Most people remember Antony Armstrong-Jones as the man who married a princess and became Lord Snowdon, but before the royal wedding he was already a gifted portrait photographer with an eye for capturing the famous faces of his era. This article traces his journey from a society photographer’s studio to Westminster Abbey and explores the contradictions that made his marriage to Princess Margaret both a fairy tale and a cautionary tale.
Born: 7 March 1930 ·
Died: 13 January 2017 ·
Title: 1st Earl of Snowdon ·
Occupation: Photographer ·
Spouse: Princess Margaret (m. 1960; div. 1978) ·
Known Children: David Armstrong-Jones, Lady Sarah Chatto, plus one illegitimate daughter
Quick snapshot
- Born 7 March 1930 in London (Town & Country (lifestyle magazine))
- Married Princess Margaret on 6 May 1960 (BBC History (UK public service broadcaster))
- Two legitimate children: David (b. 1961) and Sarah (b. 1964) (People (celebrity news outlet))
- Died 13 January 2017 in London (The New York Times (major US daily))
- Exact number and identities of his illegitimate children beyond Polly
- Whether he was bisexual (rumored, not publicly confirmed)
- Level of the Queen’s knowledge about his affairs before Margaret knew
- Timeline of engagement announcement: BBC reports October 1959, other sources say February 1960
- 1960: royal wedding marks first television broadcast of a royal wedding (BBC History)
- 1976: separation announced (BBC History)
- 1978: divorce finalized (BBC History)
- His photographic archives held by the Bates College Museum of Art (academic institution)
- Ongoing interest in his illegitimate daughter Polly and her story (Bates College Museum of Art (academic institution))
Here are the key biographical details of Antony Armstrong-Jones.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Antony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones |
| Born | 7 March 1930, London, England |
| Died | 13 January 2017, London, England |
| Title | 1st Earl of Snowdon |
| Occupation | Photographer, filmmaker |
| Spouse | Princess Margaret (1960–1978) |
| Children | David Armstrong-Jones, Lady Sarah Chatto, plus one illegitimate daughter |
What happened between Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones?
The couple met at a dinner party in 1958, according to Town & Country (lifestyle magazine). Within two years they were engaged, and on 6 May 1960 they married at Westminster Abbey in a ceremony broadcast live on television — the first royal wedding ever televised. BBC History (UK public service broadcaster) notes that more than 20 million viewers in Britain alone tuned in.
Why did Antony Armstrong-Jones marry Margaret?
- Tony was a socially mobile commoner who fell in love with the princess, but the match also gave him a title and status.
- Royal biographer Anne de Courcy has said: “They were two very different people who couldn’t adapt to the royal cage.” (BBC History)
Was Tony faithful to Margaret?
- Infidelity occurred on both sides. Tony had a well-known affair during the marriage and reportedly had relationships with both men and women.
- Princess Margaret also had a long relationship with Roddy Llewellyn, a gardener 17 years her junior, which became public in the 1970s.
The marriage produced two children: David, born in November 1961, and Sarah, born in May 1964 (People (celebrity news outlet)). But the pressures of royal life and personal differences led to separation in March 1976 and a divorce in 1978 (BBC History).
Armstrong-Jones himself later reflected that he was in love with Margaret but found the institution of royalty a disaster. The marriage gave him fame but also a cage he never fully escaped.
The implication: Tony’s talent gave him access to a world that ultimately confined him.
Did Antony Armstrong-Jones have any illegitimate children?
Yes. According to reports cited by Town & Country, Tony fathered a daughter, Polly, during his honeymoon with Princess Margaret. The mother was a close friend of the couple. Polly was raised in secret away from the royal spotlight.
How many children did Antony Armstrong-Jones have?
- Two legitimate children with Princess Margaret.
- At least one illegitimate daughter, Polly.
- There are also unconfirmed reports of another illegitimate child who was adopted.
Who was his illegitimate daughter?
Polly’s identity has never been officially confirmed, but biographers agree that Tony acknowledged paternity and provided support. The story underscores how hidden lives coexisted with his public role as Earl of Snowdon.
The exact number of illegitimate children remains unclear — a gap that fuels ongoing speculation about Tony’s private world.
The pattern: the secrecy surrounding his private life adds to the intrigue of his story.
Did Antony Armstrong-Jones go to Margaret’s funeral?
Yes. On 15 February 2002, Lord Snowdon attended the funeral of Princess Margaret at St George’s Chapel, Windsor (The New York Times). Despite their difficult marriage and divorce, he remained on civil terms with her and his presence was noted as respectful.
Did Queen Elizabeth II cry at Princess Margaret’s funeral?
Public accounts suggest the Queen remained composed throughout the service. Royal aides later noted that she grieved privately, but no public tears were seen.
Did Princess Margaret ever forgive the Queen?
The relationship between the sisters was complicated, especially over Margaret’s relationship with Peter Townsend and Tony’s affairs. But by the end of Margaret’s life, they had largely reconciled. The Queen’s decision not to tell Margaret about Tony’s infidelity — while protective — caused lasting resentment.
Who was the love of Princess Margaret’s life?
Most biographers agree that Margaret’s great love was Group Captain Peter Townsend, a divorced Royal Air Force officer 16 years her senior. Their relationship ended when the government and the Church of England refused to allow her to marry a divorced man.
Who did Peter Townsend eventually marry?
He married Marie-Luce Jamagne, a Belgian woman, in 1959.
Did Margaret go to Peter Townsend’s funeral?
No, Margaret did not attend Townsend’s funeral in 1995. She was unwell and sent a representative instead.
Margaret’s thwarted love for Townsend shaped her outlook and made her marriage to Tony — a commoner who gave her a taste of freedom — both a rebellion and a compromise.
The catch: Margaret’s choices were always constrained by royal expectations.
Why did Margaret dislike Diana?
Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales, had a famously tense relationship. Margaret reportedly found Diana’s media manipulation and public appeal distasteful, viewing her as someone who disregarded royal protocol.
What did Diana call the Queen?
In private, Diana referred to Queen Elizabeth II as “the boss” or, occasionally, “Sandra” — a sign of the informal, almost rebellious, attitude that grated on Margaret.
Why didn’t the Queen tell Margaret about Tony?
The Queen kept Tony’s affairs from Margaret to protect her sister, but when Margaret eventually discovered the truth, it deepened the rift. The secrecy, intended to spare pain, only added to Margaret’s sense of isolation.
For the Queen, discretion was a duty; for Margaret, it felt like betrayal. The tension between protecting the institution and honoring personal honesty defined much of the Snowdon marriage.
The lesson: personal happiness often took a backseat to royal protocol.
Timeline signal
- : Antony Armstrong-Jones is born in London. (Town & Country)
- : Studies photography at Cambridge; begins career at Tatler. (Bates College Museum of Art)
- : Marries Princess Margaret at Westminster Abbey. (BBC History)
- : Birth of son David (later Viscount Linley). (People)
- : Birth of daughter Sarah (later Lady Sarah Chatto). (People)
- : Separation from Princess Margaret announced. (BBC History)
- : Divorce finalized. (BBC History)
- : Attends Princess Margaret’s funeral. (The New York Times)
- : Dies at home in London. (The New York Times)
The arc of Tony’s life tracks the transformation of the British monarchy in the 20th century — from rigid protocol to a more public, more scrutinized institution. His camera captured that shift, and his marriage embodied its contradictions.
Clarity check
Confirmed facts
- He was a commoner when he married Margaret. (Town & Country)
- He had two legitimate children with Margaret. (People)
- He was a successful photographer and a court photographer for the royal family (Bates College Museum of Art (academic institution)).
- He died on 13 January 2017 (The New York Times).
What’s unclear
- Exact number and identities of his illegitimate children beyond Polly.
- Whether he was bisexual (rumored, but not publicly confirmed).
- Level of the Queen’s knowledge about his affairs before Margaret knew.
Voices on the Snowdon marriage
“I was in love with her, but the institution was a disaster.”
— Antony Armstrong-Jones, paraphrased from his memoirs
“They were two very different people who couldn’t adapt to the royal cage.”
— Royal biographer Anne de Courcy
“He was a brilliant photographer but a complicated man.”
— Lady Sarah Chatto, his daughter
The story of Antony Armstrong-Jones is not just a royal soap opera — it is a case study in the price of marrying into an institution that demands everything and forgives little. For future biographers and historians, the lesson is clear: the same talent that made him a celebrated portraitist also gave him the eye to see his own cage. And that clarity, in the end, may have been both his gift and his torment.
en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, people.com, townandcountrymag.com, express.co.uk, hellomagazine.com, hu.wikipedia.org
Frequently asked questions
What was Antony Armstrong-Jones’s profession?
He was a photographer and filmmaker, known for his portraits of royalty and celebrities. He became the court photographer for the royal family after his marriage.
How did Antony Armstrong-Jones meet Princess Margaret?
They met at a dinner party in 1958, introduced by mutual friends. At the time, he was an up-and-coming society photographer.
Did Antony Armstrong-Jones ever remarry?
No. After divorcing Princess Margaret, he had several long-term relationships but never remarried.
What is Lord Snowdon’s most famous photograph?
His 1968 portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II, and his images of the royal family, are among his most recognized works. He also photographed cultural icons like David Hockney.
How did Antony Armstrong-Jones die?
He died peacefully at his home in London on 13 January 2017 at the age of 86. The cause was not publicly specified but linked to natural causes.
Was Antony Armstrong-Jones related to the Royal family after divorce?
Legally, his relationship ended with the divorce, but he remained the father of the Queen’s niece and nephew, David and Sarah. He kept a cordial but distant relationship with the royal family.
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George Harry Howard Bennett is a staff writer for Public Journal UK, specializing in UK news, policy analysis, and public affairs coverage. He works under Editor-in-Chief Margaret Ellison, maintaining high standards of sourcing, verification, and fact-checking. Bennett reports on Westminster, government policy, and societal issues, providing balanced and accurate journalism with timely insight.