Princess Margaret was ‘encouraged’ to love Peter Townsend, was ‘used’ by older man

Princess Margaret was supposedly taking advantage of by her former lover, Peter Townsend.

The younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, who was denied marriage to royal equestrian Townsend, was tricked into loving a much older man, says Lady Anne Glenconner.

Speaking on the Rosebud podcast, Lady Anne discussed her conversation with Princess Margaret back in the days.

“I once asked her about it, actually. He was a war hero, very attractive. She was very, very young. She was only 15 [sic] when he first arrived and he was a married man. I think he encouraged her, which he shouldn’t have done.”

When asked if Margaret was being ‘used’ by Townsend, the expert added: “That isn’t something that has been brought out very much, but I couldn’t agree more.”

Princess Margaret eventually married a magazine photographer, Antony Armstrong-Jones, in 1960. The couple are parents to David and Sarah.