Peter Townsend: Difference between revisions
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Peter Wooldridge Townsend was born in 1914. He distinguished himself as a pilot in the Royal Air Force and had the rank of Group Captain. Later he worked as the | Peter Wooldridge Townsend was born in 1914. He distinguished himself as a pilot in the Royal Air Force and had the rank of Group Captain. Later he worked as the Queen's equerry. | ||
Princess | |||
In June 1953, during the coronation of | [[Princess Margaret]] is said to have had a crush on him since the first time she saw him on a tour to South Africa. She was only 14 years back then and he was already married and had two children. He later got divorced from his wife. | ||
The couple had already told the Royal family about their relationship and their marriage plans. Since | In June 1953, during the coronation of [[Elizabeth II]], the press observed Margaret brushing a hair from Group Captain Townsend`s uniform. From that moment on the public was also interested in their affair. | ||
The main problem however was that Peter Townsend was divorced. So the Church, as well as | The couple had already told the Royal family about their relationship and their marriage plans. Since Margaret was not yet 25 years of age, her sister, the Queen had to consent to their marriage as stipulated in the [[Royal Marriages Act]] of 1772. | ||
Townsend was sent to | The main problem, however, was that Peter Townsend was divorced. So the Church, as well as Parliament were against the marriage. | ||
Townsend was sent to Brussels by the Queen`s private secretary Tommy Lascelles. When he came back two years later Margeret had turned 25 and could decide herself, without the consent of her sister. | |||
Under pressure from the public and from politics, she finally decided against the marriages and gave a brief statement to the press announcing the end of her relationship.In 1959 Peter Townsend married Marie Luce Jamagne and had two children with her. He lived near Paris and wrote six books, one of them his autobiography ''Time and Change'' (1978). | |||
He died in 1995. | |||
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Sources: | Sources: | ||
Latest revision as of 17:34, 6 July 2020
1914-1995. War veteran, Princess Margaret and he wanted to marry in 1955, but - after pressure from the Church, parts of the media, politics and the Royal family - Margaret decided against it.
Peter Wooldridge Townsend was born in 1914. He distinguished himself as a pilot in the Royal Air Force and had the rank of Group Captain. Later he worked as the Queen's equerry.
Princess Margaret is said to have had a crush on him since the first time she saw him on a tour to South Africa. She was only 14 years back then and he was already married and had two children. He later got divorced from his wife. In June 1953, during the coronation of Elizabeth II, the press observed Margaret brushing a hair from Group Captain Townsend`s uniform. From that moment on the public was also interested in their affair. The couple had already told the Royal family about their relationship and their marriage plans. Since Margaret was not yet 25 years of age, her sister, the Queen had to consent to their marriage as stipulated in the Royal Marriages Act of 1772. The main problem, however, was that Peter Townsend was divorced. So the Church, as well as Parliament were against the marriage. Townsend was sent to Brussels by the Queen`s private secretary Tommy Lascelles. When he came back two years later Margeret had turned 25 and could decide herself, without the consent of her sister.
Under pressure from the public and from politics, she finally decided against the marriages and gave a brief statement to the press announcing the end of her relationship.In 1959 Peter Townsend married Marie Luce Jamagne and had two children with her. He lived near Paris and wrote six books, one of them his autobiography Time and Change (1978). He died in 1995.
Sources:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/31/newsid_3202000/3202307.stm
http://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/21/obituaries/peter-townsend-dies-at-80-princess-margaret-s-love.html