Princess Margaret：英國王室裏難以被定義的存在
在英國王室漫長歷史裏，瑪嘉烈公主 Princess Margaret 始終是一位難以被定義的人物。身為伊莉莎白二世女王 Queen Elizabeth II 的妹妹，她自幼生活於王室光環之下，卻沒有選擇成為傳統意義上的皇室代表。她擁有敏銳時尚觸覺、鮮明個性與充滿戲劇張力的人生篇章，既熟悉宮廷禮儀，亦活躍於倫敦藝術與社交圈，成為 20 世紀英國最具話題性的文化符號之一。
即使離世逾 20 年，瑪嘉烈公主依然被視為英國王室最具魅力的「風雲人物」。她曾以簡潔的「Margaret」簽署個人支票，亦不避諱展現對派對、藝術與夜生活的熱愛。
王室身份之外，她亦是倫敦社交圈的時尚繆斯
瑪嘉烈公主以美貌、風格與迷人風采聞名，她對時裝與美學的敏銳觸覺，亦令她成為攝影師與藝術家的靈感來源。
她擅長駕馭華麗晚禮服、珍貴珠寶與精緻造型，在正式王室場合與私人社交活動之間展現截然不同的風格面貌。她不只是宮廷肖像中的優雅公主，更是戰後倫敦文化圈裏備受矚目的時尚人物。
她的感情生活同樣長期受到關注。20 多歲時，她與英國皇家空軍軍官 Peter Townsend 展開戀情，對方曾擔任她父親喬治六世國王 King George VI 的侍從。兩人希望結婚，卻因 Townsend 曾經離婚而受到王室制度限制，最終未能如願。其後，她於 1958 年一次晚宴上認識攝影師 Antony Armstrong-Jones，兩人結婚後成為當時英國社會矚目的王室伴侶。Antony Armstrong-Jones 後獲封為 Snowdon 勳爵，亦曾以鏡頭捕捉瑪格麗特公主多個經典瞬間。兩人的婚姻最終於 1978 年結束，成為當時英國媒體廣泛報道的王室事件。
攝影大師鏡頭下的王室傳奇
除了成為狗仔隊追逐的對象，瑪嘉烈公主亦是多位攝影大師鏡頭下的靈感繆斯，包括 Cecil Beaton、Slim Aarons，以及她的攝影師丈夫 Snowdon 勳爵。這些肖像不只記錄她的王室身份，更捕捉了戰後英倫社交文化的華麗氣息，以及 20 世紀中葉王室美學的演變。
以下透過 26 張珍貴歷史照片，一同回顧瑪嘉烈公主的人生篇章，重新欣賞這位王室傳奇人物留下的時代印記。
Bettmann A 14-year old Princess Elizabeth and a nine-year old Princess Margaret pose for a portrait in honor of Elizabeth's birthday. At the time, it was hoped to be a distraction from the ongoing war.
Photo: Getty Images Margaret accompanies her sister as she addresses the nation's children in 1940.
Photo: Getty Images Princess Margaret reads on a sofa at Windsor Castle, accompanied by Jane the corgi.
Photo: Getty Images Elizabeth and Margaret perform Cinderella during a royal Christmas pantomime. Margaret played the titular role.
Photo: Getty Images Elizabeth and Margaret don riding habits at Windsor in 1946.
Photo: Getty Images A 1940s portrait of Princess Margaret.
Photo: Getty Images Princess Margaret's 26th birthday portrait.
Photo: Ullstein Bild via Getty Images Princess Margaret in 1953.
Ron Burton A glamorous Princess Margaret attends a film premiere in 1950.
Photo: Getty Images Princess Margaret in formal dress and a tiara in 1955.
Photo: Getty Images Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong Jones pose on the grounds of Royal Lodge for their engagement portraits in 1960.
Photo: Getty Images Princess Margaret leaves Clarence House in London for Westminster Abbey on her wedding day, May 1960.
Photo: Getty Images Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong-Jones leave Westminster Abbey on their wedding day.
Photo: Getty Images The couple poses for their official wedding portraits.
Photo: Getty Images Princess Margaret waves to the crowd as she departs on her honeymoon.
Photo: Getty Images Princess Margaret with The Beatles at the premiere of A Hard Day’s Night in 1964.
Photo: Getty Images Princess Margaret gets President Lyndon B. Johnson to crack a smile during a visit to the White House in 1965.
Photo: Getty Images Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones on a beach in Nassau, Bahamas during a vacation, March 1967.
Photo: Getty Images Princess Margaret with children Viscount Linley and Lady Sarah in 1969.
Photo: Getty Images Princess Margaret during the Badminton horse trials in 1970.
Photo: Getty Images Princess Margaret chats up Mick Jagger in 1976 during a trip to Pointe-du-Bout, Martinique.
Photo: By Slim Aarons via Getty Images A candid of Princess Margaret in Mustique by Slim Aarons.
Photo: By Slim Aarons via Getty Images Slim Aarons captures Princess Margaret in Sardinia, Italy, in 1987.
原文轉載自《VOGUE》美國版
Editor
Anna Grace Lee
