Sensational photos of Princess Margaret in a swimsuit led to the Queen calling her “dirty.” 

When the pictures finally surfaced, they shocked the whole country – if not her friends, who were privy to the secrets. 

It was February, 1976. And she, in the 15th year of her marriage, is hopelessly in love.

Queen Elizabeth II’s sister knows this and clarifies that she disapproves of Margaret’s “philanderer’s life.”

But their romance survived a separation, a nervous breakdown, and a suicide attempt. It lasted seven long years and forever changed the view of royal marriages.

After her secret relationship with military ace Captain Peter Townsend collapsed in scandal and recriminations, her marriage to bohemian photographer Tony Armstrong-Jones in 1960 seemed the best option.

A dozen years later, however, things went south.

From the outset, Tony – who had received the title of Lord Snowdon as a wedding present – had been overly unfaithful. In retaliation, Margaret tried several lovers.

And only when, in August 1973, her maid of honor, Lady Glenconner, invited her to dinner at the family mansion in Scotland and sat next to a 25-year-old guy, a 43-year-old princess truly fell in love.

Remarkably, the age difference in this affair mirrored Margaret’s infamous affair with Peter Townsend – while he was 16 years older, she was 18 years older than Llewellyn.

According to Ms. de Courcy’s claim, it was Snowdon’s sexual dominance that made Margaret submit to him in other aspects of her life.

With Roddy, on the other hand, things were different. He was young, kind, and considerate – the exact opposite of Snowdon – and after the honeymoon had passed, he began to shudder at Margaret’s sexual demands.

There is no doubt, however, that they loved each other. And so after three years of relationship – still, surprisingly, kept in the strictest secrecy – the couple jetted off to the secluded island of Mustique as “Mr. and Mrs. Brown.” 

Then someone snapped a photo of their silhouette against the ocean, clearly a couple in love, oblivious to the rest of the world.

A few days later, the picture appeared in a British newspaper with a red cover.

All hell broke loose. As far as the British public knew, Margaret, her husband, and their two young children, David and Sarah, were a close-knit family, a living example of royalty.

Because of this, we get an extraordinary – some historians would say unique – glimpse into the relationship between Lilibet and her sister.

Unable to withstand the pressures of publicity, Roddy fled – first to the Channel Islands, then to Turkey, then to South America.

Deprived of the society of her husband and lover, Margaret fell into depression and took an overdose of sleeping pills, “Mogadon.” 

Recovery was weak, irritable, and long.

Finally, the lovers were reunited. However, Roddy, having escaped the claustrophobic atmosphere of the relationship, sought a new life – and found it, becoming a successful gardener, writer, and TV presenter. 

Inheriting the family baronetcy – he is now Sir Roderick Llewellyn – he successfully married Tanya Soskin, the daughter of a movie producer.

These may not be their last words, but they show how easily a passionate romance can begin between people of very different backgrounds and ages.

Margaret (in a pink dress showing off her graceful figure): ‘What do you think, Roddy?

Llewellyn: ”You look like strawberry ice cream.”