Would you choose money over love?

I think the answer to this question should be pretty obvious for most people. I’d choose love without any hesitation whatsoever if I was ever forced to make that choice. Most of you would probably say the same. But would it be the same if you were already living in wealth and you’d have to give it all up to be with the love of your life? I say I’d still choose love because I know what real love is like and I would never be happy with anything but that. Do you think you could be happy with lots of money if you’d have to give up your true love?

Source

An English princess was forced to make this choice in the 1950s. Her and her lover’s story is depicted in The Crown Tv show which I watched on Netflix the other night. It is based on true events so their story and the struggle they had to endure are all based on true events. They were a couple who is truly in love, Margaret referred to Captain Townsend as the love of her life. They fell in love when she was 22 and Townsend was 15 years her senior. She wanted to be with him forever and marry him, and yet she still gave him up when she was forced to choose. Why did she make that choice? I was shocked, I would have thought if he was her true and only love, she’d give all the money in the world to be with him. But she did not, and that made me wonder and interested in the topic so I did some research on the former couple. I thought maybe if I find out more about them I can understand why she chose power and money instead of love. She was forbidden to marry Townsend because he was a divorced man. There was no way the Church would have allowed her to marry him as marriage is sacred and lasts until one of the spouses dies. When Margaret was 23 years old the agreement was reached that she would be able to marry him when she’s 25, as she could then do as she pleases and wouldn’t need the queen’s approval anymore. But during those two years he would live in Belgium and they wouldn’t see each other at all. They lived and waited for the two years to be over so they can finally be together. After the 2 years Townsend came back to England. But their marriage was not to be. She was told that if they were to marry, she and any children from their marriage would have to be removed out of the line of succession to the throne and they would only be allowed to have a civil wedding of course as Townsend was divorced. So she decided to break off the relationship. Townsend even wrote up Margaret’s statement to the public in which she stated that she couldn’t marry him because she needs to honour the church. He didn’t question her decision as he knew he couldn’t compete with what the monarchy had to offer her. But I beg to differ, is love not the most special thing you can get in life?

What’s more, the TV show went on showing Margaret as being really unhappy for quite a few years after their break up. Townsend ended up marrying a 19 year old girl who was a carbon copy of Margaret. She married a photographer of the royal family, had 2 children with him but they divorced after 18 years.

What would you choose if you were forced to make such a decision: power and money or love? I’m still standing by what I said; I would not hesitate and choose love over anything else. She could have had a happy life if she did what her heart was telling her to.