150-464: 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 . She was the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II . Margaret was born when her parents were the Duke and Duchess of York, and she spent much of her childhood with them and her elder sister. Her life changed at
300-493: A Daily Express editorial stated that even if the Archbishop of Canterbury was displeased, "she would best please the vast majority of ordinary folk [by finding] happiness for herself". The couple were not restricted on communicating by mail and telephone. Margaret worked with friends on charity productions of Lord and Lady Algy and The Frog , and publicly dated men such as Tennant and Wallace. In January 1955, she made
450-881: A duodenal ulcer , for which he had an operation in November 1917. In February 1918 Albert was appointed Officer in Charge of Boys at the Royal Naval Air Service 's training establishment at Cranwell . With the establishment of the Royal Air Force Albert transferred from the Royal Navy to the Royal Air Force. He served as Officer Commanding Number 4 Squadron of the Boys' Wing at Cranwell until August 1918, before reporting for duty on
600-570: A divorced woman with two living ex-husbands. He abdicated and Albert, though he had been reluctant to accept the throne, became king. The day before the abdication, Albert went to London to see his mother, Queen Mary. He wrote in his diary, "When I told her what had happened, I broke down and sobbed like a child." On the day of Edward's abdication, the Oireachtas , the parliament of the Irish Free State , removed all direct mention of
750-547: A forgotten age", they had earlier made their decision and written an announcement. On 31 October 1955, Margaret issued a statement: I would like it to be known that I have decided not to marry Group Captain Peter Townsend. I have been aware that, subject to my renouncing my rights of succession, it might have been possible for me to contract a civil marriage . But mindful of the Church's teachings that Christian marriage
900-605: A lot of people never see their old girl friends". Their love letters are in the Royal Archives and will not be available to the public until 100 years after Margaret's birth, February 2030. These are unlikely to include Margaret's letters. In 1959, she wrote to Townsend in response to him informing her of his remarriage plans, accusing him of betraying their vow not to marry anyone else and requesting her love letters to him be destroyed. He claimed he complied with her wishes, but kept this letter and an envelope of burned shards of
1050-578: A low ebb. During his reign, his people endured the hardships of war, and imperial power was eroded. However, as a dutiful family man and by showing personal courage, he succeeded in restoring the popularity of the monarchy. The George Cross and the George Medal were founded at the King's suggestion during the Second World War to recognise acts of exceptional civilian bravery. He bestowed
1200-862: A married RAF officer in the royal household. In 1952, her father died , her sister became queen, and Townsend divorced his wife. He proposed to Margaret early in the following year. Many in the government believed that he would be an unsuitable husband for the Queen's 22-year-old sister, and the Archbishop of Canterbury refused to countenance her marriage to a divorced man. Margaret abandoned her plans with Townsend. In 1960, she married Antony Armstrong-Jones , whom Elizabeth created Earl of Snowdon . The couple had two children, David and Sarah . Margaret's marriage to Lord Snowdon became strained, with both of them engaging in extramarital affairs. They separated in 1976 and divorced in 1978. Margaret did not remarry. Margaret
1350-645: A member of her set were often reported. In 1948, international news grew that her engagement to the Marquess of Blandford would be announced on her 18th birthday. Similar speculation moved to the Hon. Peter Ward , then Billy Wallace and others. The set also mixed with celebrities, including Danny Kaye , whom she met after watching him perform at the London Palladium in February 1948. He was soon accepted by
1500-491: A member of the royal family. In the words of Lady Strathmore, Albert would be "made or marred" by his choice of wife. After a protracted courtship, Elizabeth agreed to marry him. Albert and Elizabeth were married on 26 April 1923 in Westminster Abbey . Albert's marriage to someone not of royal birth was considered a modernising gesture. The newly formed British Broadcasting Company wished to record and broadcast
1650-603: A nap after a picnic lunch while the King watched, to suggest the King knew. Townsend and his wife separated in 1951, which was noticed by the press by July. Margaret was grief-stricken by her father's death and was prescribed sedatives to help her sleep. Of her father she wrote, "He was such a wonderful person, the very heart and centre of our happy family." She was consoled by her deeply held Christian beliefs, sometimes attending church twice daily. She re-emerged attending events with her family in April and returned to public duties and
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#17327730713261800-412: A nightclub by a paparazzo who took photographs of them until British detectives physically removed him from the club. In 1952, although Margaret attended parties and debutante balls with friends such as Douglas and Mark Bonham Carter , the set were seen infrequently together. They regrouped in time for Coronation season social functions. In May 1953, Margaret met singer Eddie Fisher when he performed at
1950-465: A piece of twine". He worked his own land and enjoyed physical labour on the grounds of his estates; visitors often mistook him for a common labourer. He made his own cocoa for breakfast, and always had a jug of water by his place at dinner so he could dilute his own wine. Despite the Earl's reservations about royalty, in April 1923, his youngest daughter, Elizabeth, married Prince Albert, Duke of York ,
2100-517: A possibly dangerous crisis. It convinced many, who had believed that the media were exaggerating, that Margaret really might defy the Church and royal standards. Leslie Weatherhead , President of the Methodist Conference , now criticized the proposed marriage. Townsend recalled that "we felt mute and numbed at the centre of this maelstrom"; Elizabeth also wanted the media circus to end. Townsend only had his RAF income and, other than
2250-492: A secret government document on the proposed marriage. According to a 1958 biography of Townsend by Norman Barrymaine and other accounts, Eden said that his government would oppose in Parliament Margaret retaining her royal status. Parliament might pass resolutions opposing the marriage, which the people would see as a disagreement between government and monarchy; Lord Salisbury , a High Anglican , might resign from
2400-548: A shift standing guard over their father's body as it lay in state , in a closed casket, in Westminster Hall . As Edward was unmarried and had no children, Albert was the heir presumptive to the throne. Less than a year later, on 11 December 1936, Edward abdicated in order to marry Wallis Simpson , who was divorced from her first husband and divorcing her second. Edward had been advised by British prime minister Stanley Baldwin that he could not remain king and marry
2550-699: A social function in 1944, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff , Field Marshal Alan Brooke , revealed that every time he met Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery , he thought Montgomery was after his job. George replied: "You should worry, when I meet him, I always think he's after mine!" In 1945, crowds shouted "We want the King!" in front of Buckingham Palace during the Victory in Europe Day celebrations. In an echo of Chamberlain's appearance,
2700-660: A speech emphasising "the free and equal association of the nations of the Commonwealth". The trip was intended to soften the strong isolationist tendencies among the North American public with regard to the developing tensions in Europe. Although the aim of the tour was mainly political, to shore up Atlantic support for the United Kingdom in any future war, the King and Queen were enthusiastically received by
2850-477: A talent for writing, had no experience in other work. He wrote in his autobiography that Margaret "could have married me only if she had been prepared to give up everything -- her position, her prestige, her privy purse. I simply hadn't the weight, I knew it, to counterbalance all she would have lost" for what Kenneth Rose described as "life in a cottage on a Group Captain 's salary". Royal historian Hugo Vickers wrote that "Lascelles's separation plan had worked and
3000-622: A teenager and served in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force during the First World War . In 1920, he was made Duke of York . He married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923, and they had two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret . In the mid-1920s, he engaged speech therapist Lionel Logue to treat his stutter , which he learned to manage to some degree. His elder brother ascended the throne as Edward VIII after their father died in 1936, but Edward abdicated later that year to marry
3150-543: A thief", but whether he could marry "involves more people than myself". He reportedly believed that his exile from Margaret would soon end, their love was strong, and that the British people would support marrying. Townsend received a bodyguard and police guard around his apartment after the Belgian government received threats on his life, but the British government still said nothing. Stating that people were more interested in
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#17327730713263300-465: A thing about it, and neither did Margaret", Townsend later said; "After that the storm broke"— The People first mentioned the relationship in Britain on 14 June. With the headline "They Must Deny it NOW", the front-page article warned that "scandalous rumours about Princess Margaret are racing around the world", which the newspaper stated were "of course, utterly untrue". The foreign press believed that
3450-408: A tour of the empire with his wife in 1927. Their journey by sea to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji took them via Jamaica, where Albert played doubles tennis partnered with a black man, Bertrand Clark , which was unusual at the time and taken locally as a display of equality between races. The Duke and Duchess had two children: Elizabeth (the future Elizabeth II, called "Lilibet" by the family) who
3600-477: Is indissoluble, and conscious of my duty to the Commonwealth, I have resolved to put these considerations before others. I have reached this decision entirely alone, and in doing so I have been strengthened by the unfailing support and devotion of Group Captain Townsend. "Thoroughly drained, thoroughly demoralized", Margaret later said, she and Townsend wrote the statement together. She refused when Oliver Dawnay ,
3750-477: Is only by seeing him in this way that I feel I can properly decide whether I can marry him or not". Margaret's authorized biographer Christopher Warwick said that the letter was evidence that her love for Townsend was not as strong as the public believed, and that she wanted only the prime minister and Elizabeth to know of her uncertainty. Margaret may have told Townsend as early as 12 October that governmental and familial opposition to their marriage had not changed; it
3900-509: Is possible that neither they nor Elizabeth fully understood until that year how difficult the 1772 Act made a royal marriage without the monarch's permission. An influential 26 October editorial in The Times stating that "The QUEEN's sister married to a divorced man (even though the innocent party) would be irrevocably disqualified from playing her part in the essential royal function" represented The Establishment 's view of what it considered
4050-878: Is the only extant first-hand account of these conversations. Throughout the war, George and Elizabeth provided morale-boosting visits throughout the United Kingdom, visiting bomb sites, munitions factories, and troops. George visited military forces abroad in France in December 1939, North Africa and Malta in June 1943, Normandy in June 1944, southern Italy in July 1944, and the Low Countries in October 1944. Their high public profile and apparently indefatigable determination secured their place as symbols of national resistance. At
4200-503: Is unclear. Margaret told friends she fell in love with him during the 1947 South Africa tour, where they often went riding together. Her biographer Craig Brown stated that, according to a National Trust curator, Townsend requested the bedroom next to hers during a trip to Belfast in October 1947. In November 1948, they attended the inauguration of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands . In later life, Townsend admitted at this point there
4350-528: The Sunday Express —which had supported Edward and Wallis—asked, "IF THEY WANT TO MARRY, WHY SHOULDN'T THEY?". Churchill discussed the marriage at the 1953 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference held with the coronation; the Statute of Westminster 1931 requires Dominion parliaments to also approve any Bill of Renunciation changing the line of succession. The Canadian government stated that altering
4500-486: The Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1945, Margaret became extremely jealous, lamenting, "I was born too late!" as she was too young to join herself. At the end of the war in 1945, Margaret appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace with her family and Winston Churchill. Afterwards, both Elizabeth and Margaret joined the crowds outside the palace, incognito, chanting, "We want the King, we want
4650-466: The BBC 's Children's Hour , addressing other children who had been evacuated from cities. Margaret spoke at the end by wishing all the children goodnight. Unlike other members of the royal family , Margaret was not expected to undertake any public or official duties during the war. She developed her skills at singing and playing the piano, often show tunes from stage musicals. Her contemporaries thought she
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon - Misplaced Pages Continue
4800-635: The British Empire Exhibition at Wembley on 31 October 1925, one which was an ordeal for both him and his listeners, he began to see Lionel Logue , an Australian-born speech therapist. The Duke and Logue practised breathing exercises, and the Duchess rehearsed with him patiently. Subsequently, he was able to speak with less hesitation. With his delivery improved, Albert opened the new Parliament House in Canberra , Australia, during
4950-511: The Daily Mirror ' s front page said two days earlier, asking her to "please make up your mind!". On 12 October Townsend returned from Brussels as Margaret's suitor. The royal family devised a system in which it did not host Townsend, but he and Margaret formally courted each other at dinner parties hosted by friends such as Mark Bonham Carter . A Gallup poll found that 59% of Britons approved of their marrying, with 17% opposed. Women in
5100-538: The East End of London shouted "Go on, Marg, do what you want" at the princess. Although the couple was never seen together in public during this time, the general consensus was that they would marry. Crowds waited outside Clarence House, and a global audience read daily updates and rumours on newspaper front pages. "Nothing much else than Princess Margaret's affairs is being talked of in this country", The Manchester Guardian said on 15 October. "NOW – THE NATION WAITS"
5250-508: The Government of India . Rising Indian nationalism made the welcome that the royal party would have received likely to be muted at best, and a prolonged absence from Britain would have been undesirable in the tense period before the Second World War. Two overseas tours were undertaken, to France and to North America, both of which promised greater strategic advantages in the event of war. The growing likelihood of war in Europe dominated
5400-774: The King and Queen toured Canada and the United States; it was the first visit of a reigning British monarch to North America, although George had been to Canada prior to his accession. From Ottawa , George and Elizabeth were accompanied by Canadian prime minister Mackenzie King , to present themselves in North America as King and Queen of Canada . Both Mackenzie King and the Canadian governor general, Lord Tweedsmuir , hoped that George's presence in Canada would demonstrate
5550-478: The National Archives disagree. They show that Elizabeth and Eden (who had been divorced and remarried himself) planned to amend the 1772 Act. Margaret would have been able to marry Townsend by removing her and any children from the marriage from the line of succession, and thus the Queen's permission would no longer be necessary. Margaret would be allowed to keep her royal title and her allowance, stay in
5700-716: The Queen Mother's household . In June 1952, the estranged Townsends hosted Margaret, along with her sister Elizabeth and brother-in-law Philip, at a cocktail party at their home. A month later, Rosemary Townsend and her new partner John de László attended judging at the Royal Windsor Horse Show . It is thought the romance between Margaret and Townsend began around this time. The first reports that Townsend and Margaret wished to marry began in August 1952, but these remained uncommon. The Townsend divorce in November
5850-526: The Regency Act 1953 —which made Prince Philip regent instead of Margaret on the Queen's death—was enacted to allow Margaret to marry Townsend, but as late as 23 July most other British newspapers except the Daily Mirror did not discuss the rumours. Acting Prime Minister Rab Butler asked that the "deplorable speculation" end, without mentioning Margaret or Townsend. The constitutional crisis that
6000-583: The Royal Naval College, Dartmouth . When his grandfather Edward VII died in 1910, his father became King George V. Prince Edward became Prince of Wales, with Albert second in line to the throne. Albert spent the first six months of 1913 on the training ship HMS Cumberland in the West Indies and on the east coast of Canada. He was rated as a midshipman aboard HMS Collingwood on 15 September 1913. He spent three months in
6150-661: The Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, during the reign of his great-grandmother Queen Victoria . His father was Prince George, Duke of York (later King George V ), the second and only surviving son of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra ). His mother, the Duchess of York (later Queen Mary ), was the eldest child and only daughter of Francis, Duke of Teck , and Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck . His birthday, 14 December 1895,
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon - Misplaced Pages Continue
6300-419: The independence of India and Pakistan in 1947. George relinquished the title of Emperor of India in June 1948 and instead adopted the new title of Head of the Commonwealth. He was beset by smoking-related health problems in the later years of his reign and died at Sandringham House , aged 56, of a coronary thrombosis . He was succeeded by his elder daughter, Elizabeth II. Albert was born at York Cottage , on
6450-406: The regnal name "George VI" to emphasise continuity with his father and restore confidence in the monarchy. The beginning of George VI's reign was taken up by questions surrounding his predecessor and brother, whose titles, style and position were uncertain. He had been introduced as "His Royal Highness Prince Edward" for the abdication broadcast, but George VI felt that by abdicating and renouncing
6600-611: The royal arms of the United Kingdom differenced with a label of three points argent , the centre point bearing an anchor azure —a difference earlier awarded to his father, George V, when he was Duke of York, and then later awarded to his grandson Prince Andrew, Duke of York . As king, he bore the royal arms undifferenced. Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne Claude George Bowes-Lyon, 14th and 1st Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne , KG , KT , GCVO , TD (14 March 1855 – 7 November 1944), styled as Lord Glamis from 1865 to 1904,
6750-624: The 15th. He was interred initially in the Royal Vault until he was transferred to the King George VI Memorial Chapel inside St George's on 26 March 1969. In 2002, fifty years after his death, the remains of his widow, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the ashes of his younger daughter, Princess Margaret, who both died that year, were interred in the chapel alongside him. In 2022, the remains of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, were also interred in
6900-520: The Blitz on London, on 7 September 1940, killed about one thousand civilians, mostly in the East End . On 13 September, the couple narrowly avoided death when two German bombs exploded in a courtyard at Buckingham Palace while they were there. In defiance, the Queen declared: "I am glad we have been bombed. It makes me feel we can look the East End in the face." The royal family were portrayed as sharing
7050-655: The British Embassy in Brussels; he was sent on 15 July 1953, before Margaret's return from Rhodesia on 30 July. The assignment was so sudden that the British ambassador learnt about it from a newspaper. Although Margaret and Townsend knew about his new job, they had reportedly been promised a few days together before his departure. For two years, press speculation continued. In Brussels, Townsend only said that "The word must come from somebody else". He avoided parties and being seen with women. With few duties (the sinecure
7200-772: The Channel to Autigny . For the closing weeks of the war, he served on the staff of the RAF's Independent Air Force at its headquarters in Nancy, France . Following the disbanding of the Independent Air Force in November 1918, he remained on the Continent for two months as an RAF staff officer until posted back to Britain. He accompanied King Albert I of Belgium on his triumphal re-entry into Brussels on 22 November. The prince qualified as an RAF pilot on 31 July 1919 and
7350-411: The Commonwealth for six months. She told her sister, "Under the circumstances, it isn't unreasonable for me to ask you to wait a year", and to keep the relationship secret until after the coronation. Although foreign media speculated on Margaret and Townsend's relationship, the British press did not. After reporters saw her plucking fluff from his coat during the coronation on 2 June 1953—"I never thought
7500-654: The Commonwealth leaders issued the London Declaration , which laid the foundation of the modern Commonwealth and recognised George as Head of the Commonwealth . In January 1950, he ceased to be King of India when it became a republic. He remained King of Pakistan until his death. Other countries left the Commonwealth, such as Burma in January 1948, Palestine (divided between Israel and the Arab states) in May 1948 and
7650-819: The Earl received a commission in the 2nd Life Guards in 1876 and served for six years until the year after his marriage. He was an active member of the Territorial Army and served as honorary colonel of the 4th/5th Battalion of the Black Watch . Upon succeeding his father to the Earldom on 16 February 1904, he inherited large estates in Scotland and England, including Glamis Castle , St Paul's Walden Bury , Gibside Hall and Streatlam Castle in County Durham and Woolmers Park , near Hertford . He
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#17327730713267800-629: The George Cross on the entire " island fortress of Malta " in 1943. He was posthumously awarded the Order of Liberation by the French government in 1960, one of only two people (the other being Churchill in 1958) to be awarded the medal after 1946. Colin Firth won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as George VI in the 2010 film The King's Speech . As Duke of York, Albert bore
7950-475: The House of Lords, he had previously sat only as a baron through the Barony of Bowes created for his father). At the coronation of his daughter and son-in-law , the Earl and Countess sat in the royal box with Queen Mary and their shared granddaughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret . Later in life, the Earl became extremely deaf. Lord Strathmore died of bronchitis on 7 November 1944, aged 89, at Glamis Castle . (Lady Strathmore had died in 1938. ) He
8100-436: The King invited Churchill to appear with the royal family on the balcony to public acclaim. In January 1946, George addressed the United Nations at its first assembly, which was held in London, and reaffirmed "our faith in the equal rights of men and women and of nations great and small". George VI's reign saw the acceleration of the dissolution of the British Empire . The Statute of Westminster 1931 had already acknowledged
8250-431: The King reportedly saw the calm and efficient combat veteran as the son he never had. He may have been aware of Margaret's infatuation with the non-titled and non-wealthy Townsend, reportedly seeing the courtier reluctantly obey the princess's order to carry her up palace stairs after a party. Townsend was so often near Margaret that gossip columnists overlooked him as a suitor for the princess. When their relationship began
8400-435: The King's initial dismay over Churchill's appointment of Lord Beaverbrook to the Cabinet, he and Churchill developed "the closest personal relationship in modern British history between a monarch and a Prime Minister". Every Tuesday for four and a half years from September 1940, the two men met privately for lunch to discuss the war in secret and with frankness. George related much of what the two discussed in his diary, which
8550-409: The King, with the promise of the dukedom of York, persuaded Albert to stop seeing her. That year, he met for the first time since childhood Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon , the youngest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore . He became determined to marry her. Elizabeth rejected his proposal twice, in 1921 and 1922, reportedly because she was reluctant to make the sacrifices necessary to become
8700-457: The Mediterranean, but never overcame his seasickness. Three weeks after the outbreak of World War I he was medically evacuated from the ship to Aberdeen, where his appendix was removed by Sir John Marnoch . He was mentioned in dispatches for his actions as a turret officer aboard Collingwood in the Battle of Jutland (31 May – 1 June 1916), the great naval battle of the war. He did not see further combat, largely because of ill health caused by
8850-402: The Queen Mother's private secretary, asked to remove the word "devotion". The written statement, signed "Margaret", was the first official confirmation of the relationship. Some Britons were disbelieving or angry while others, including clergy, were proud of Margaret for choosing duty and faith; newspapers were evenly divided on the decision. Mass-Observation recorded indifference or criticism of
9000-462: The Queen!" They both joined in on the festivities with their fellow British citizens, such as playing the "hokey cokey", "Lambeth Walk" and conga . "I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, and all of us were swept along by tides of happiness and relief," Elizabeth later recalled. Margaret and Elizabeth were "terrified" of being recognised, so they did their best to stay hidden in plain sight. On 15 April 1946, Margaret
9150-545: The Red, White and Blue Ball. She asked him to her table and he was "invited to all sorts of parties". Margaret fell out with him in 1957, but years later, Fisher still claimed the night he was introduced to her was the greatest thrill of his lifetime. In June 1954, the Set performed the Edgar Wallace play The Frog at the Scala Theatre . It was organised by Margaret's by now best girlfriend Judy Montagu with Margaret as assistant director. It drew praise for raising £10,500 for charity, but criticism for incompetent performances. By
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#17327730713269300-419: The Republic of Ireland in 1949. In 1947, George and his family toured southern Africa. The prime minister of the Union of South Africa , Jan Smuts , was facing an election and hoped to make political capital out of the visit. George was appalled, however, when instructed by the South African government to shake hands only with whites, and referred to his South African bodyguards as "the Gestapo ". Despite
9450-461: The United States and the United Kingdom through the ensuing war years. Following the German invasion of Poland in September 1939, the United Kingdom and the self-governing Dominions other than Ireland declared war on Nazi Germany . The King and Queen resolved to stay in London, despite German bombing raids . They officially stayed in Buckingham Palace throughout the war, although they usually spent nights at Windsor Castle . The first night of
9600-475: The age of six, when her father succeeded to the British throne following the abdication of his brother Edward VIII . Margaret's sister became heir presumptive , with Margaret second in line to the throne. Her position in the line of succession diminished over the following decades as Elizabeth's children and grandchildren were born. During the Second World War , the two sisters stayed at Windsor Castle despite suggestions to evacuate them to Canada. During
9750-419: The background of pictures of royal appearances, and to her parents a safe companion as Elizabeth's duties increased. The following month her father underwent surgery for lung cancer, and Margaret was appointed one of the Counsellors of State who undertook the King's official duties while he was incapacitated. Her father died five months later, on 6 February 1952, and her sister acceded as Elizabeth II. During
9900-542: The birth. The registration of her birth was delayed for several days to avoid her being numbered thirteen in the parish register . Margaret was baptised in the private chapel of Buckingham Palace on 30 October 1930 by Cosmo Lang , the Archbishop of Canterbury . At the time of her birth, Margaret was fourth in the line of succession to the British throne . She was the younger daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York (later King George VI), and Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). Her father
10050-414: The boy will ruin himself in twelve months" and "I pray God that my eldest son will never marry and that nothing will come between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne." On 20 January 1936, George V died and Edward ascended the throne as King Edward VIII. In the Vigil of the Princes , Prince Albert and his three brothers (the new king, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester , and Prince George, Duke of Kent ) took
10200-405: The chapel. In the words of Labour Member of Parliament (MP) George Hardie , the abdication crisis of 1936 did "more for republicanism than fifty years of propaganda". George VI wrote to his brother Edward that in the aftermath of the abdication he had reluctantly assumed "a rocking throne" and tried "to make it steady again". He became king at a point when public faith in the monarchy was at
10350-439: The country, and even continue with her public duties. Eden described Elizabeth's attitude in a letter on the subject to the Commonwealth prime ministers as "Her Majesty would not wish to stand in the way of her sister's happiness". Eden himself was sympathetic; "Exclusion from the Succession would not entail any other change in Princess Margaret's position as a member of the Royal Family", he wrote. On 28 October 1955 final draft of
10500-399: The couple among men, but great interest among women, whether for or against. Kenneth Tynan , John Minton , Ronald Searle , and others signed an open letter from "the younger generation". Published in the Daily Express on 4 November, the letter said that the end of the relationship had exposed The Establishment and "our national hypocrisy". Townsend recalled that "We had reached the end of
10650-473: The couple than the recent 1955 United Kingdom general election , on 29 May the Daily Express published an editorial demanding that Buckingham Palace confirm or deny the rumours. The press described Margaret's 25th birthday, 21 August 1955, as the day she was free to marry, and expected an announcement about Townsend soon. Three hundred journalists waited outside Balmoral, four times as many as those later following Diana, Princess of Wales . "COME ON MARGARET!",
10800-434: The early 1980s she was still protesting to biographers that the couple had been given false hope marriage was possible and she would have ended the relationship sooner had she been informed otherwise. The Daily Mirror on 28 October discussed The Times ' s editorial with the headline "THIS CRUEL PLAN MUST BE EXPOSED". Although Margaret and Townsend had read the editorial the newspaper denounced as from "a dusty world and
10950-532: The early reign of George VI. The King was constitutionally bound to support British prime minister Neville Chamberlain 's appeasement of Hitler . When the King and Queen greeted Chamberlain on his return from negotiating the Munich Agreement in 1938, they invited him to appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with them. This public association of the monarchy with a politician was exceptional, as balcony appearances were traditionally restricted to
11100-420: The evacuation of the princesses to the greater safety of Canada, to which their mother famously replied, "The children won't go without me. I won't leave without the King. And the King will never leave." At Windsor, the princesses staged pantomimes at Christmas in aid of the Queen's Wool Fund, which bought yarn to knit into military garments. In 1940, Margaret sat next to Elizabeth during their radio broadcast for
11250-627: The event on radio, but the Abbey Chapter vetoed the idea (although the Dean , Herbert Edward Ryle , was in favour). From December 1924 to April 1925, the Duke and Duchess toured Kenya , Uganda , and the Sudan , travelling via the Suez Canal and Aden . During the trip, they both went big-game hunting . Because of his stutter, Albert dreaded public speaking. After his closing speech at
11400-614: The evolution of the Dominions into separate sovereign states. The process of transformation from an empire to a voluntary association of independent states, known as the Commonwealth , gathered pace after the Second World War. During the ministry of Clement Attlee , British India became the two independent Dominions of India and Pakistan in August 1947. George relinquished the title of Emperor of India , and became King of India and King of Pakistan instead. In late April 1949,
11550-578: The father of the new queen, he was created a Knight Companion of the Garter and the 1st Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, a United Kingdom peerage in the Coronation Honours of 1937 (although he was the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne which was a Scottish title). This enabled him to sit in the House of Lords as an earl (because members of the peerage of Scotland did not automatically sit in
11700-514: The first of many trips to the Caribbean, perhaps to distract, and as a reward for being apart from Townsend. The attaché secretly travelled to Britain; while the palace was aware of one visit, he reportedly made other trips for nights and weekends with the princess at Clarence House—her apartment had its own front door—and friends' homes. That spring Townsend for the first time spoke to the press: "I am sick of being made to hide in my apartment like
11850-563: The government rather than help pass a Bill of Renunciation. While the government could not prevent the marriage when Margaret became a private individual after a Bill of Renunciation, she would no longer be a Counsellor of State and would lose her civil list allowance; otherwise, taxpayers would subsidise a divorced man and his sons. The Church would consider any children from the marriage to be illegitimate. Eden recommended that, like her uncle Edward and his wife Wallis, Margaret and Townsend leave Britain for several years. Papers released in 2004 to
12000-554: The headline "NO RING YET!"—the press wondered why. Parliamentarians "are frankly puzzled by the way the affair has been handled", the News Chronicle wrote. "If a marriage is on, they ask, why not announce it quickly? If there is to be no marriage, why allow the couple to continue to meet without a clear denial of the rumours?" Why a betrothal did not occur is unclear. Margaret may have been uncertain of her desire, having written to Prime Minister Anthony Eden in August that "It
12150-449: The likeliest potential husbands. Her family reportedly hoped that Margaret would marry Dalkeith, but, unlike him, Margaret was uninterested in the outdoors. Billy Wallace, sole heir to a £2.8 million (£93 million today) fortune and an old friend, was reportedly Margaret's favourite date during the mid-1950s. During her 21st birthday party at Balmoral in August 1951, the press was disappointed to only photograph Margaret with Townsend, always in
12300-468: The line twice in 25 years would harm the monarchy. Churchill informed the Queen that both his cabinet and Dominion prime ministers were against the marriage, and that Parliament would not approve a marriage that would be unrecognised by the Church of England unless Margaret renounced her rights to the throne. Philip was reportedly the most opposed to Townsend in the royal family, while Margaret's mother and sister wanted her to be happy but could not approve of
12450-406: The line, dangerous for a hereditary monarchy . Elizabeth told the couple to wait until 1955, when Margaret would be 25, avoiding the Queen having to publicly disapprove of her sister's marriage. Lascelles—who compared Townsend to Theudas "boasting himself to be somebody"—hoped that separating him and Margaret would end their romance. Churchill arranged for Townsend's assignment as air attaché at
12600-543: The loss of the leg and was treated with a right lumbar sympathectomy in March 1949. His elder daughter and heir presumptive, Elizabeth, took on more royal duties as her father's health deteriorated. The delayed tour was re-organised, with Princess Elizabeth and her husband, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , taking the place of the King and Queen. George was well enough to open the Festival of Britain in May 1951, but on 4 June it
12750-500: The love between them had died". Warwick said that "having spent two years apart, they were no longer as in love as they had been. Townsend was not the love of her life – the love of her life was her father, King George VI, whom she adored". More than 100 journalists waited at Balmoral when Eden arrived to discuss the marriage with Elizabeth and Margaret on 1 October 1955. Lord Kilmuir , the Lord Chancellor , that month prepared
12900-413: The marriage. Besides Townsend's divorce, two major problems were financial and constitutional. Margaret did not possess her sister's large fortune and would need the £6,000 annual civil list allowance and £15,000 additional allowance Parliament had provided for her upon a suitable marriage. She did not object to being removed from the line of succession to the throne, as Elizabeth and all her children dying
13050-410: The marriage. The August letter to Eden is evidence, Warwick said, that Margaret was aware of the government's intention to preserve her title and allowance. The decision not to marry was made on the 24th and for the following week, Margaret worked on the wording of her statement, which was released on the 31st. It is unclear what or when she was told about the government proposal, drafted on the 28th. By
13200-781: The mid-1950s, although still seen at fashionable nightspots and theatre premieres, the set was depleted by its members getting married. As she reached her late twenties unmarried, the press increasingly turned from predicting whom she might marry to suspecting she would remain a spinster. The press avidly discussed "the world's most eligible bachelor-girl" and her alleged romances with more than 30 bachelors, including David Mountbatten , Michael I of Romania , Dominic Elliot , Colin Tennant (later Baron Glenconner), Prince Henry of Hesse-Kassel , and future Canadian prime minister John Turner . Most had titles and almost all were wealthy. Lord Blandford and Lord Dalkeith , both wealthy sons of dukes, were
13350-631: The monarch from the Irish constitution . The next day, it passed the External Relations Act , which gave the monarch limited authority (strictly on the advice of the government) to appoint diplomatic representatives for Ireland and to be involved in the making of foreign treaties. The two acts made the Irish Free State a republic in essence without removing its links to the Commonwealth. Across Britain, gossip spread that Albert
13500-611: The name Ann but approved of the alternative, Margaret Rose. Margaret's early life was spent primarily at the Yorks' residences at 145 Piccadilly (their town house in London) and Royal Lodge in Windsor. The Yorks were perceived by the public as an ideal family, but unfounded rumours that Margaret was deaf and mute were not completely dispelled until her first main public appearance at her uncle Prince George's wedding in 1934. Margaret
13650-458: The new queen consort , with the Order of the Garter . George VI's coronation at Westminster Abbey took place on 12 May 1937, the date previously intended for Edward's coronation . In a break with tradition, Queen Mary attended the ceremony in a show of support for her son. There was no Durbar held in Delhi for George VI, as had occurred for his father, as the cost would have been a burden to
13800-466: The nickname of the "Industrial Prince". His stutter, and his embarrassment over it, together with a tendency to shyness, caused him to appear less confident in public than his older brother, Edward. However, he was physically active and enjoyed playing tennis. He played at Wimbledon in the Men's Doubles with Louis Greig in 1926, losing in the first round. He developed an interest in working conditions, and
13950-492: The outbreak of World War II , Princesses Margaret and Elizabeth were at Birkhall, on the Balmoral Castle estate, where they stayed until Christmas 1939, enduring nights so cold that drinking water in carafes by their bedside froze. They spent Christmas at Sandringham House before moving to Windsor Castle , just outside London, for much of the remainder of the war. Lord Hailsham wrote to Winston Churchill to advise
14100-530: The plan, Margaret would announce that she would marry Townsend and leave the line of succession. As prearranged by Eden, the Queen would consult with the British and Commonwealth governments, and then ask them to amend the 1772 Act. Eden would have told Parliament that the Act was "out of harmony with modern conditions". Kilmuir had advised Eden that the 1772 Act was flawed and might not apply to Margaret anyway. Kilmuir estimated that 75% of Britons would approve of allowing
14250-423: The press ("TOGETHER AGAIN") or royal disapproval. Townsend again left Britain to write a book about his trip; Barrymaine concluded in 1958 that "none of the fundamental obstacles to their marriage has been overcome – or shows any prospects of being overcome". Townsend said during a 1970 book tour that he and Margaret did not correspond and they had not seen each other since a "friendly" 1958 meeting, "just like I think
14400-483: The press, so she asked to see him privately instead. Margaret said that he looked "exactly the same, except he had grey hair". Guests said he had not really changed, and that they just sat chatting like old friends. They also found him disgruntled and had convinced himself that in agreeing to part, he and Margaret had set a noble example which seemed to have been in vain. King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952)
14550-680: The principles of the Statute of Westminster 1931 , which gave full sovereignty to the British Dominions . On 19 May, George personally accepted and approved the letter of credence of the new U.S. ambassador to Canada, Daniel Calhoun Roper ; gave royal assent to nine parliamentary bills; and ratified two international treaties with the Great Seal of Canada . The official royal tour historian, Gustave Lanctot , wrote "the Statute of Westminster had assumed full reality" and George gave
14700-508: The proposed marriage caused was public. The Queen was advised by Lascelles to post Townsend abroad, but she refused and instead transferred him from the Queen Mother's household to her own, although Townsend did not accompany Margaret as planned on a tour of Southern Rhodesia. Winston Churchill personally approved of "a lovely young royal lady married to a gallant young airman", but Clementine Churchill reminded her husband that he had made
14850-479: The public. The fear that George would be compared unfavourably to his predecessor was dispelled. They visited the 1939 New York World's Fair and stayed with President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House and at his private estate at Hyde Park, New York . A strong bond of friendship was forged between Roosevelt and the royal couple during the tour, which had major significance in the relations between
15000-508: The road, our feelings for one another were unchanged, but they had incurred for us a burden so great that we decided together to lay it down". The Associated Press said that Margaret's statement was almost "a rededication of her life to the duties of royalty, making unlikely any marriage for her in the near future"; the princess may have expected to never marry after the long relationship ended, because most of her eligible male friends were no longer bachelors. Barrymaine agreed that Margaret intended
15150-406: The royal family. While broadly popular among the general public, Chamberlain's policy towards Hitler was the subject of some opposition in the House of Commons , which led historian and politician John Grigg to describe George's behaviour in associating himself so prominently with a politician as "the most unconstitutional act by a British sovereign in the present century". In May and June 1939,
15300-458: The royal social circle. In July 1949, at a fancy dress ball at the US ambassador's residence , Margaret performed the can-can on stage, accompanied by Douglas and ten other costumed girls. A press commotion ensued, with Kaye denying he had taught Margaret the dance. Press interest could be intrusive. During a private visit to Paris in 1951, Margaret and Prince Nicholas of Yugoslavia were followed into
15450-540: The same dangers and deprivations as the rest of the country. They were subject to British rationing restrictions, and the U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt remarked on the rationed food served and the limited bathwater that was permitted during a stay at the unheated and boarded-up Palace. In August 1942, the King's brother, the Duke of Kent, was killed on active service. In 1940, Winston Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain as prime minister, though personally George would have preferred to appoint Lord Halifax . After
15600-433: The same mistake during the abdication crisis. The Cabinet refused to approve the marriage, and Geoffrey Fisher , Archbishop of Canterbury, did not approve of Margaret marrying a divorced man; opponents said that the marriage would threaten the monarchy as Edward VIII's had. The Church of England Newspaper said that Margaret "is a dutiful churchwoman who knows what strong views leaders of the church hold in this matter", but
15750-535: The second son of King George V and Queen Mary . Lord Strathmore was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order to mark the marriage. His granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II ), was born at his home, 17 Bruton Street , Mayfair , in April 1926. In 1928, he was made a Knight of the Thistle . In 1936, his son-in-law became king and assumed the name George VI. As
15900-545: The sisters as children. Margaret's grandfather died in January 1936, and her uncle acceded to the throne as Edward VIII . Less than a year later, in December 1936, Edward abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson , a twice-divorced American, whom neither the Church of England nor the Dominion governments would accept as queen. The Church did not recognise the marriage of a divorced woman with a living ex-husband as valid. Edward's abdication made Margaret's father reluctantly assume
16050-416: The social scene when official mourning ended in June. American newspapers noted her increasing vitality and speculated that she must be in love. With the widowed Queen Mother, Margaret moved out of Buckingham Palace and into Clarence House in May 1953, while the new queen and her family moved out of Clarence House and into Buckingham Palace. After George VI's death, Townsend was appointed Comptroller of
16200-471: The spring of 1951 came several testimonies of a growing romantic attraction. A footman told how the King diverted the pair's picnic plans, adding that whatever the King and Queen knew about the developing relationship, few royal staff failed to notice as it was obvious to them. Townsend said that his love for her began in Balmoral in 1951, and recalled an incident there in August when the princess woke him from
16350-554: The staff of the RAF's Cadet Brigade at St Leonards-on-Sea and then at Shorncliffe . He completed a fortnight's training and took command of a squadron on the Cadet Wing. He was the first member of the British royal family to be certified as a fully qualified pilot. Albert wanted to serve on the Continent while the war was still in progress and welcomed a posting to General Trenchard 's staff in France. On 23 October, he flew across
16500-507: The statement to mean that she would never marry, but wrote that Townsend likely did not accept any such vow to him by the princess, and his subsequent departure from Britain for two years was to not interfere with her life. "We both had a feeling of unimaginable relief. We were liberated at last from this monstrous problem", Townsend said. After resigning from the RAF and travelling around the world for 18 months Townsend returned in March 1958; he and Margaret met several times, but could not avoid
16650-591: The succession, Edward had lost the right to bear royal titles, including "Royal Highness". In settling the issue, George's first act as king was to confer upon Edward the title " Duke of Windsor " with the style "Royal Highness", but the letters patent creating the dukedom prevented any wife or children from bearing royal styles. George VI was forced to buy from Edward the royal residences of Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House , as these were private properties and did not pass to him automatically. Three days after his accession, on his 41st birthday, he invested his wife,
16800-467: The throne, and Margaret became second in line to the throne, with the title The Princess Margaret to indicate her status as a child of the sovereign. The family moved into Buckingham Palace; Margaret's room overlooked The Mall . Margaret was a Brownie in the 1st Buckingham Palace Brownie Pack , formed in 1937. She was also a Girl Guide and later a Sea Ranger. She served as President of Girlguiding UK from 1965 until her death on 9 February 2002. At
16950-476: The time of Elizabeth's wedding, the press started to follow the social life of "unconventional" Margaret and her reputation for vivacity and wit. A young woman with "vivid blue eyes", Margaret enjoyed socialising with high society and young aristocrats, including Sharman Douglas , the daughter of the American ambassador, Lewis Williams Douglas . A celebrated beauty known for her glamour and fashion sense, Margaret
17100-488: The tour, Smuts lost the election the following year , and the new government instituted a strict policy of racial segregation . The stress of the war had taken its toll on George's health, made worse by his heavy smoking , and subsequent development of lung cancer among other ailments, including arteriosclerosis and Buerger's disease . A planned tour of Australia and New Zealand was postponed after George developed an arterial blockage in his right leg, which threatened
17250-517: The trip had been delayed for a week due to George's illness. At the State Opening of Parliament in November, the Lord Chancellor , Lord Simonds , read the King's speech from the throne . The King's Christmas broadcast of 1951 was recorded in sections, and then edited together. On 31 January 1952, despite advice from those close to him, George went to London Airport to see Elizabeth and Philip off on their tour to Australia via Kenya. It
17400-589: The twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson . As heir presumptive to Edward VIII, Albert became king, taking the regnal name George VI. In September 1939, the British Empire and most Commonwealth countries— but not Ireland — declared war on Nazi Germany , following the invasion of Poland . War with the Kingdom of Italy and the Empire of Japan followed in 1940 and 1941, respectively. George VI
17550-449: The vow she had sent, eventually destroying these also. He was apparently unaware Margaret had already broken the pact by her engagement to Billy Wallace as it was not revealed until many years later. In October 1993, a friend of Margaret revealed she had met Townsend for what turned out to be the last time before his death in 1995. She had not wanted to attend the reunion they'd both been invited to, in 1992, for fear it might be picked up by
17700-406: The war years, Margaret was too young to perform official duties and continued her education, being nine years old when the war broke out and turning fifteen just after hostilities ended. From the 1950s onwards, Margaret became one of the world's most celebrated socialites, famed for her glamorous lifestyle and reputed romances. Most famously, she fell in love in the early 1950s with Peter Townsend ,
17850-453: The war, the King suggested choosing palace aides who were highly qualified men from the military, instead of only aristocrats. Told that a handsome war hero had arrived, the princesses met Townsend, the new equerry, on his first day at Buckingham Palace in 1944; Elizabeth reportedly told her sister, 13 years old, "Bad luck, he's married". A temporary assignment of three months from the RAF became permanent. The King and Queen were fond of Townsend;
18000-601: Was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of India from 1936 until the British Raj was dissolved in August 1947, and the first head of the Commonwealth following the London Declaration of 1949. The future George VI was born during the reign of his great-grandmother Queen Victoria ; he
18150-484: Was confirmed into the Church of England . On 1 February 1947, she, Elizabeth and their parents embarked on a state tour of Southern Africa. The three-month-long visit was Margaret's first visit abroad, and she later claimed that she remembered "every minute of it". Her chaperon was Peter Townsend , the King's equerry and very firm toward Margaret, whom he apparently considered an indulged child. In November 1947, Margaret
18300-476: Was 15 years her senior and had two children from his previous marriage. Margaret accepted and informed her sister, the Queen, whose consent was required by the Royal Marriages Act 1772 . During the abdication crisis, the Church of England had refused to countenance the remarriage of the divorced. Queen Mary had recently died , and, after the coronation of Elizabeth II , the new queen planned to tour
18450-412: Was His Highness Prince Albert of York; within the royal family he was known informally as "Bertie". The Duchess of Teck did not like the first name her grandson had been given, and she wrote prophetically that she hoped the last name "may supplant the less favoured one". Albert was fourth in line to the throne at birth, after his grandfather, father and elder brother, Edward . Albert was ill often and
18600-502: Was a British peer and landowner who was the father of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and the maternal grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II . The Earl was born in Lowndes Square , London, the son of Claude Bowes-Lyon, 13th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne , and the former Frances Smith . His younger brother, Patrick Bowes-Lyon , was a tennis player who won the 1887 Wimbledon doubles. After being educated at Eton College ,
18750-548: Was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten . In the next three years, Elizabeth and Philip had two children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne , whose births moved Margaret further down the line of succession. In 1950, the former royal governess, Marion Crawford, published an unauthorized biography of Elizabeth's and Margaret's childhood years, titled The Little Princesses , in which she described Margaret's "light-hearted fun and frolics" and her "amusing and outrageous ... antics". Around
18900-566: Was a controversial member of the British royal family . Her divorce received much negative publicity, and her private life was for many years the subject of speculation by media and royal watchers. Her health deteriorated in the last twenty years of her life. She was a heavy smoker for most of her adult life, and had a lung operation in 1985 and a bout of pneumonia in 1993, as well as three strokes between 1998 and 2001. Margaret died in 2002 aged 71, after suffering her fourth stroke. Princess Margaret
19050-462: Was a typical headline. Observers interpreted Buckingham Palace's request to the press to respect Margaret's privacy—the first time the palace discussed the princess's recent personal life—as evidence of an imminent betrothal announcement, probably before the Opening of Parliament on 25 October. As no announcement occurred—the Daily Mirror on 17 October showed a photograph of Margaret's left hand with
19200-640: Was abolished after him), Townsend improved his French and horsemanship. He joined a Belgian show jumping club and rode in races around Europe. Margaret was told by the Church that she would be unable to receive communion if she married a divorced man. Three quarters of Sunday Express readers opposed the relationship, and Mass-Observation recorded criticism of the "silly little fool" as a poor example for young women who emulated her. Other newspaper polls showed popular support for Margaret's personal choice, regardless of Church teaching or government. Ninety-seven per cent of Daily Mirror readers supported marriage, and
19350-482: Was an attraction between them, but neither of them ever acknowledged it to one another. Not long after, he discovered his wife Rosemary was involved in an extramarital affair, which ended. Contemporary anecdotes about their closeness then dissipated until late 1950, when friendship seems to have rekindled, coinciding with Townsend's appointment as Deputy Master of the Household and the breakdown of his marriage. From
19500-401: Was announced that he would need immediate and complete rest for the next four weeks, despite the arrival of Haakon VII of Norway the following afternoon for an official visit. On 23 September 1951, his left lung was removed in a surgical operation performed by Clement Price Thomas after a malignant tumour was found. In October 1951, Elizabeth and Philip went on a month-long tour of Canada;
19650-464: Was born at 9:22 p.m. on 21 August 1930 at Glamis Castle in Scotland, her mother's ancestral home, and was affectionately known as Margot within the royal family. She was the first member of the royal family in direct line of succession to be born in Scotland since the 1600s. She was delivered by Sir Henry Simson , the royal obstetrician. The Home Secretary , J. R. Clynes , was present to verify
19800-605: Was born in 1926, and Margaret who was born in 1930. The close family lived at White Lodge, Richmond Park , and then at 145 Piccadilly , rather than one of the royal palaces. In 1931, the Canadian prime minister , R. B. Bennett , considered Albert for Governor General of Canada —a proposal that King George V rejected on the advice of the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs , J. H. Thomas . King George V had severe reservations about Prince Edward, saying "After I am dead,
19950-433: Was described as "easily frightened and somewhat prone to tears". His parents were generally removed from their children's day-to-day upbringing, as was the norm in aristocratic families of that era. He had a stutter that lasted for many years. Although naturally left-handed , he was forced to write with his right hand, as was common practice at the time. He had chronic stomach problems as well as knock knees , for which he
20100-509: Was educated alongside her sister, Elizabeth , by their Scottish governess, Marion Crawford . Margaret's education was mainly supervised by her mother, who in the words of Randolph Churchill "never aimed at bringing her daughters up to be more than nicely behaved young ladies". When Queen Mary insisted upon the importance of education, the Duchess of York commented, "I don't know what she meant. After all I and my sisters only had governesses and we all married well — one of us very well". Margaret
20250-429: Was forced to wear painful corrective splints. Queen Victoria died on 22 January 1901, and the Prince of Wales succeeded her as King Edward VII. Prince Albert moved up to third in line to the throne, after his father and elder brother. Beginning in 1909, Albert attended the Royal Naval College, Osborne , as a naval cadet . In 1911 he came bottom of the class in the final examination, but despite this he progressed to
20400-583: Was his last public appearance. Six days later, at 07:30 GMT on the morning of 6 February, he was found dead in bed at Sandringham House in Norfolk. He had died in the night from a coronary thrombosis at the age of 56. His daughter flew back to Britain from Kenya as Queen Elizabeth II. From 9 February George's coffin rested in St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham, before lying in state at Westminster Hall from 11 February. His funeral took place at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle , on
20550-405: Was made Lord Lieutenant of Angus , an office he resigned when his daughter became queen. He had a keen interest in forestry and was one of the first to grow larch from seed in Britain. His estates had a large number of smallholders, and he had a reputation for being unusually kind to his tenants. His contemporaries described him as an unpretentious man, often seen in "an old macintosh tied with
20700-632: Was mentioned little in Britain and in greater detail abroad. After the divorce was finalized in December 1952, however, rumours spread about him and Margaret; the divorce, and shared grief over the King's death in February 1952, likely helped them come together within the privacy of Clarence House, where Margaret had her own apartment. Private Secretary to the Queen Sir Alan Lascelles wrote that Townsend told Lascelles he had asked Margaret to marry him shortly before Christmas 1952. Other sources claim it occurred in February or April 1953. He
20850-432: Was mollified by the proposal to name the new baby Albert, and wrote to the Duchess of York: "I am all impatience to see the new one, born on such a sad day but rather more dear to me, especially as he will be called by that dear name which is a byword for all that is great and good." Consequently, he was baptised "Albert Frederick Arthur George" at St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham on 17 February 1896. Formally he
21000-409: Was named Albert at birth after his great-grandfather Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and was known as "Bertie" to his family and close friends. His father ascended the throne as George V in 1910. As the second son of the king, Albert was not expected to inherit the throne. He spent his early life in the shadow of his elder brother, Edward , the heir apparent . Albert attended naval college as
21150-647: Was often featured in the press at balls, parties, and nightclubs with friends who became known as the "Margaret Set". The number of her official engagements increased (they included a tour of Italy, Switzerland, and France), and she joined a growing number of charitable organisations as president or patron. Favoured haunts of the Margaret Set were The 400 Club , the Café de Paris and the Mirabelle restaurant. Anticipation of an engagement or romance between Margaret and
21300-412: Was physically and psychologically incapable of being king. No evidence has been found to support the contemporaneous rumour that the government considered bypassing him, his children and his brother Prince Henry, in favour of their younger brother Prince George, Duke of Kent. This seems to have been suggested on the grounds that Prince George was at that time the only brother with a son . Albert assumed
21450-518: Was president of the Industrial Welfare Society . His series of annual summer camps for boys between 1921 and 1939 brought together boys from different social backgrounds. In a time when royalty were expected to marry fellow royalty, it was unusual that Albert had a great deal of freedom in choosing a prospective wife. An infatuation with the already-married Australian socialite Lady Loughborough came to an end in April 1920 when
21600-485: Was promoted to squadron leader the following day. In October 1919, Albert attended Trinity College, Cambridge , where he studied history, economics and civics for a year, with the historian R. V. Laurence as his "official mentor". On 4 June 1920 his father created him Duke of York , Earl of Inverness and Baron Killarney . He began to take on more royal duties. He represented his father and toured coal mines, factories, and railyards. Through such visits he acquired
21750-433: Was resentful about her limited education, especially in later years, and aimed criticism at her mother. However, Margaret's mother told a friend that she "regretted" that her daughters did not go to school like other children, and the employment of a governess rather than sending the girls to school may have been done only at the insistence of their grandfather George V. J. M. Barrie , author of Peter Pan , read stories to
21900-508: Was seen as sharing the hardships of the common people and his popularity soared. Buckingham Palace was bombed during the Blitz while the King and Queen were there, and his younger brother the Duke of Kent was killed on active service. George became known as a symbol of British determination to win the war. Britain and its allies were victorious in 1945, but the British Empire declined. Ireland had largely broken away , followed by
22050-652: Was spoiled by her parents, especially her father, who allowed her to take liberties not usually permissible, such as being allowed to stay up to dinner at the age of thirteen. Crawford despaired at the attention Margaret was getting, writing to friends: "Could you this year only ask Princess Elizabeth to your party? ... Princess Margaret does draw all the attention and Princess Elizabeth lets her do that." Elizabeth, however, did not mind this, and commented, "Oh, it's so much easier when Margaret's there—everybody laughs at what Margaret says". Their father described Elizabeth as his pride and Margaret as his joy. When Elizabeth joined
22200-473: Was the 34th anniversary of the death of his great-grandfather Albert, Prince Consort . Uncertain of how the Prince Consort's widow, Queen Victoria, would take the news of the birth, the Prince of Wales wrote to the Duke of York that the Queen had been "rather distressed". Two days later, he wrote again: "I really think it would gratify her if you yourself proposed the name Albert to her." The Queen
22350-494: Was the second son of King George V and Queen Mary , and her mother was the youngest daughter of Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne , and Cecilia Bowes-Lyon, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne . The Duchess of York originally wanted to name her second daughter Ann Margaret, as she explained to Queen Mary in a letter: "I am very anxious to call her Ann Margaret, as I think Ann of York sounds pretty, & Elizabeth and Ann go so well together." George V disliked
22500-487: Was unlikely, but receiving parliamentary approval for the marriage would be difficult and uncertain. At the age of 25 Margaret would not need the Queen's permission under the 1772 Act; she could, after notifying the Privy Council of the United Kingdom , marry in one year if Parliament did not prevent her. Churchill told Elizabeth, however, that if one could easily leave the line of succession, another could easily enter
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