Peter Townsend (British Royal Air Force officer and writer) Add a review

Group Captain Peter Wooldridge Townsend (22 November 1914 – 19 June 1995) was a British Royal Air Force officer, flying ace, courtier, and author. He served with distinction during the Second World War and, in 1944, was appointed equerry to King George VI, before later becoming comptroller of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's household. Townsend became widely known for his relationship with Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, which attracted significant public and political attention in the 1950s. He married twice and had five children. After leaving the Royal Household, he served as air attaché in Brussels and later pursued a successful writing career. He died in France in 1995 and has since been portrayed in the Netflix series The Crown.