They would go on holiday in Mustique together, pretending to be close friends. She was disillusioned by Llewellen’s decision to take off for Turkey without her, and she eventually took a few sleeping pills. Later, she said that all she wanted was to sleep.

Llewellen’s and Princess Margaret’s photos landed at the top of the newspaper’s front page in 1976. News of the WorldLord Snowdon was forced to recognize the end of their marriage.

Margaret was determined to get a divorce, even though she may not have thought possible. Her wish was granted on July 11, 1978, making her the first royal to divorce since Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh in 1901. Snowdon, who supposedly hadn’t exactly been sitting around waiting for Margaret to come home nights, promptly remarried Lucy Lindsay-HoggLater in the year.

Margaret was the “first paparazzi princess”. Princess Diana— later Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle—came along, did suffer in the public eye. Even though people love a scandal, it’s still easy to be judgmental.

Twenty years prior, the collapse of Margaret’s relationship with Townsend had been considered more of a black mark against the rest of the royal family, accused of getting in the way of the princess’ chance at happiness. Although she did not fault her family for her decision, she insists that it was solely hers.