SPECIAL REPORT FROM LONDON:
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Margaret's Tony
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By PEER J. OPPENHEIMER
polio attack when he was a boy. It left
him with a stiffened leg that still bothers
him occasionally. It also explains his re-
' luctance to partake in Princess Margaret's
favorite pastime dancing.
For lack of any other particular interest,
Tony took up professional photography
- after an undistinguished term at Cambridge.
. While his early work was heavily subsi
dized by relatives and friends, his talent
' showed through before long. As he became
fashionable, Britain's notables quickly
flocked to his studio.
His big break came when he took the
' Ust-birthday picture of the Duke of Kent
This opened the door for him as one of
the unofficial court photographers of the
royal family.
' jj Tony was now in the social swim. He
attended most of the lavish balls and par
ties of the season sometimes as a guest,
usually as a photographer, often as both.
Although he saw Princess Margaret on
some of these occasions, he wasn't formally
Introduced to her until the early spring
of last year.
j The Princess had invited a few friends
te an informal part at Clarence House one
'.might. At the last moment, a girl friend's
; atcort fell ill, and she asked Princess Mar-
jret if Tony would be an acceptable sub-
Family Christmas when Tony was 9 brought together
his grandmother, Mrs. Messel; his mother, the
Countess of Rosse; and his sister Susan, now a countess.
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stitute for him. The Princess agreed.
It was not a very auspicious beginning,
however.
Tony's main contribution was to sit on
and shatter a new long-playing record
which the Princess had had flown from the
United States!
To make up for his clumsiness, Tony
phoned a New York music shop and had a
replacement flown over on the first avail
able plane. Within 24 hours, Tony sent
the record to Clarence House, together
with a note of apology.
Delighted by the gesture, and recalling
his obvious regret and embarrassment,
Princess Margaret decided to put him at
ease by inciting him to another get-together
at her home. It was on that occasion that
they found out how much they liked the
same things, particularly the world of thea
ter and arts.
Nevertheless, there was little at first to
set Tony apart from heir other beaus. Suit
ors swarmed around Margaret like bees
to honey, but at that time she had eyes
for only one man, RAF hero Peter Town
send, whose love she later renounced because-
he had been divorced.
Meanwhile, Tony was busy with an ex
otic Trinidad-born Chinese actress, Jac
queline Chan, who is presently playing a
"Yum-Yum" girl on both the London stage
and in Paramount's film version of "The
World of Suzie Wong." When they vaca
tioned together in Switzerland some months
ago, there was speculation of an impending
marriage, but Jackie now refuses even to
discuss him.
Margaret and Tony, in time, found their
acquaintanceship deepening. In Tony, Mar
garet found many characteristics she liked.
He has a lot of charm and was able to
rekindle in her the gaiety that all but
died after the breakup of her romance with
Townsend. Tony is at ease in anyone's
company, including the royal family's, and
he is willing to take second place, which
is important because Margaret, as a royal
princess, must always take first place at
official functions and also because she is
domineering by nature.
While British public opinion has been
in favor of the union, some disap
pointments have been expressed.. One
source even claimed that it wai' the Prin
cess who proposed tv Tony. This person
tabbed Tcivy an opportunist, unfit for the
position of Princess Margaret's husband.
Critics say that neither Tony's upbringing,
social position, nor manners qualified him
for the step he is about to take.
While he hadn't been titled as this was
"written, there is little doubt that he will
get a title soon, probably a dukedom. After
all, Queen Elizabeth's sister can hardly be
known as "Her Royal Highness, Princess
Margaret, Mrs. Antony Charles Robert
Armstrong-Jones," and their children can
hardly grow up as plain Joneses.
Several mansions have already been
discussed as their permanent residence,
and Margaret's annual allowance after her
marriage will rise from 6,000 pounds (about
$18,000) to 9,000 pounds (about $27,000).
Without doubt, Antony Armstrong-Jones
will go down in history as one of the
most fortunate young men in the British
Empire since Owen Tudor-whose descend
ants included five British sovereigns.
Family Weekly, May 1, 1960 II
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