Looking Back at Princess Margaret's Notorious 1965 Trip to the U.S.
Looking Back at Princess Margaret's Notorious 1965 Trip to the U.S.
In November of 1965, the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret and her then-husband Antony Armstrong-Jones traveled to America on an invitation from Sharman Douglas, the daughter of a former U.S. ambassador to the U.K. Along the way the couple lived up to their glamorous reputation, hobnobbing with Hollywood stars, dining with the President and First Lady, and causing plenty of trouble. In fact, between the bad press the trip generated in the U.K. for the expense (reportedly around ￡30,000 at the time) and the hassle Margaret and her entourage had posed, when the couple wanted to return for another tour in the 1970s, British diplomats actively worked to prevent the trip. Indeed, the tour caused such a stir at the time that the drama even earned a spot in season three of The Crown.
Here are some of the best snaps of Margaret's famous escapade.
San Francisco, CA
On November 7, 1965, the royal couple kicked off their first U.S. adventure in San Francisco, California, meeting some locals and taking in the sights.
San Francisco, CA
They really got into the tourist spirit, riding on one of San Francisco's famous trolley cars.
Pasadena, CA
Though Margaret and her husband were rumored to have stayed up many nights of the trip partying, they made time for academics too, stopping by the California Institute of Technology campus for a tour with the school's President Lee Alvin DuBridge.
Hollywood, CA
Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon also spent a day on the set of Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller Torn Curtain on November 10, meeting with its stars, Paul Newman and Julie Andrews.
Hollywood, CA
In addition to their set visit, the couple also attended a star-studded soiree while they were in Hollywood, at which Margaret was said to have offended both Judy Garland (by asking the singer to perform on the spot) and the future Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly (reportedly telling the starlet that she didn't "look like a movie star.")
Arizona
Perhaps it was the influence of her horse-loving family, but Margaret made a special stop-off at a ranch in Arizona during her stay in the U.S.
Tucson, AZ
Getting in a little more equine time, the royal couple also dropped by a ranch owned by former U.S. ambassador to Great Britain, Lewis Douglas, where Lord Snowdon got to get in a bit of riding.
Washington D.C.
Toward the end of their trip, Margaret and Antony jetted off to the nation's capital where they took in some of D.C.'s iconic monuments.
The princess's eventful first visit to America was filled with tourist attractions, Presidential dinners, and spats with starlets.