Princess Margaret wed the Earl of Snowdon, British photographer and filmmaker Anthony Armstrong-Jones, on May 6, 1960, at Westminster Abbey. The ceremony was the first royal wedding to be broadcast on television. Margaret and Anthony had two children together, David in 1961, and Sarah, in 1964. They divorced in 1978.
Anthony proposed to Princess Margaret in 1960, presenting her with a beautiful engagement ring.
Made to resemble a rosebud, after Margaret’s middle name Rose, the ring was designed by the photographer himself.
It was a ruby trilogy ring, surrounded by smaller diamonds.
The ring was unique in shape, and unconventional – like his marriage to the Queen’s younger sister.
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Being a photographer and filmmaker, Anthony was an untraditional choice for the Princess.
He did not come from noble birth but he was highly privileged, having attended two independent boarding schools, Eton College, and later the University of Oxford, where he studied architecture.
Princess Margaret’s love life had already made headlines before she met Anthony, as she had been forced to turn down an engagement to Group Captain Peter Townsend.
The Captain had been deemed unsuitable for Margaret by the Royal Family.
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The Princess accepted the ruby and diamond ring from Anthony, and the pair were married a few months following the engagement.
Rubies are popular for their beauty and durability, making them an ideal gemstone for engagement rings.
Their rich and vibrant colour is also “synonymous with royalty and passion” according to jewellery experts at jewellers Steven Stone.
However, the ring was different to most royal engagement rings – rubies are less traditional than sapphires and diamonds, which are the main gemstones within the Royal Family’s engagement ring collection.
An expert from The Vintage Ring company estimated the value of Margaret’s ring, saying: “Today, I’d value a ring like this one just below the £8,000 mark.
“But it’s tricky to be certain without an idea of the quality of that central stone and the exact size of the halo diamonds.”
On May 6, 1960, an estimated 300 million viewers watched as Anthony and Margaret tied the knot at Westminster Abbey.
The Princess looked stunning in a beautiful silk gown by Norman Hartnell.
The dress featured long sleeves and a full skirt, which was reportedly made from 30 metres of fabric.
Margaret paired the gown with the Poltimore tiara and a long veil that filled the length of the cathedral’s aisle.
When Margaret and Anthony divorced after 16 years of marriage, they became the first royal couple to have a divorce since King Henry VIII in 1540.
The Princess died at the age of 71 on February 9, 2002, following ill health.
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