About Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002), was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and the only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II. Born when her parents were the Duke and Duchess of York, she became second in line to the British throne after her father's accession in 1936, though her place in the succession declined as her sister's children and grandchildren were born. Margaret spent much of her childhood with her family and elder sister. During the Second World War, she remained at Windsor Castle despite suggestions that she and Elizabeth should be evacuated to Canada. Too young to perform official duties, she continued her education while her sister undertook public responsibilities. Her father's death in 1952, which brought Elizabeth to the throne, marked a turning point in Margaret's life and coincided with her relationship with RAF officer Peter Townsend. Celebrated for her glamour and social life, Margaret attracted widespread attention in the 1950s for her romance with Townsend, which she ended under pressure from government and church. In 1960, she married photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones, later Earl of Snowdon, with whom she had two children, David and Sarah, before their divorce in 1978. Margaret's private life, including her reputed romances and social circle, was often the subject of speculation by the press. Her divorce and lifestyle drew controversy, and she became a symbol of both royal modernity and scandal. A heavy smoker, her health declined in later years, and from 1998, she suffered a series of strokes. She died in 2002, aged 71, following another stroke. She is remembered as one of the most glamorous and controversial members of the British royal family.
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