Royals

Princess Elizabeth and Margaret

We recently watched a TV documentary called "Our Queen at 90," a tribute to Elizabeth's long life and reign. It was more personal than most of those programs, with the Queen's sharp reminiscences and contributions from relatives. I especially liked the rare family movies of the two little princesses growing up.  Elizabeth seemed like a serious child, but Margaret had such a vibrant personality. She was always joking and laughing, despite the rather dour upbringing. 

Photographer Reginald Davis, 92, spent his career photographing the royal family and some of the biggest stars of the 70's and 80's.   He said that Princess Margaret was the Diana of her day and a joy to photograph. A party girl.

Poor Margaret didn't have a happy adult life.  After the war she fell in love with Captain Peter Townsend. He divorced his wife and proposed to Margaret, then 22. Many in the government believed he was a unsuitable husband for the the Queen's sister, and the Church of England refused to accept the marriage.  She later married a photographer who was created the Earl of Snowdon by the Queen.  They divorced in 1978, and she died at the age of 71.

Speaking of royalty, is there a woman alive who wouldn't like to look like Princess Grace?  She had a smooth, sweet facade, but Reginald Davis said that she was the most difficult person he ever had to photograph: “She was such an attractive woman, but haughty, arrogant and distant beyond belief."  His photographs are collected in a new book, "My Life Photographing Royalty and the Famous."