Unlike like her shocking accident in the elevator, this time Margaret was far too frail to survive. Not so in 1963: Margaret was dubbed the "Dirty Duchess" by the tabloids and received a scathing rebuke from the judge, who said "her attitude to the sanctity of marriage was what moderns would . A FORMER Tory minister has been implicated in the Duchess of Argyll's "headless man" sex scandal of the 1960s. Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark historyor the chilling secret shared by her and Louis. . In the late 80s, the Dirty Duchess found a new way to make some quick cash. The Crown star will take on Margaret Campbell, the duchess, opposite Paul Bettany's Ian Campbell, Duke of Argyll . Born on 1 December 1912, Margaret Whigham was the only daughter of a Scottish businessman and millionaire, George Hay Whigham and his wife, Helen Mann Hannay. After 33 stitches to her head and days spent recovering, doctors allowed Margaret to go home to her husband Charles Sweeny and their young family. The reasons behind it were eye-opening. Speaking to the Daily Record, author Lyndsy Spence said that she had conducted extensive research into Margaret Campbell's life for her book The Grit in the Pearl: The Scandalous Life of Margaret, Duchess of Argyll, which included speaking to a relative of the businessman Joe Thomas. Indeed, she was usually performing acts on men who were not the Duke of Argyll. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Not that men didnt try: By the end of the season, the court named her their debutante of the year and Margaret had her pick of suitors, any of whom would eat out of the palm of her hand if shed asked. But another Polaroid picture showed the duchess performing a similar sex act on a . 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The headless man was notorious because he appeared in two Polaroid photographs that had featured as evidence in . A POLAROID picture was one of the key pieces of evidence in the scandalous divorce of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll. Instead, Margaret had become erratic and impulsive with, most alarmingly, nymphomaniac tendencies. Talking about the series, actress Claire Foy who plays Margaret Campbell said: "The premise is that it is an untold story of something that was a scandal. For more of the latest showbiz news from Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here. A POLAROID picture was one of the key pieces of evidence in the scandalous divorce of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll. The first episode of A Very British Scandal took viewers by surprise as they watched The Crown's Claire Foy enjoy three sex scenes in the first 30 minutes of the first episode - with two different . October 25, 2021. Margaret Campbells young life more than set her up for her raucous adulthood. But, no. Yet those were only his picturesque qualities. During one of her absences, the Duke broke into a locked cupboard and found her collection of pornographic photographs. A decline that would end in a shocking incident. Rescuers located Margaret, and, miraculously, she was still alive. Margaret Campbell was a British socialite who was embroiled in a sex scandal during the 1960s and became known as the "dirty duchess." . Margaret's rumoured affair with the ex-press officer at the Savoy was named as one of the key affairs in the divorce proceedings. The contents of her locked cupboard revealed the whole, sordid truth. Looking back, this may have been the point it all began to unravel. Amazon has even produced a series in 2022, A Very British Scandal, based on her electrifying court battle with her husbandin it, Claire Foy plays Margaret, while Paul Bettany plays Ian Campbell, the Duke of Argyll. But none of her liaisons stuck until she met Ian Douglas Campbell, the 11th Duke of Argyll, who was allegedly bewitched by her and according to some of the harsher critics of their union the money she brought to the marriage. It was the last nail in the coffin of Margarets respectability: She was now a free woman, but her name was officially mud. There was also a polaroid of a man pleasuring himself, again headless. She never did shake off the "Dirty Duchess'" nickname, though. had ceased to be satisfied with normal relations and had started to indulge in disgusting sexual activities. "In 2013, Margarets stepdaughter-in-law Lady Colin Campbell claimed the duchess had told her it was American airline executive Bill Lyons but I think I have stumbled upon the most likely truth. She also almost died during a horrific accident while visiting her chiropodist, in which she fell down a lift shaft. On brand for a high-class woman, and Margaret even quipped she was there to, put the point of view of the horse. Even so, the court didnt thank Margaret for her classy silence. It was the perfect recipe for disaster. because the Ministry of Defence had the only Polaroid camera in Britain at the time. The Channel 4 documentary "proved" that Sandys is the 'headless man', based on a claim from Margaret that the only Polaroid camera in the country at the time had been lent to the Ministry of Defence. Yet far from empathy, this led her to acts of cruelty; a maid of hers once said she treated her dogs better than she did her staff. And when she did finally become pregnant for more than a handful of months, it somehow got worse. Margaret married Ian Campbell in March of 1951 and became the Duchess of Argyll in the process. That May, she got word that her lover Glen Kidston had perished in a horrific plane crash. Famed for her charisma, beauty and style, the Duchess began spending time in London and New York without her husband and entertaining men including comedian Bob Hope and French singer Maurice Chevalier. Claire Foy is transforming into a forgotten British icon in new BBC drama, A Very British Scandal. Another, racier Polaroid, showing the Duchess pleasuring a man, was also produced. One man who kept popping up in Margarets history was the Minister of Defense for Britain, Duncan Sandys, who would also go on to become Winston Churchills son-in-law. Heated debate breaks out after woman claims wiping just with loo roll alone ISNT enough - so which side do you fall on? The Duke and Duchess of Argyll at their wedding in 1951 Credit: Getty. The metaverse is dead. The Duchess, Margaret Campbell, was a British socialite known for her lavish lifestyle and a string of high-profile affairs. With this, the flood gates openedbut Margaret had her own stunning revelation waiting in the wings. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. Her lovers reportedly included comedy giant Bob Hope, French . Just two years after this episode, Margaret pulled a fast one on society. The future Duchess of Argyll was born Ethel Margaret Whigham on December 1, 1912, in Scotland to a millionaire father. When the Duke realized what he was looking at, nothing was the same ever again. There's a new period drama in theatres now, offering a w [imagesource:flickr] The Polaroid has since become known as 'the photo of the headless man', and the man's identity has long been the subject of speculation, with many books and programmes debating who he could have been. As one maid who worked for the family put it, all hell broke loose at that point. The most ruinous aspect of these photos wasnt Margarets undressed state. She passed on July 25, 1993. As a teenager, Margaret had gotten pregnant all too easily, but when she tried to have children with Sweeny it resulted in a heartbreaking eight miscarriages. Margaret Campbell might have been thrust into the spotlight, but she wasnt about to drag anyone else there with her. The Duke of Argyll had always been suspicious that his wife had a roaming eyespoiler: he wasnt wrongbut hed never quite been able to prove it. This was his third marriage - after wedding Janet Gladys Aitken and Louise Hollingsworth Morris Vanneck. Anyway, she certainly has main character energy, and the BBC drama series is sure to be fascinating. As she walked back down the aisle with her new husband, it may have seemed that Margaret was off toward happily ever after. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Unfortunately for the Duchess of Argyll, Britain at the time was nowhere near progressive, and shed landed a particularly conservative judge in Lord Wheatley, who presided over the case. In late 1933, Margaret was eight months pregnant and readying herself to give birth to a healthy child at last. She was 35. . The promised sight of Margaret in her Norman Hartnell wedding dress gummed up traffic in the surrounding area of Knightsbridge for three hours. By Hayley Maitland. Joe Thomas was a New York stockbroker who Margaret was reported to have fallen in love with after the breakdown of her first marriage to Charles Sweeney, and it is claimed that he might be the man in the famous Polaroid photo. On December 21 1960, the New York Daily News informed readers the Duchess of Argyll would soon jet home to London. In it, among other things, was a set of extremely damning and risqu polaroid photographs. Who was Margaret the Duchess of Argyll? In the photographs, the Duchess of Argyll was very much not alone. Margaret Campbell, the famously beautiful Duchess of Argyll, had been a celebrity - and a source of scandal - from even before her debutante days. Phelps hopes her new screen version of the court battle between the 11th Duke of Argyll and his supposedly unstable, "Dirty Duchess" will do something to restore the reputation of his wife, played by Foy. On brand for a high-class woman, and Margaret even quipped she was there to, "put the point of view of the horse". Duchess of Argyll divorce: What was the headless man Polaroid picture? The star of The Crown plays one of Britain's most scandalous aristocrats - Margaret Campbell, the so-called "Dirty Duchess". & the free hacks that clean just as good, Mystic Meg zodiac signs latest: Riches in store for Capricorn & major changes await Gemini; plus weekly horoscopes, Im a psychologist - what your slippers really say about you and how I can tell if your personality type in seconds, Mrs Hinch cleaning fan reveals the 10p hack to banish stubborn limescale with NO scrubbing involved, I got dress-coded at work for not wearing a bra I confronted my boss and was left stunned by the response, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Although the couple's personal relationship had ended long before the divorce, The Duke of Argyll was furious at the numerous affairs Margaret had during their marriage. Something went wrong, please try again later. BBC's A Very British Scandal writer says 'Dirty Duchess' was 'destroyed by sexual morals' Read More Related Articles. Margaret was utterly devastatedbut she didnt deal with her grief in the best of ways. Upon finding this evidence, the Duke of Argyll turned right around and started divorce proceedings against Margaret. An inquiry has confirmed screen idol Douglas Fairbanks Jnr was the man seen with the duchess in an infamous series of four, sexually-explicit photos. Yet there was a far more likely culprit. Chuadanga had a literacy rate of 45.91% for the population 7 years and above: 46.88% for males and 44.93% for females. The centre of the country's first major slut-shaming case, socialite Margaret, Duchess of Argyll . Married in 1951, Margaret was at the height of her fame as a glamorous and stylish socialite, and had even been name-dropped in Cole Porter's song, You're the Top. In the 1930s, the Duchess was one of the most photographed women in the world and a style icon for millions; by the 1960s she had gained notoriety and the moniker "the Dirty Duchess" through a series of high-profile marriages, divorces, infidelities, sexual escapades, and extravagant living habits. She had only one option. No clan is left untouched, and even families that seem happy and normal on. 1928 was a terrifying time to be an unwed mother, so Margaret took drastic action. The Channel 4 documentary "proved" that Sandys is the 'headless man', based on a claim from Margaret that the only Polaroid camera in the country at the time had been lent to the Ministry of Defence. Traumatic elevator accident or not, Margarets personality had always beenodd. miniseries . To describe this series of Polaroids in any way decent enough to publish is a Herculean effort. In light of her husbands allegations and jaw-dropping evidence, Margaret couldnt just sit back and take it. dirty duchess polaroidwilliam paterson university application fee waiver. During the divorce process, the Duke produced a Polaroid photograph of the Duchess performing a sexual act on another unidentified man - nicknamed "the headless man" - that he had found . When the beautiful textile heiress Margaret . But there were disturbing indications of what really happened. To find evidence of infidelity, he broke into Margaret's personal cupboard in their London house, where he found the infamous Polaroids along with letters and other private documents. While Margaret had been married once before when she met the Duke, Campbell had already gone through two wivesand his track record was far from reassuring. She was known as the Dirty Duchess after her split from the 11th Duke of Argyll led to a bitter and scandalous divorce. But the writer also believes that crucial facts about the duchess's adventurous sex life are still judged too sensitive to reveal. The best revenge might be living well, but that doesn't mean we can always turn the other cheek. 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The new drama, starring Claire Foy and Paul Bettany as the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, looks at their relationship and high profile divorce, which accused Duchess of Argyll Margaret Campbell of having affairs with over 80 men. More than that, all of his wives claimed he had mistreated them during their marriage. Accordingly, they packed her up and sent her to a London nursing home, where attendants performed a very hush-hush operation to terminate. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. On 22 March 1951, Margaret, 38 at the time, married Ian Douglas Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. During her marriage to Sweeney, she had three children, one who was a stillborn girl, as well as a son Brian and a daughter Frances (who went on to marry the Duke of Rutland), and she also suffered eight miscarriages. Margarets reaction to all this, however, wasnt what you might expect. . Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? The Duchess of Argyll at her Grosvenor House apartment, 1989 Credit: Shutterstock. Clearly, her second marriage was in deep troublebut no one had any idea what was really around the corner. Namely, although she was ostensibly looking for marriage and stability, she sure wasnt acting like it. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. Her second husband - and the subject of the BBC's A Very British Scandal - was Ian Douglas Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll. Mid-way through the After Dark broadcast, Margaret had to bail out of her commitment and walk off stage because, as she claimed, she was so very sleepy. Lady Colin claims to have chosen to reveal the identity of the headless man to restore some measure of justice to . I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life. Jane Beadon (stepmother) Ethel Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll ( ne Whigham, formerly Sweeny; 1 December 1912 - 25 July 1993) was a Scottish heiress, socialite, and aristocrat who was most famous for her 1951 marriage and much-publicised 1963 divorce from her second husband, Ian Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll. This is Foy as the Duchess, pearls included, of course: Campbells life was always a bit topsy-turvy, long before this sex scandal made her husbandless and penniless. While the documentary suggested that both Duncan Sandys and Douglas Fairbank Jr could both possibly be the 'headless man', other sources have also speculated over the man's identity. ", News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. "When I contacted the son of Joe Thomas, the New York stockbroker she fell in love with after her marriage to Charles Sweeney broke down, he told me about the Polaroids he had found in his dads trunk. [imagesource:wikicommons] Another, racier Polaroid, showing the Duchess pleasuring a man, was also produced. In one infamous exchange, a partygoer of Margarets once picked up a cushion and said gleefully, What a fun party, Margaret, lets swap gossip. "Thats interesting in itself as these things that seem so serious at the time, on the front of the newspapers, and no one really remembers it at all," said Claire. She died aged 80 in 1993. . Allegedly, she once invited a 17-year-old boy into Inveraray Castle for a bath and a drink, and then took off her clothes and climbed in with him. In the documentary, the makers stated that Margaret said at the time that the only Polaroid camera in the country at the time had been lent to the Ministry of Defence - although the claims have never been confirmed. Instead, she accused him of a heinous act. Margaret learned the hard way that money cant buy you happinessbut she sure did try. Although the identity of the 'headless man' may never be confirmed, a 2000 Channel 4 documentary revealed that two men are the most likely candidates. Naked polaroid photos of her performing oral sex on a "Headless Man" (ie a man . Sadly, thats not what happened, and Margaret may have been her own worst enemy. Oh, and it was in Downton Abbey, too. In 1930, her parents presented her at court as a debutante, which was basically their way of saying she was ready to mingle with men and get married. Dancy Mason is the Editor-in-Chief at Factinate. Among her conquests was a broken engagement with the Texan banker Joseph Thomas as well as a dalliance with the curator for the Met, Theodore Rousseau. You know that trains in Bangladesh have different high-quality seats. She dated around whenever and wherever she couldand with a face like Margarets, she certainly wasnt spending her time with normies. Margaret, Duchess of Argyll, died aged 80 in a nursing home in Pimlico, London, just a few days before the Major government decided to keep all the testimonies given to Lord Denning under wraps .