When the news broke, there was intense scrutiny of a royal who, at the time was third in line for the throne having a relationship with a divorced commoner. 605 Squadron RAF, a night fighter unit, and attended the staff college from October 1942. TODAY breaks down the timeline of their relationship and if the couple ever found their happily-ever-after. Under Review. Margaret does not receive approval from the queen. For his part, Townsend later claimed to have not developed romantic feelings for the Princess until 1951, by which time she was 21 and he was safely divorced. However, she later addressed in a statement: I would like it to be known that I have decided not to marry Group Captain Peter Townsend. How Princes William and Harry reacted to Diana's death, "The Crown" season 6: Everything we know so far. 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. L/S press photographers crowding round Townsend and his young fianc Marie Luce Jamagne (Marie-Luce Jamagne). In later years, Group Captain Townsend had a varied career as a wine buyer, a United Nations adviser and the author of six books. Miss Astley, now 62, stuck by Townshend through drug and alcohol addiction through the 1980s. She tells Eden in a letter that she would need to meet him face-to-face again in order to arrive at her final decision. The two filed for divorce in the winter of 1952. . Fact-Checking 'The Crown' How Much of Season 5 Is True and What Is Complete Fiction? At the occasion, onlookers observe subtle suggestive exchanges between the twoand per one reporter, Margaret was seen fixing up Townsend's shirt at the event, spurring tabloid headlines speculating on the affair. But mindful of the Churchs teachings that Christian marriage is indissoluble, and conscious of my duty to the Commonwealth, I have resolved to put these considerations before others., She continued: 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.. [40][41], Haileybury Register 18621910, Haileybury and Imperial Service College, 1910, p. 191, Royal Sisters- Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret, Anne Edwards, Lyons Press, 2017, p. 115. By co-incidence, Edwin had often opened for Townshend's father, Cliff's band. Enemy aircraft had been shot down in 1939 by the RAF from over Scotland's Scapa Flow naval base during the Luftwaffe's first raid on Britain. [10], The first enemy aircraft to crash on English soil during the Second World War fell victim to fighters from RAF Acklington in Northumberland on 3 February 1940, when three Hurricanes of 'B' flight, No. Margaret reportedly told a confidante. Thats when I really fell in love with him.. His wartime record was nine aircraft claimed destroyed, and two shared, two 'probables' and four damaged. Pete Townshend from The Who arrives at JFK Airport on Aug. 29, 2019 in New York City. After a series of strokes left the princess wheelchair-bound, she died in her sleep on February 9, 2002. Margaret publicly announced that she would not marry Townsend in October 1955. Experts say streaming giant will drop star when his MailOnline readers back Jeremy Clarkson to keep his job on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? The forbidden romance between Princess Margaret (August 1930-February 2002) and Captain Peter Wooldridge Townsend (November 1914-June 1995) . Although Townsend ended up divorcing his first wife and proposing to Margaret in 1953, their relationship ultimately didn't work out. The BBC interrupted its scheduled radio programme to broadcast the statement. [20] In the same year, the appointment was made permanent, and he served until 1953 when he became Extra Equerry,[21] an honorary office he held until his death. That gesture was a sure sign that rumors of their romance were true. During the festivities, a reporter saw Princess Margaret flick something off of Townsend's jacket, prompting speculation about their relationship. Find out about Group Captain Peter Townsend & Marie Luce Townsend Married, children, joint family tree & history, ancestors and ancestry. 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. The second child of King George VI and the Queen Mother, and the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret first fell in love with Group Captain Peter Townsend at just 17 years old. She first met Peter Townsend while portraying the 14-year-old princess at Buckingham Palace. He passed away in 1995 at the age of 80 and is portrayed in The Crown by 53-year-old English actor Ben Miles, who is foremostly known for playingPatrick Maitland in the British comedy series Coupling. Townsend proposed to Margaret in 1953. According to the New York Times, the former couple "corresponded from time to time but did not see each other" until meeting by chance at an official function. And since Margaret was not yet 25 years old, she required marriage approval from her sister, the queen, who ultimately refused to give it on account of the captain's marital history. "In my opinion, this was the turning point to disaster for the royal family," said Harold Brooks-Baker, publishing director of Burke's Peerage. Townsend was born in Rangoon, Burma, to doctor's son Lieutenant Colonel Edward Copleston Townsend, of the Indian Army,[1] and his wife, Gladys, daughter of H. Hatt-Cook, of Hartford Hall, Cheshire;[2][3][4] his father had married aged 42, 20 years older than his bride. But there was another story to be told alongside the history of the monarch's reign. PRINCESS MARGARET PICTURED WITH HER SISTER ELIZABETH, HER FATHER GEORGE VI, AND THE QUEEN MOTHER IN 1946. In August 1950, Townsend was made deputy Master of the Household and was moved to comptroller to the Queen Mother in 1952. "Elizabethmust have felt very torn: loyalty and love for her sister but having to appease Parliament and the Church," said Taddeo. Once Princess Margaret turned 25, she no longer needed the Queen's approval to marry Townsend only Parliament's permission. But in October 1955, the princess chose the Crown over love and ended her engagement to Townsend. Townshend first met Miss Astley, the daughter of composer Ted Astley, at Ealing Art School in West London in the early 60s. The following year, Princess Margaret met with Townsend at a luncheon at Kensington Palace in 1992. 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. Princess Margaret married Armstrong-Jones at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 1960. In February 1960, Clarence House announced her engagement to Armstrong-Jones. Still, Margarets love for a time transcended royal agendasand she continued her romance with Townsend for several more years. . However, after the news broke out . Mark Phillips. Townsend and his first wife, Rosemary Pratt, Marchioness Camden, divorced in 1952 after 11 years of marriage. When time came for Townsend and Margaret to move ahead with the nuptials, the couple broke up instead. Pete Townshend, The Who's guitarist and principal songwriter, was born into a musical family in Chiswick, West London, on May 19, 1945. Because of the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, Margaret needed the queen's permission to marry. With Townsend, she had two sons, Giles (1942-2015) and Hugo (born 1945). Wristlet watch engagement gift Keystone Photo Shows: Group Peter Townsend seen with his bride to be Marie Luce Jamagne in Antwerp as he examines his watch an engagement present from the future Mrs. Townsend. But in future years Margaret would speak of remembering every minute of the tour. 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. 85 Squadron RAF, flying Hawker Hurricanes. Townsend and Pawle divorced in 1952. Group Captain Townsend is best known for his romance with Princess Margaret. [28], Townsend was one of several military advisors for the film Battle of Britain (1969). 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'. Mini Bio (1) Stuart Townsend was born in Howth, County Dublin in 1972. Astley was born on June 12, 1947 to Edwin Astley and Hazel Balbirnie in Grappenhall, Cheshire. Princess Margaret & Peter Townsend's Love Affair, Diana on the Fayed Yacht in Saint Tropez in '97, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. [17] He later became commanding officer of RAF Drem in Scotland in April 1942 and commanded No. Part of his citation reads:[15]. The princess royal ultimately decides to end her relationship with Townsend to maintain her place in the royal line of succession. "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," Margaret said in a statement to BBC Radio at the time. David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for EJAF Pete Townshend and his wife, singer/songwriter Rachel Fuller, have announced plans to launch a new live streaming show called In the Bunker that will premiere sometime this year.. "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. We have estimated Pete Townshend's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets. [1], From 1928 to 1932, Townsend was educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College, then an all-boys independent school. At that time, the Princess was third in line for the throne, after the Queen's two children at the time, Charles and Anne. (English and Spanis. It was widely argued that she held a striking . He had met her in his role as an equerry to her father, King George VI. You would expect a teenage princess to be bored being toted from country to country with all the pomp and ceremony involved in State visits. It was the last time they saw one another. Henry VIII's marriage to his fourth wife Anne of Cleves was . In 1947, Margaretthe daughter of King George VI and the Queen Mother and younger sister to Queen . Is it time Harry & Meghan accept Clarkson's apology and move on? Pete Townshend and his first wife separated in 1994 and divorced in 2009. The two were in each others company every day, riding out and taking in the sights. The couple's marriage hit a rough patch after Townsend caught his wife having an affair. Details of their relationship are chronicled in early seasons of Netflix's "The Crown," and revisited in Season Five. The romance between Peter Townsend and Princess Margaret captured the public's attention in the 1950s. Armstrong-Jones was the first commoner to marry into the royal family in some 400 years. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. 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. 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. Townsend was promoted to the substantive rank of squadron leader on 1 September 1940. Peter Townsend was appointed to the royal household in 1944 by King George VI after serving in World War II. 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. He liv PAP 141755-l (Be-G). 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. Indeed, it seems that when the Princess launched the Union-Castle liner on October 16, 1947, she was already in a relationship with Townsend, who was then 32 and the father of two young sons. 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. 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," she added. And two of Queen Elizabeth's sons, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, have separated from their wives, the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of York. Most famously, she fell in love in the early 1950s with Peter Townsend, a married RAF officer in the royal household. The divorce action could just as easily have gone the other way.. . Princess Margaret (right) and Peter Townsend. ", 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. Group Captain Peter Wooldridge Townsend, born in November 1914, was a Royal Air Force officer. Townsend and his wife . [32], When news of the relationship appeared in the press, the government posted Townsend to a position as air attach at the British Embassy in Brussels. That's when I really fell in love with him," Margaret reportedly later said. 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