When you look back at the mid-century British Monarchy, it’s all very stiff upper lips and heavy crowns. Then there was Margaret. She was the royal rebel before that term became a cliché. People often ask who was Princess Margaret married to because her love life felt more like a Hollywood script than a Windsor diary entry. Most folks remember the tragic, forbidden romance with Group Captain Peter Townsend—the war hero she couldn't marry because he was divorced. But the man she actually walked down the aisle with was someone entirely different.
Antony Armstrong-Jones.
He wasn't a Duke. He wasn't a Prince. He was a photographer. Honestly, he was a bit of a bohemian, and that was exactly why Margaret liked him. He lived in a studio in Pimlico. He rode a motorbike. He hung out with artists and musicians. For a Princess who spent her life trapped in the amber of royal protocol, Tony—as he was known—was a breath of fresh, albeit smoky, air.
The wedding that changed everything
In 1960, the idea of a King’s daughter marrying a "commoner" was still a massive deal. It just didn't happen. But on May 6, 1960, it did. It was the first royal wedding to be broadcast on television, pulling in something like 20 million viewers. You’ve probably seen the footage: Margaret in that stunningly simple Norman Hartnell silk organza gown, looking regal but surprisingly modern.
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The Queen made Tony the Earl of Snowdon so their children wouldn't be "common," which is why he’s usually referred to in history books as Lord Snowdon. For a while, they were the "It Couple." They were the 1960s personified—glamorous, artistic, and deeply unconventional. They didn't just go to boring galas; they hosted parties where you might find a famous musician rubbing elbows with a Duke. It was a collision of worlds.
Why the marriage was so radical
- It broke the "royal-only" marriage streak.
- Tony kept his job. He didn't just become a professional royal; he kept taking photos for Vogue and The Sunday Times.
- Their lifestyle was urban. While the Queen loved the countryside and horses, Margaret and Tony loved London and the arts.
The cracks in the darkroom
Things didn't stay perfect for long. If you’ve watched The Crown, you know they portrayed the marriage as a volatile mix of passion and ego. That’s actually pretty accurate. Both were "Number Ones." Margaret was a Princess of the Blood who expected a certain level of deference. Tony was a creative genius with a streak of arrogance and a desperate need for independence.
They had two children together: David, now the 2nd Earl of Snowdon, and Lady Sarah Chatto. By all accounts, Margaret was a devoted mother, but the marriage was crumbling under the weight of two very large personalities. Tony was often away on assignments, and Margaret felt neglected. Then came the affairs. Both of them. It wasn't a secret in their inner circles. Tony had his "hideaways," and Margaret eventually found solace with Roddy Llewellyn, a man 17 years her junior.
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When the press caught Margaret and Roddy together on the island of Mustique in 1976, the scandal was nuclear. It was the beginning of the end. By 1978, they were divorced. This was a seismic shift for the House of Windsor. It was the first divorce in the inner royal family since Henry VIII’s time (if you don’t count the messy annulments).
The Snowdon legacy
So, when answering who was Princess Margaret married to, it's not just a name. Lord Snowdon was a legitimate force in the creative world. He wasn't just "the guy who married the Princess." He was a world-class photographer who captured everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to David Bowie.
Even after the divorce, Tony remained surprisingly close to the Royal Family. He even took the official photographs for the Queen’s 80th birthday. It’s a weird, quintessentially British arrangement. He never really left the orbit, even if he left the marriage.
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A quick timeline of the Margaret-Snowdon years
- 1958: They meet at a dinner party. Tony is later commissioned to take her portrait.
- 1959: Tony proposes in a secret room at a friend's house.
- 1960: The big televised wedding at Westminster Abbey.
- 1961: Birth of David Armstrong-Jones.
- 1964: Birth of Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones.
- 1976: The "Mustique" photos leak, leading to their formal separation.
- 1978: The divorce is finalized.
What most people get wrong about Lord Snowdon
There’s this misconception that Tony was some sort of social climber. Real talk? He actually hated a lot of the royal trappings. He found the palace life stifling. He famously used to leave nasty notes for Margaret on her desk, supposedly saying things like "You look like a Jewish manicurist and I hate you." It was toxic. Really toxic.
But he also gave her a sense of identity outside of being "the Queen’s sister." With Tony, she was a patron of the arts, a fashion icon, and a woman of the world. He didn't just marry her; he rebranded her.
Why does it still matter?
We care about who Princess Margaret was married to because their relationship set the template for the modern, messy royal family we see today. Before Margaret and Tony, royals were distant icons. After them, they were celebrities with complicated private lives, divorce papers, and paparazzi problems.
They paved the way for Charles and Diana, and later, Harry and Meghan. They proved that marrying a "commoner" was possible, but they also showed the world that the pressures of the Crown can crack even the most passionate romance.
Actionable Insights for History Buffs:
- Visit the National Portrait Gallery: Many of Lord Snowdon’s most famous works are housed here. Seeing his photography gives you a better sense of the man Margaret fell for than any biography can.
- Read "Snowdon: The Biography" by Anne de Courcy: This is widely considered the definitive account of his life. It was written with his cooperation and doesn't hold back on the grit.
- Explore the "Mustique" connection: If you're interested in how the couple spent their "glory days," look into the history of Les Jolies Eaux, the villa Margaret built on the island. It’s still a symbol of her attempt to escape the confines of London life.
- Check the archives: To see the shift in royal public relations, compare the 1960 wedding coverage to the 1978 divorce headlines. It marks the exact moment the British press lost its "reverence" for the monarchy.