Gavin Howe
The renowned British photographer and filmmaker, Antony Armstrong-Jones, became the brother-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II after marrying Princess Margaret, the Queen's younger sister, in 1960. Armstrong-Jones, who later became Lord Snowdon, was a bohemian-style photographer known for his portraits of royalty, cultural figures, and celebrities. He continued to work as a photographer even after his marriage into the royal family, capturing important royal events and remaining a favourite photographer of the Queen.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Antony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones |
| Title | 1st Earl of Snowdon |
| Date of Birth | 7 March 1930 |
| Date of Death | 13 January 2017 |
| Occupation | Photographer and Filmmaker |
| Notable Works | Portraits of world notables, many published in Vogue, Vanity Fair, The Sunday Times Magazine, etc. |
| Marriage | Princess Margaret (1960-1978), Lucy Mary Lindsay-Hogg (1978-2000) |
| Children | David Armstrong-Jones, Sarah Chatto, Frances, Jasper William Oliver Cable-Alexander |
Explore related products
![HistoricalFindings Photo: Earl of Snowdon [[Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon]] 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/01RmK+J4pJL._AC_UY218_.gif)
What You'll Learn
Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon
Armstrong-Jones became known internationally for his portraits of notable figures, including celebrities, cultural icons, and members of the royal family. His photographs have been published in prestigious magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, The Sunday Times Magazine, and The Sunday Telegraph Magazine. He also made several documentary films between 1968 and 1973, including "Don't Count the Candles" in 1968, which won two Emmys, and "Born to Be Small" in 1971, which focused on people of restricted growth.
In addition to his photographic and filmmaking achievements, Armstrong-Jones is also known for his marriage to Princess Margaret, the sister of Queen Elizabeth II, from 1960 to 1978. They had two children together, David and Sarah, born in 1961 and 1964, respectively. Their wedding, which took place on May 6, 1960, at Westminster Abbey, was the first royal wedding to be broadcast on television. Following his marriage, Armstrong-Jones was introduced to the House of Lords as the Earl of Snowdon in 1962. He also became a disabilities advocate, campaigning for groundbreaking reforms to improve the lives of people with disabilities.
Armstrong-Jones's work as a photographer continued even after his marriage to Princess Margaret. He remained a favourite photographer of the Queen and took many portraits of her and other members of the royal family, including Diana, Princess of Wales. He also had a successful career as a photographer outside of the royal circle, capturing images of well-known figures such as Marlene Dietrich, Laurence Olivier, Elizabeth Taylor, and David Bowie.
The Inception of Congress: A Historical Overview
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![STRENGTH FOR THE CLIMB A DAILY DEVOTIONAL [Hardcover]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91Hva6rxIeL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
![Snowden [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1v9PaRUE6L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Princess Margaret's husband
Princess Margaret, the sister of Queen Elizabeth II, married Antony Armstrong-Jones, a British photographer, in May 1960. Armstrong-Jones, also known as Tony, was the first commoner in four centuries to marry a king's daughter. He was also Princess Margaret's first cousin once removed. The marriage, which lasted from 1960 to 1978, was accompanied by drugs, alcohol, and bizarre behaviour by both parties. Princess Margaret was reportedly a fan of late-night partying, while Armstrong-Jones was rumoured to be bisexual and had a reputation as a "swordsman".
Armstrong-Jones was born in 1930 in London to a Welsh barrister, Ronald Armstrong-Jones, and Anne Messel, later Countess of Rosse. He contracted polio at age 16 and walked with a limp for the rest of his life. He attended Eton College and Cambridge but decided to pursue photography after failing his second-year exams. Before marrying Princess Margaret, he was already a successful portrait photographer, with commissions from publications like Tatler. He was also an early contributor to Queen magazine.
Following his wedding to Princess Margaret, Armstrong-Jones was created Earl of Snowdon and Viscount Linley, of Nymans in the County of Sussex, in 1961. He was introduced to the House of Lords as the Earl of Snowdon in 1962. He became a highly sought-after commercial photographer, working for publications like Vanity Fair and the Daily Telegraph. He also continued to be a favourite photographer of the royal family, capturing many iconic images of royals. More than 280 of his photographs are in the permanent collections of the National Portrait Gallery.
Armstrong-Jones was a relentless and successful campaigner for disabled people, achieving dozens of groundbreaking political, economic, structural, transportation, and educational reforms for persons with disabilities. He was also patron of the National Youth Theatre, the Contemporary Art Society for Wales, the Welsh Theatre Company, and the Civic Trust for Wales. He was provost of the Royal College of Art from 1995 to 2003.
Understanding Lemon Law Cars: Your Rights Explained
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Bohemian-style photographer
Antony Armstrong-Jones, also known as Lord Snowdon, was a British photographer who became the brother-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II after marrying Princess Margaret in 1960. He was known for his portraits of notable figures, including members of the royal family, cultural icons, and celebrities. Armstrong-Jones's unique sense of style and charm captivated Princess Margaret, drawing her into his Bohemian-style world.
Armstrong-Jones's early commissions included theatrical and "society" portraits, often with recommendations from his uncle, Oliver Messel, a renowned stage designer. His work was featured in publications such as Tatler and Vogue, and he later became known for his royal studies, including official portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh during their 1957 tour of Canada.
Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, was drawn to Armstrong-Jones' charm and sense of mischief. Their wedding in 1960 captivated Britain, as it was the first time in four centuries that a commoner married a king's daughter. Despite the initial enthusiasm surrounding their marriage, it ended in divorce in 1978.
As a photographer, Armstrong-Jones was skilled at capturing the unique personalities and charmed his subjects, treating everyone equally regardless of their celebrity or social standing. He had a particular talent for getting people to do what he wanted, combining charm and determination to create cutting-edge photographs.
Armstrong-Jones' legacy includes over 280 photographs in the permanent collections of the National Portrait Gallery, as well as several documentary films he made during his career. He was also a successful campaigner for disabled people, achieving numerous groundbreaking reforms during his lifetime.
Hammurabi's Code: The Laws of Mesopotamia
You may want to see also
Explore related products
His notable subjects
Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, was a British photographer who became the brother-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II after marrying Princess Margaret, the Queen's sister, in 1960. He was a renowned photographer, known for his portraits of several notable subjects, including:
Royal Members
Lord Snowdon captured several portraits of royal members, including his former wife, Princess Margaret, and Queen Elizabeth II. He also photographed Diana, Princess of Wales, and Prince Charles, who featured on the cover of Queen's Greatest Hits album in 1981.
Cultural Figures and Celebrities
Snowdon's subjects included several cultural icons and celebrities, such as Marlene Dietrich, Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth Taylor, David Bowie, and Jack Nicholson. He also photographed writers Vladimir Nabokov and J. R. R. Tolkien, as well as actors like Helen Mirren and Ralph Fiennes.
Political Figures
Among Snowdon's notable subjects were British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan and Desmond Guinness.
Snowdon's work extended beyond portraiture to include fashion photography, documentary images of inner-city life, and the mentally ill. Many of his photographs were published in renowned magazines, including Vogue, Vanity Fair, and The Sunday Times Magazine.
The Unlikely Hollywood Connection: Krasinski and Tucci
You may want to see also
Divorce and remarriage
Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, was a British photographer who became the brother-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II when he married her sister, Princess Margaret, in 1960. The marriage lasted 18 years, ending in divorce in 1978. Princess Margaret was reportedly enamoured with Armstrong-Jones, despite initially thinking he might be gay. He was known for his charm and sense of mischief, and his marriage to Princess Margaret made him the first commoner in almost 300 years to marry into the royal family.
Following his divorce from Princess Margaret, Armstrong-Jones remarried in the same year, 1978, to Lucy Mary Lindsay-Hogg, with whom he had a daughter, Frances, in 1979. This marriage lasted 22 years, ending in divorce in 2000. Armstrong-Jones's infidelity was cited as a reason for the breakdown of his marriage to Princess Margaret, and he went on to have several other children with different partners.
Princess Margaret, on the other hand, did not remarry after her divorce from Armstrong-Jones. She continued to be known as the Countess of Snowdon, a title she had gained through her marriage to Armstrong-Jones when he was made the Earl of Snowdon by the Queen. Despite the divorce, Armstrong-Jones remained a favourite photographer of the Queen and continued to work as a photographer and filmmaker, capturing portraits of notable figures and working on documentary films.
Newton's First Law: The Law of Inertia Explained
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Antony Armstrong-Jones, also known as Lord Snowdon, became the brother-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II when he married Princess Margaret, the Queen's sister, in 1960.
No, he photographed many notable figures, including Marlene Dietrich, Laurence Olivier, Elizabeth Taylor, David Bowie, and Princess Diana. He was also the royal family's go-to photographer for important events, such as weddings and christenings.
Yes, they had two children together: David, now the 2nd Earl of Snowdon, and Lady Sarah Chatto.
