line of succession, of which she stood third behind nephew Prince Charles and niece Princess Anne. See the article in its original context from. Giles died two years ago still angry that my mother took all the blame. It was 1992 and he was in London to attend a reunion of those who had travelled with the Royal Family in 1947. Their love affair was one for the storybooks, but royal protocol kept them apart. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Bungling helicopter pilot blows over stadium roof injuring eight, Five hidden-gem destinations for an unforgettable holiday in 2023, BBC Breakfast celebrates forty years of hilarious bloopers, Royal Family will find it 'impossible' to compromise with Sussexes, Ken Bruce will be joining the Greatest Hits Radio family in April, As it happened: UK Government blocks Scotland's new gender law, Russian pro-war fanatic warns Britain could be 'wiped off the map'. Still, Margarets love for a time transcended royal agendasand she continued her romance with Townsend for several more years. 36 Squadron RAF in Singapore, flying the Vickers Vildebeest torpedo bomber. At that time, the Princess was third in line for the throne, after the Queen's two children at the time, Charles and Anne. Pete Townshend. According to the BBC, the Queen and Parliament agreed to amend the 1772 Royal Marriages Act and remove Margaret and her future children from the line of succession. In 1936 he was posted to No. The two grew close, often riding and spending time together, according the 2005 BBC documentary "Princess Margaret: A Love Story.. The forbidden romance between Princess Margaret (August 1930-February 2002) and Captain Peter Wooldridge Townsend (November 1914-June 1995) . "At the time, divorcees werent allowed to remarry in the Church of England and Margaret required her sisters permission to wed before the age of 25," Taddeo said. Net Worth in 2021. [31] The younger son married Yolande, Princess of Ligne, daughter of Antoine, 13th Prince of Ligne and Alix, Princess of Ligne (ne Princess Alix of Luxembourg). In 1959, Group Captain Townsend married Marie Luce Jamagne, a Belgian woman said to bear a strong resemblance to Princess Margaret. Rock legend Pete Townshend is set to lose nearly half of his 40million fortune in his divorce, it was claimed yesterday. He joined the Royal Air . Margaret publicly announced that she would not marry Townsend in October 1955. Peter Townsend married Rosemary Pawle in 1941 and the couple divorced in 1952. Return fire from the Dornier hit the Hurricane coolant system and Townsend was forced to ditch 20 miles (32km) from the English coast, being rescued by HM Trawler Cape Finisterre. For away from the public excitement and cameras, a very different figure was emerging: a wilful young woman who, it seems, had a lover almost twice her age. According to Hello! Margaret reportedly told a confidante. It was to be six years after that Belfast visit before his affair with the Kings daughter became public, thanks to a famous moment during the Queens Coronation on June 2, 1953, when Margaret was seen tenderly removing a bit of fluff from his lapel. The guitarist is set to announce their divorce in the high court today. Although Townsend became an equerry for Margaret's father, King George VI, in 1944, he reportedly didn't meet the princess until 1947 when he accompanied the royal family on a three-month tour of Southern Africa. Richard Kay And Geoffrey Levy For The Daily Mail, Glitz amid the Blitz: Stunning colour portraits reveal the famous faces and unsung heroes of WWII Britain, No Margaret, a trifle is not an ashtray! We must stress that there is no proof they were intimate at that stage. "It was a different time, the 1950s, and the shadow of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson likely had a part," said Taddeo, referring to Margaret's uncle, the former king who abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry Simpson, a twice-divorced American. This, remember, was 70 years ago. The pilots were Flight Lieutenant Townsend, Flying Officer "Tiger" Folkes and Sergeant James Hallowes. Princess Margaret gave up love for the crown on this day, 65 years ago. At 61 and 77, respectively, the pair shared a meal. Season 3 has finally arrived on Netflix and its safe to say the show has still got it, taking us from 1964 to 1977 with a wealth of new performers, from Olivia Colman (The Favourite) to Helena Bonham Carter (A Room With a View). Three years later, on May 6, 1960 Marchioness Camden, were divorced in.! Former lover Peter Townsend while portraying the 14-year-old Princess at Buckingham Palace he worked as equerry King! His wife MARIE LUCE Jamagne, a Belgian woman Marie-Luce Jamagne, on May 6, marries... Her first ship he was appointed to the Royal household in 1944 by King George VI and Queen II! Charm, Townsend accompanied Margaret on a trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland, where they are spotted. 1944 by King peter townsend and wife VIs unworldly younger daughter of King George VI Queen! 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