- While married to Lord Snowdon (Anthony Armstrong-Jones), Princess Margaret began an affair with a 25-year-old gardener named Roddy Llewellyn.
- Fans of the royals get to see their relationship dramatized in season 3 of Netflix's The Crown with Helena Bonham Carter as Margaret and Harry Treadaway as Llewellyn. Here's everything we know about the real-life events.
On May 6, 1960, Princess Margaret tied the knot to Lord Snowdon, Anthony Armstrong-Jones. Thirteen years into their tumultuous marriage, she started having an affair with a 25-year-old gardener named Roddy Llewellyn.
Viewers get to see their love affair play out (in a heightened fashion, of course) during season 3 of Netflix's The Crown as Helena Bonham Carter and Harry Treadaway bring the two to life. In an interview with The Times, the 53-year-old actress revealed they actually met Llewellyn to prepare for their roles.
"He came to tea with me and Harry [Treadaway], who plays Roddy. He was so fun and warm—that's what she needed. He's very musical. He started singing a song in my kitchen," she said. "He said they found each other just at the right time. They were both very lost, both felt somewhat outsiders, just not quite accepted by the family—or not quite good enough. Her confidence was really undermined by the breakdown of her marriage. He also gave her fun at a time when she hadn’t been having much."
In honor of their relationship's depiction in the show, here's a timeline of Princess Margaret and Llewellyn's love affair.
1973: Princess Margaret and Llewellyn meet.
According to the BBC, Margaret and Llewellyn met in 1973 in Scotland at the Café Royal in Edinburgh when they were on their way to a house party hosted by her old friend, Colin Tennant. At the time, Llewellyn was a 25-year-old gardener, making him 17 years younger than the 46-year-old princess.
"I discovered a warm and witty woman, possessing a strong sense of duty and dedication to her country's interests, who has honored me with her friendship since that first house party that was so filled with fun and laughter," Llewellyn said in a 2002 interview with The Telegraph.
1976: The tabloid fodder surrounding Margaret and Llewellyn's affair begins.
While vacationing in Mustique, a private island in the Caribbean, Princess Margaret was photographed enjoying a swim with Llewellyn. The tabloids soon started calling her a cradle robber who spent the public's money partying, according to the History channel.
In reality, Margaret and Snowdon's marriage had long been broken. By the late 1970s, the couple were very distant, especially after he had been openly unfaithful to her, according to the BBC. Shortly after the tabloid photos were publicized, the princess and Snowdon announced they were getting divorced—it was finalized in 1978—and all eyes turned to Llewellyn.
"I much regret any embarrassment caused to Her Majesty the Queen and the royal family, for whom I wish to express the greatest respect, admiration and loyalty," he said in a statement, according to Snowdon: The Biography by Anne de Courcy. "Could we please be permitted by the media, who have besieged us, to carry on with our work and private lives without further interference?"
1978: Llewellyn attempts to launch a music career.
In 1978, Llewellyn released a pop album named Roddy. Sadly, his music career never took off especially since the media insisted on asking him about his relationship with the princess, instead of focusing on his music.
1980—81: Margaret and Llewellyn break up.
After dating for eight years, Princess Margaret and Llewellyn called it quits. In July 1981, he married Tatiana Soskin, the daughter of film producer Paul Soskin. The couple have three daughters together: Alexandra, Natasha, and Rosie.
Since then, Llewellyn has stayed out of the spotlight, but in 2002, he reflected on their relationship in an interview with The Telegraph.
"I didn't think about the consequences of such a high-profile affair," he said. "If we all had crystal balls, we'd all know which horse to back, wouldn't we? I was just following my heart. In Princess Margaret I found a fine friend who could steady my restless nature and offer wise counsel."
2018: It's reported the queen was happy Margaret had Llewellyn in her life.
In the 2018 documentary Elizabeth: Our Queen, Lady Anne Glenconner—the woman who introduced Margaret and Llewellyn—revealed she had a conversation with Queen Elizabeth II at Margaret's funeral about the former couple.
“After Princess Margaret's funeral, the queen, she said, 'I'd just like to say, Anne, it was rather difficult at moments, but I thank you so much [for] introducing Princess Margaret to Roddy 'cause he made her really happy,'" Glenconner said, according to Vanity Fair.
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As the Lifestyle Writer at OprahMag.com, I cover beauty, style, relationships & love, work & money, health, and food. When I'm not working, you'll find me watching Bravo, on the hunt for the perfect jeans and white tee, or taking my yorkie, Chloe, out for walks in Riverdale, New York.
