Wedding of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|1960 British royal wedding}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} |
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{{Use British English|date=July 2021}} |
{{Use British English|date=July 2021}} |
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| venue = [[Westminster Abbey]] |
| venue = [[Westminster Abbey]] |
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| location = [[London]], [[England]], [[United Kingdom]] |
| location = [[London]], [[England]], [[United Kingdom]] |
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| date = 6 May 1960 |
| date = {{start date and age|df=y|6 May 1960}} |
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}} |
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==Wedding== |
==Wedding== |
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[[File:Princess-Margaret-Wedding-Ticket.jpeg|thumb|right|A ticket for the wedding procession]] |
[[File:Princess-Margaret-Wedding-Ticket.jpeg|thumb|right|A ticket for the wedding procession]] |
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[[File:Combined_Coat_of_Arms_of_Princess_Margaret_and_Antony_Armstrong-Jones.svg|thumb|Combined coat of arms of Anthony and Margaret, the Earl and Countess of Snowdon]] |
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===Ceremony=== |
===Ceremony=== |
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Margaret made her way with the [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Duke of Edinburgh]] from [[Clarence House]] in the [[Glass Coach]], arriving at the church at 11:30.<ref name="BBC-Wedding"/> The wedding took place at [[Westminster Abbey]] and was conducted by [[Geoffrey Fisher|The Most Rev. Dr |
Margaret made her way with the [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Duke of Edinburgh]] from [[Clarence House]] in the [[Glass Coach]], arriving at the church at 11:30.<ref name="BBC-Wedding"/> The wedding took place at [[Westminster Abbey]] and was conducted by [[Geoffrey Fisher|The Most Rev. Dr Geoffery Fisher]], [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] and [[Eric Abbott|The Very Rev. Eric Abbott]], [[Dean of Westminster]].<ref name="BBC-Wedding"/> It was the first royal wedding to be broadcast on television and had an estimated 300 million viewers, 20 million of which from the UK.<ref name="BBC-coverage">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/may/wedding-of-princess-margaret/|title=The Wedding of Princess Margaret televised|work=BBC|accessdate=14 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Best |first1=Chloe |title=How Princess Margaret made royal history at her wedding with Antony Armstrong-Jones |url=https://ca.hellomagazine.com/brides/2020050689398/princess-margaret-antony-armstrong-jones-royal-wedding-anniversary/ |website=[[Hello! Canada|Hello!]] |access-date=12 May 2020}}</ref> [[Richard Dimbleby]], [[Jean Metcalfe]], Anne Edwards, [[Brian Johnston]], and [[Wynford Vaughan-Thomas]] covered the event for the [[BBC]].<ref name="BBC-coverage"/> |
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===Attendants=== |
===Attendants=== |
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Armstrong-Jones's [[best man]] was Dr |
Armstrong-Jones's [[best man]] was Dr Roger Gilliatt, son of the Queen's gynecologist.<ref name="BBC-Wedding"/> [[Anne Parsons, Countess of Rosse|The Countess of Rosse]], the groom's mother, had hoped he would choose his half-brother, [[Brendan Parsons, 7th Earl of Rosse|Lord Oxmantown]], as his best man. However, resentment of their mother's favouritism led him to reject this suggestion. On 19 March, it was announced he had chosen [[Jeremy Fry]] for the role, but Fry was convicted of "importuning for immoral purposes" after allegedly approaching a man for sex, so was replaced.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Alderson |first1=Andrew |title=Lord Snowdon, his women and his love child |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/2059552/Lord-Snowdon-his-women-and-his-love-child.html |website=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |date=31 May 2008 |access-date=12 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=de Courcy |first1=Anne |title=Excerpt: The Princess and the Photographer |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2009/02/snowdon-excerpt200902 |website=[[Vanity Fair (magazines)|Vanity Fair]] |date=9 January 2009 |access-date=12 May 2020}}</ref> |
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Princess Margaret was attended by eight [[bridesmaid]]s:<ref>{{cite web |title='The Royal Wedding 6 May 1960' |url=https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw260227/The-Royal-Wedding-6-May-1960 |website=National Portrait Gallery |access-date=19 September 2021}}</ref> |
Princess Margaret was attended by eight [[bridesmaid]]s:<ref>{{cite web |title='The Royal Wedding 6 May 1960' |url=https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw260227/The-Royal-Wedding-6-May-1960 |website=National Portrait Gallery |access-date=19 September 2021}}</ref> |
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* [[Anne, Princess Royal|The Princess Anne]], daughter of [[Elizabeth II|The Queen]] and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|The Duke of Edinburgh]] |
* [[Anne, Princess Royal|The Princess Anne]], daughter of [[Elizabeth II|The Queen]] and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|The Duke of Edinburgh]] |
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* Miss Angela Nevill, daughter of |
* Miss Angela Nevill, daughter of [[Lord Rupert Nevill]] and [[Lady Rupert Nevill]] |
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* Lady Rose Nevill, daughter of [[John Nevill, 5th Marquess of Abergavenny|The Marquess]] and [[Patricia Nevill, Marchioness of Abergavenny|Marchioness of Abergavenny]] |
* Lady Rose Nevill, daughter of [[John Nevill, 5th Marquess of Abergavenny|The Marquess]] and [[Patricia Nevill, Marchioness of Abergavenny|Marchioness of Abergavenny]] |
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* The Hon. Catherine Vesey, daughter of [[John Vesey, 6th Viscount de Vesci|The Viscount]] and Viscountess de Vesci |
* The Hon. Catherine Vesey, daughter of [[John Vesey, 6th Viscount de Vesci|The Viscount]] and Viscountess de Vesci |
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* Miss Sarah Lowther, daughter of Mr |
* Miss Sarah Lowther, daughter of Mr and Mrs John Lowther |
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* Lady Virginia Fitzroy, daughter of [[Hugh FitzRoy, 11th Duke of Grafton|Earl]] and [[Fortune FitzRoy, Duchess of Grafton|Countess of Euston]] |
* Lady Virginia Fitzroy, daughter of [[Hugh FitzRoy, 11th Duke of Grafton|Earl]] and [[Fortune FitzRoy, Duchess of Grafton|Countess of Euston]] |
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* Miss Annabel Rhodes, daughter of [[Margaret Rhodes|The Hon. Margaret]] and [[Denys Rhodes|Mr |
* Miss Annabel Rhodes, daughter of [[Margaret Rhodes|The Hon. Margaret]] and [[Denys Rhodes|Mr Denys Rhodes]] |
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* Miss Marilyn Wills, daughter of The Hon. Jean and Captain John Wills. |
* Miss Marilyn Wills, daughter of The Hon. Jean and Captain John Wills. |
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===Relatives of the bride=== |
===Relatives of the bride=== |
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====[[House of Windsor]]==== |
====[[House of Windsor]]==== |
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* [[Elizabeth II|The Queen]] and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|The Duke of Edinburgh]], ''the bride's sister and brother-in-law'' |
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⚫ | |||
** [[Anne, Princess Royal|The Princess Anne]], ''the bride's niece'' (bridesmaid) |
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* [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]], ''the bride's mother'' |
* [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]], ''the bride's mother'' |
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* [[ |
** The [[Elizabeth II|Queen]] and the [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Duke of Edinburgh]], ''the bride's sister and brother-in-law'' |
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** |
*** The [[Charles III|Prince of Wales]], ''the bride's nephew'' |
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** |
*** The [[Anne, Princess Royal|Princess Anne]], ''the bride's niece'' (bridesmaid) |
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* [[ |
* The [[Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood|Princess Royal]], ''the bride's paternal aunt'' |
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** The [[George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood|Earl]] and [[Marion Stein|Countess of Harewood]], ''the bride's first cousin and his wife'' |
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** The Hon. [[Gerald David Lascelles|Gerald]] and [[Angela Lascelles]], ''the bride's first cousin and his wife'' |
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* The [[Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester|Duke]] and [[Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester|Duchess of Gloucester]], ''the bride's paternal uncle and aunt'' |
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** [[Prince William of Gloucester]], ''the bride's first cousin'' |
** [[Prince William of Gloucester]], ''the bride's first cousin'' |
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** [[Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester|Prince Richard of Gloucester]], ''the bride's first cousin'' |
** [[Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester|Prince Richard of Gloucester]], ''the bride's first cousin'' |
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* [[Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark| |
* The [[Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark|Duchess of Kent]], ''the bride's paternal aunt by marriage'' |
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** [[Prince Edward, Duke of Kent| |
** The [[Prince Edward, Duke of Kent|Duke of Kent]], ''the bride's first cousin'' |
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** [[Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy|Princess Alexandra of Kent]], ''the bride's first cousin'' |
** [[Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy|Princess Alexandra of Kent]], ''the bride's first cousin'' |
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** [[Prince Michael of Kent]], ''the bride's first cousin'' |
** [[Prince Michael of Kent]], ''the bride's first cousin'' |
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* [[Princess Patricia of Connaught|Lady Patricia]] and [[Alexander Ramsay (Royal Navy officer)| |
* [[Princess Patricia of Connaught|Lady Patricia]] and Admiral The Hon. [[Alexander Ramsay (Royal Navy officer)|Sir Alexander Ramsay]], ''the bride's first cousin twice removed, and her husband'' |
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** [[Alexander Ramsay of Mar]] and [[Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun| |
** Captain [[Alexander Ramsay of Mar]] and the [[Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun|Mistress of Saltoun]], ''the bride's second cousin once removed, and his wife'' |
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* [[Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone]], ''the bride's first cousin, twice removed and paternal great aunt by marriage'' |
* [[Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone]], ''the bride's first cousin, twice removed and paternal great aunt by marriage'' |
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====Other descendants of [[Queen Victoria]]==== |
====Other descendants of [[Queen Victoria]]==== |
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* |
* The [[Ingrid of Sweden|Queen of Denmark]], ''the bride's second cousin once removed (and godmother)'' |
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* [[Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma| |
* The [[Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma|Earl Mountbatten of Burma]], ''the bride's second cousin once removed'' |
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** [[Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma| |
** The [[Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma|Lady Brabourne]], ''the bride's third cousin'' |
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⚫ | |||
* Prince Ludwig of Baden, ''the bride's third cousin'' |
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* Prince Karl of Hesse, ''the bride's third cousin'' |
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====[[Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne|Bowes-Lyon family]]==== |
====[[Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne|Bowes-Lyon family]]==== |
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* The Hon. Jean and Captain John Wills, ''the bride's first cousin and her husband'' |
* The Hon. Jean and Captain John Wills, ''the bride's first cousin and her husband'' |
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** |
** Marilyn Wills, ''the bride's first cousin, once removed'' |
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* [[Margaret Rhodes| |
* The Hon. [[Margaret Rhodes|Margaret]] and [[Denys Rhodes]], ''the bride's first cousin and her husband'' |
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** |
** Annabel Rhodes, ''the bride's first cousin, once removed'' |
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===Relatives of the groom=== |
===Relatives of the groom=== |
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* Major and Mrs |
* Major and Mrs [[Ronald Armstrong-Jones]], ''the groom's father and stepmother'' |
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** The Viscountess and [[John Vesey, 6th Viscount de Vesci|Viscount de Vesci]], ''the groom's sister and brother-in-law'' |
** The Viscountess and [[John Vesey, 6th Viscount de Vesci|Viscount de Vesci]], ''the groom's sister and brother-in-law'' |
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*** The Hon. Catherine Vesey, ''the bridegroom's niece'' |
*** The Hon. Catherine Vesey, ''the bridegroom's niece'' |
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* [[Anne Parsons, Countess of Rosse| |
* The [[Anne Parsons, Countess of Rosse|Countess]] and [[Michael Parsons, 6th Earl of Rosse|Earl of Rosse]], ''the groom's mother and stepfather'' |
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** [[Brendan Parsons, 7th Earl of Rosse|Lord Oxmantown]], ''the groom's half-brother'' |
** [[Brendan Parsons, 7th Earl of Rosse|Lord Oxmantown]], ''the groom's half-brother'' |
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** The Hon. Martin Parsons, ''the groom's half-brother'' |
** The Hon. Martin Parsons, ''the groom's half-brother'' |
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===Politicians=== |
===Politicians=== |
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====British politicians==== |
====British politicians==== |
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* [[Harold Macmillan |
* The Rt Hon. [[Harold Macmillan]], Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and [[Lady Dorothy Macmillan]] |
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* [[Selwyn Lloyd |
* The Rt Hon. [[Selwyn Lloyd]], Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs |
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* The Rt Hon. [[Winston Churchill|Sir Winston Churchill]], former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom |
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====Commonwealth politicians==== |
====Commonwealth politicians==== |
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* [[Robert Menzies]], |
* The Rt Hon. [[Robert Menzies]], Prime Minister of Australia |
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* [[John Diefenbaker]], |
* The Rt Hon. [[John Diefenbaker]], Prime Minister of Canada |
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* [[Kwame Nkrumah]], |
* The Rt Hon. [[Kwame Nkrumah]], Prime Minister of Ghana |
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* [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], |
* The Hon. [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], Prime Minister of India |
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* [[Ayub Khan |
* Field Marshal [[Ayub Khan|Muhammad Ayub Khan]], President of Pakistan |
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* The Rt Hon. [[Walter Nash]], Prime Minister of New Zealand<ref>{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19600311.2.5.2 |title=Mr. Nash to Attend |work=[[The Press]] |date=11 March 1960 |volume=XCIX |issue=29151 |page=2 }}</ref> |
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The wedding coincided with the [[1960 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference|10th Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference]] held at [[Windsor Castle]]. As a result, many of the Commonwealth dignitaries attended the wedding.<ref>{{cite web |title=May Wedding Roll 2 (1960) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3WV6SWVYmY&t |website=[[British Pathé]] |publisher=[[YouTube]] |access-date=12 May 2020}}</ref> |
The wedding coincided with the [[1960 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference|10th Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference]] held at [[Windsor Castle]]. As a result, many of the Commonwealth dignitaries attended the wedding.<ref>{{cite web |title=May Wedding Roll 2 (1960) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3WV6SWVYmY&t |website=[[British Pathé]] |publisher=[[YouTube]] |access-date=12 May 2020}}</ref> |
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===Religious figures=== |
===Religious figures=== |
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* |
* The Most Rev. Dr [[Geoffrey Fisher]], [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] |
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* |
* The Very Rev. [[Eric Abbott]], [[Dean of Westminster]] |
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===Other notable guests=== |
===Other notable guests=== |
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* Dr |
* Dr Roger Gilliatt and [[Penelope Gilliatt]] (best man) |
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*[[Hugh FitzRoy, 11th Duke of Grafton|Earl]] and [[Fortune FitzRoy, Duchess of Grafton|Countess of Euston]] |
*[[Hugh FitzRoy, 11th Duke of Grafton|Earl]] and [[Fortune FitzRoy, Duchess of Grafton|Countess of Euston]] |
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** Lady Virginia FitzRoy (bridesmaid) |
** Lady Virginia FitzRoy (bridesmaid) |
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* Mr |
* Mr and Mrs John Lowther |
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** |
** Sarah Lowther (bridesmaid) |
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* [[John Nevill, 5th Marquess of Abergavenny| |
* The [[John Nevill, 5th Marquess of Abergavenny|Marquess]] and [[Patricia Nevill, Marchioness of Abergavenny|Marchioness of Abergavenny]] |
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** Lady Rose Nevill (bridesmaid) |
** Lady Rose Nevill (bridesmaid) |
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* [[Lord Rupert Nevill|Lord]] and Lady Rupert Nevill |
* [[Lord Rupert Nevill|Lord]] and [[Lady Rupert Nevill]] |
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** |
** Angela Nevill (bridesmaid) |
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==Aftermath== |
==Aftermath== |
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On 6 October 1961, Armstrong-Jones was raised to the [[Peerage of the United Kingdom|peerage]] as [[Earl of Snowdon]] and Viscount Linley, of [[Nymans]] in the County of [[Sussex]], by [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]]. He became "''The Right Honourable'' The Earl of Snowdon" and Princess Margaret became "''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon." The couple had two children, [[David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon|David]] (born 1961), now the 2nd Earl of Snowdon, and [[Lady Sarah Chatto|Sarah]] (born 1964). |
On 6 October 1961, Armstrong-Jones was raised to the [[Peerage of the United Kingdom|peerage]] as [[Earl of Snowdon]] and Viscount Linley, of [[Nymans]] in the County of [[Sussex]], by [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]]. He became "''The Right Honourable'' The Earl of Snowdon" and Princess Margaret became "''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon." The couple had two children, [[David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon|David]] (born 1961), now the 2nd Earl of Snowdon, and [[Lady Sarah Chatto|Sarah]] (born 1964). |
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The Snowdons separated in 1976, subsequently divorcing on 11 July 1978. It was the first divorce by a senior member of the royal family since that of [[Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]] and [[Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse]] in 1901. On 15 December |
The Snowdons separated in 1976, subsequently divorcing on 11 July 1978. It was the first divorce by a senior member of the royal family since that of [[Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]] and [[Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse]] in 1901. On 15 December 1978, Snowdon remarried Lucy Lindsay-Hogg, separating in 2000. They had a daughter, Frances (b. 1979). On 30 April 1998, Snowdon fathered another illegitimate child, Jasper William Oliver Cable-Alexander.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bearn |first1=Emily |title=Still playing Peter Pan |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/3592805/Still-playing-Peter-Pan.html |website=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |date=16 April 2003 |access-date=12 May 2020}}</ref> |
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After years of ill health, Princess Margaret, who never remarried, died on 9 February 2002, aged 71. Lord Snowdon died on 13 January 2017, aged 86. |
After years of ill health, Princess Margaret, who never remarried, died on 9 February 2002, aged 71. Lord Snowdon died on 13 January 2017, aged 86. |
Latest revision as of 13:00, 10 June 2024
![]() Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones on their wedding day. | |
Date | 6 May 1960 |
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Venue | Westminster Abbey |
Location | London, England, United Kingdom |
Participants | Princess Margaret Antony Armstong-Jones |
The wedding of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones took place on Friday, 6 May 1960 at Westminster Abbey in London.[1] Princess Margaret was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, while Antony Armstrong-Jones was a noted society photographer.
Engagement[edit]
Princess Margaret met photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1958 at a dinner party at the Chelsea home of Lady Elizabeth Cavendish.[2][3] The two had previously encountered each other when Armstrong-Jones was the photographer at the wedding of Margaret's friends, Lady Anne Coke and The Hon. Colin Tennant, in April 1956.[4] In October 1959, Armstrong-Jones was invited to stay at Balmoral Castle. The public assumed he was there to photograph the royal family. They became engaged shortly after[5] and on 26 February 1960, Clarence House announced the engagement.[6] Armstrong-Jones presented the Princess with an engagement ring set with a ruby surrounded by a marguerite of diamonds.[7][8] He had designed the ring himself after a rose in honour of Margaret's middle name.
Two days before the wedding, on 4 May, there was a white-tie ball at Buckingham Palace attended by the Prime Minister and the Archbishop of Canterbury.[citation needed]
Wedding[edit]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c8/Princess-Margaret-Wedding-Ticket.jpeg/220px-Princess-Margaret-Wedding-Ticket.jpeg)
Ceremony[edit]
Margaret made her way with the Duke of Edinburgh from Clarence House in the Glass Coach, arriving at the church at 11:30.[3] The wedding took place at Westminster Abbey and was conducted by The Most Rev. Dr Geoffery Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury and The Very Rev. Eric Abbott, Dean of Westminster.[3] It was the first royal wedding to be broadcast on television and had an estimated 300 million viewers, 20 million of which from the UK.[9][10] Richard Dimbleby, Jean Metcalfe, Anne Edwards, Brian Johnston, and Wynford Vaughan-Thomas covered the event for the BBC.[9]
Attendants[edit]
Armstrong-Jones's best man was Dr Roger Gilliatt, son of the Queen's gynecologist.[3] The Countess of Rosse, the groom's mother, had hoped he would choose his half-brother, Lord Oxmantown, as his best man. However, resentment of their mother's favouritism led him to reject this suggestion. On 19 March, it was announced he had chosen Jeremy Fry for the role, but Fry was convicted of "importuning for immoral purposes" after allegedly approaching a man for sex, so was replaced.[11][12]
Princess Margaret was attended by eight bridesmaids:[13]
- The Princess Anne, daughter of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh
- Miss Angela Nevill, daughter of Lord Rupert Nevill and Lady Rupert Nevill
- Lady Rose Nevill, daughter of The Marquess and Marchioness of Abergavenny
- The Hon. Catherine Vesey, daughter of The Viscount and Viscountess de Vesci
- Miss Sarah Lowther, daughter of Mr and Mrs John Lowther
- Lady Virginia Fitzroy, daughter of Earl and Countess of Euston
- Miss Annabel Rhodes, daughter of The Hon. Margaret and Mr Denys Rhodes
- Miss Marilyn Wills, daughter of The Hon. Jean and Captain John Wills.
Music[edit]
Prior to the service, works by Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, Henry Purcell and William Henry Harris were played on the organ. The bride walked down the aisle to the hymn "Christ is Made the Sure Foundation" to the tune Westminster Abbey by Purcell. Throughout the service, anthems by Franz Schubert, William Byrd and Gustav Holst were sung. The recessional music, at the special request of the bride, was "Trumpet Tune and Airs" by Purcell.[14]
Attire[edit]
The Princess wore a silk organza gown designed by Norman Hartnell. She accessorized with the Poltimore tiara, which she had purchased at auction a year earlier, and a diamond riviére of 34 old-cut diamonds given to the bride by her grandmother, Queen Mary.[15] She carried a bouquet of white orchids. Hartnell also designed the outfits of The Queen and The Queen Mother.
Armstrong-Jones and all male members of the royal family, except for Lord Mountbatten, wore morning dress.
Guests[edit]
Notable guests in attendance included:
Relatives of the bride[edit]
House of Windsor[edit]
- Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the bride's mother
- The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, the bride's sister and brother-in-law
- The Prince of Wales, the bride's nephew
- The Princess Anne, the bride's niece (bridesmaid)
- The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, the bride's sister and brother-in-law
- The Princess Royal, the bride's paternal aunt
- The Earl and Countess of Harewood, the bride's first cousin and his wife
- The Hon. Gerald and Angela Lascelles, the bride's first cousin and his wife
- The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the bride's paternal uncle and aunt
- Prince William of Gloucester, the bride's first cousin
- Prince Richard of Gloucester, the bride's first cousin
- The Duchess of Kent, the bride's paternal aunt by marriage
- The Duke of Kent, the bride's first cousin
- Princess Alexandra of Kent, the bride's first cousin
- Prince Michael of Kent, the bride's first cousin
- Lady Patricia and Admiral The Hon. Sir Alexander Ramsay, the bride's first cousin twice removed, and her husband
- Captain Alexander Ramsay of Mar and the Mistress of Saltoun, the bride's second cousin once removed, and his wife
- Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, the bride's first cousin, twice removed and paternal great aunt by marriage
Other descendants of Queen Victoria[edit]
- The Queen of Denmark, the bride's second cousin once removed (and godmother)
- The Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the bride's second cousin once removed
- The Lady Brabourne, the bride's third cousin
- The Hereditary Prince of Baden, the bride's third cousin
- Prince Ludwig of Baden, the bride's third cousin
- Prince Karl of Hesse, the bride's third cousin
Bowes-Lyon family[edit]
- The Hon. Jean and Captain John Wills, the bride's first cousin and her husband
- Marilyn Wills, the bride's first cousin, once removed
- The Hon. Margaret and Denys Rhodes, the bride's first cousin and her husband
- Annabel Rhodes, the bride's first cousin, once removed
Relatives of the groom[edit]
- Major and Mrs Ronald Armstrong-Jones, the groom's father and stepmother
- The Viscountess and Viscount de Vesci, the groom's sister and brother-in-law
- The Hon. Catherine Vesey, the bridegroom's niece
- The Viscountess and Viscount de Vesci, the groom's sister and brother-in-law
- The Countess and Earl of Rosse, the groom's mother and stepfather
- Lord Oxmantown, the groom's half-brother
- The Hon. Martin Parsons, the groom's half-brother
Politicians[edit]
British politicians[edit]
- The Rt Hon. Harold Macmillan, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and Lady Dorothy Macmillan
- The Rt Hon. Selwyn Lloyd, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
- The Rt Hon. Sir Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Commonwealth politicians[edit]
- The Rt Hon. Robert Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia
- The Rt Hon. John Diefenbaker, Prime Minister of Canada
- The Rt Hon. Kwame Nkrumah, Prime Minister of Ghana
- The Hon. Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India
- Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan, President of Pakistan
- The Rt Hon. Walter Nash, Prime Minister of New Zealand[16]
The wedding coincided with the 10th Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference held at Windsor Castle. As a result, many of the Commonwealth dignitaries attended the wedding.[17]
Religious figures[edit]
- The Most Rev. Dr Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury
- The Very Rev. Eric Abbott, Dean of Westminster
Other notable guests[edit]
- Dr Roger Gilliatt and Penelope Gilliatt (best man)
- Earl and Countess of Euston
- Lady Virginia FitzRoy (bridesmaid)
- Mr and Mrs John Lowther
- Sarah Lowther (bridesmaid)
- The Marquess and Marchioness of Abergavenny
- Lady Rose Nevill (bridesmaid)
- Lord and Lady Rupert Nevill
- Angela Nevill (bridesmaid)
Aftermath[edit]
Following a balcony appearance and a wedding breakfast for 150 guests at Buckingham Palace, the bride changed into her Victor Stiebel going-away outfit and they departed in an open Rolls-Royce. They spent their six-week honeymoon touring the Caribbean on HMY Britannia.[18] On 26 May, while away on honeymoon, Camilla Fry, wife of Jeremy Fry, gave birth to Armstrong-Jones's illegitimate daughter, Polly. Allegations of this were first raised in 2004 and confirmed when Armstrong-Jones agreed to take a paternity test.[19]
On 6 October 1961, Armstrong-Jones was raised to the peerage as Earl of Snowdon and Viscount Linley, of Nymans in the County of Sussex, by Queen Elizabeth II. He became "The Right Honourable The Earl of Snowdon" and Princess Margaret became "Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon." The couple had two children, David (born 1961), now the 2nd Earl of Snowdon, and Sarah (born 1964).
The Snowdons separated in 1976, subsequently divorcing on 11 July 1978. It was the first divorce by a senior member of the royal family since that of Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse in 1901. On 15 December 1978, Snowdon remarried Lucy Lindsay-Hogg, separating in 2000. They had a daughter, Frances (b. 1979). On 30 April 1998, Snowdon fathered another illegitimate child, Jasper William Oliver Cable-Alexander.[20]
After years of ill health, Princess Margaret, who never remarried, died on 9 February 2002, aged 71. Lord Snowdon died on 13 January 2017, aged 86.
References[edit]
- Notes
- ^ "Princess Margaret, daughter of King George IV" (PDF). Westminster Abbey. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
- ^ "Lady Elizabeth Cavendish obituary". thetimes.co.uk. The Times. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- ^ a b c d "1960: Margaret weds Armstrong-Jones". BBC. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
- ^ Glenconner, Anne (17 October 2019). Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-1529359060.
- ^ "Princess Margaret's wedding". BBC. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
- ^ Frost, Katie (6 November 2019). "The True Story of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones's Love Affair". Town & Country. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ "A Close Look at the British Royal Family's Engagement Rings (slide 4)". Vogue. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- ^ Bonner, Mehera (25 October 2017). "The Most Gorgeous Royal Engagement Rings: Your Official Guide to Who Owns What". Marie Claire UK. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- ^ a b "The Wedding of Princess Margaret televised". BBC. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ Best, Chloe. "How Princess Margaret made royal history at her wedding with Antony Armstrong-Jones". Hello!. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ Alderson, Andrew (31 May 2008). "Lord Snowdon, his women and his love child". The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ de Courcy, Anne (9 January 2009). "Excerpt: The Princess and the Photographer". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ "'The Royal Wedding 6 May 1960'". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- ^ "Princess Margaret, daughter of King George IV" (PDF). Westminster Abbey. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
- ^ "QUEEN MARY'S DIAMOND RIVIERE". Christie's. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- ^ "Mr. Nash to Attend". The Press. Vol. XCIX, no. 29151. 11 March 1960. p. 2.
- ^ "May Wedding Roll 2 (1960)". British Pathé. YouTube. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ Heald, pp. 119–121; Warwick, pp. 229–230
- ^ Hallemann, Caroline (8 December 2017). "Did Antony Armstrong-Jones Really Have an Illegitimate Child?". Town & Country. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ Bearn, Emily (16 April 2003). "Still playing Peter Pan". The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- Sources
- Heald, Tim (2007), Princess Margaret: A Life Unravelled, London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, ISBN 978-0-297-84820-2
- Warwick, Christopher (2002), Princess Margaret: A Life of Contrasts, London: Carlton Publishing Group, ISBN 0-233-05106-6