The sale of Princess Margaret’s wedding tiara would leave Lord Snowdon heartbroken

The ex-husband of Princess Margaret, Lord Snowdonwho died in 2017, was allegedly “destroyed” by the fact that his children sold his ex-wife’s wedding tiara in 2006, according to a new episode of the Channel 5 series, Secrets of the Royals.

The episode claims that “David Linley and his sister Sarah allegedly broke their father Lord Snowdon’s heart” with their decision to sell 800 of their late mother’s items, including the Poltimore tiaraas reported by Daily Mail, who seems to have seen a preview episode of the series.

Margaret, the jewel collector

When it comes to jewels, the princess had a personal style, which moved from the ancient to the contemporary. Her casket, crammed full of diamonds, almost all ended up at auction in 2016, yielding over 10 million euros to the heirs. To pay back taxes, they said

Speaking on camera, the Viscountess Hinchingbrooke, wife of the 11th Earl of Sandwich, reportedly added: “This Christies auction has been heartbreaking for Lord Snowdon … so much so that he wrote to his sons asking them to stop it.” Lord Snowdon and Princess Margaret were divorced in 1978.

Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones’ two children, the 2nd Earl of Snowdon (formerly Viscount Linley) and Lady Sarah Chatto, raised almost 14 million pounds selling mother’s things in the 2006, four years after his death at age 71.

In an interview with The Telegraph in 2019, the now Lord Snowdon revealed that “there were many, many reasons, mostly financial, that convinced us that this was the right path because, you know, when people die, taxes have to be paid” and revealed that “getting rid of everything is not my habit”.

Among the items offered for sale was also the Poltimore tiaraworn by Princess Margaret when she married Lord Snowdon in spectacular fashion in 1960. The tiara was sold for £920,000, far exceeding the estimated value of £150-200,000. A photo of Princess Margaret sitting in her bath, wearing only her tiara, was made public by her family in 2006, before being removed 11 years later.

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the diadem, made in 1870 by Garrard – the royal jeweler who also crafted Princess Diana’s engagement ring and recently sold Kim Kardashian’s amethyst cross – features an elaborate cluster of diamonds, swirls and a brown velvet ribbon that makes it look the diadem almost floating on the head.

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Don’t touch that tiara! The story of the cursed diadem that is reputed to sow misfortune

Designed by Queen Victoria’s consort in 1861 for the wedding of their daughter Alice, the Strawberry Leaf Tiara brought bad luck to all the royals who wore it. The jewel is now closed in a safe: no one has had the courage to wear it in almost a hundred years

Originally made for Lady Poltimorewife of the 2nd Baron Poltimore and treasurer of Queen Victoria’s household, remained in the latter’s family until it was bought by the Royal Family at auction in early 1959just months before then Antony Armstrong-Jones proposed to Princess Margaret in October of the same year.

The princess wasted no time putting on the tiara. In fact, she performed it for the Covent Garden ballet in May 1959, during a state visit by the Shah of Iran. She also wore it as a necklace on several occasions before her wedding day; the flexible design of the diadem allowed it to be broken down into a necklace and 11 brooches.

But it was on her wedding day, in June 1960that the tiara had its moment of glory, perfectly finishing the organza dress of Norman Hartnell. The tiara’s 2006 purchaser remains unknown.