Isabelle Townsend: French Model, Actress, Theater Artist
Isabelle Townsend is a French model, actress, and theater artist. She is the daughter of late RAF fighter pilot Peter Townsend (deceased) and Marie-Luce Jamagne.
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Isabelle Townsend’s Biography
Townsend was born into a wealthy family. While studying at Haileybury and planning to become either a journalist or lawyer, his father encouraged him to take up flying instead. After passing the entrance exam for RAF Cranwell but failing medical due to head trauma sustained from playing rugby (although later doctors cleared him), Townsend was eventually commissioned as a pilot officer with Tangmere’s elite No.1 Fighter Squadron in 1935 and eventually assigned as No.1.
Townsend was an invaluable supporter to Princess Margaret and was grieved at his passing, creating additional strain for Townsend himself as they transitioned from Buckingham Palace to Clarence House together while Bomb Alley residents shared Adelaide Cottage near Windsor Castle with two newlywed couples he shared a home with.
After moving, he attended a horse show in Brussels. While watching Marie-Luce Jamagne compete, his horse fell and she fell from its saddle; when this occurred, he immediately jumped from his seat to help. Once introduced himself and was invited home by Marie-Luce Jamagne.
After they began courting each other more intimately, the couple ultimately married on 21 December 1959 at Watermael-Boitsfort. Isabelle (born June 1961), Marie-Francoise (1963) and Pierre (1964) were their three children, while Katarina perished tragically aged 23 in a plane crash shortly thereafter.
After returning to Britain, Townsend rented a stone cottage in Belgium and started writing his book. Encouraged by Barrymaine who had already shown an interest in a US magazine, Townsend allowed Barrymaine to read through his manuscript but added an epilogue which would only appear once his book went to print.
Townsend began attending screenings of Passeport pour le Monde and was thrilled by its warm reception across France, from Lille to Lyon where its deputy mayor shed tears when discussing how much France owed its liberators allies. Townsend then traveled extensively promoting both his film and book; finally, in 1992 he visited London to reunite with those who had traveled with the Royal Family to South Africa in 1947.
Isabelle Townsend‘s Personal Life
Townsend was an essential member of the Royal Family, accompanying them wherever they went – including holidays. His favorite spot was Balmoral in Scotland where he could go hunting or ride horses or, most entrancing of all, listen to Princess Margaret sing and play piano on her piano recitals. Christmas celebrations at Sandringham would give Townsend another opportunity to dance hokey cokey with Queen Mary!
Townsend was taken aback when Lascelles informed him he would start work in Brussels on 15 July; Townsend had promised Princess Eugenie she could stay with their two daughters until their return from Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Instead, Townsend realized he would be parted from them for over one month.
Townsend was eventually freed from his exile five years later, having established himself as a writer by penning articles for Paris-Match and other publications, while undertaking the task of writing a book about the Battle of Britain which led him to Germany where he met up with Karl Missy’s widow and daughter after shooting down an aircraft belonging to Luftwaffe navigator Karl Missy whose research brought them together; eventually published as Duel of Eagles by Hambledon Publishing Co in 1966.
Townsend’s book generated considerable interest among filmmakers who wanted to turn it into a movie, though in the meantime he managed to keep himself busy with day jobs and eventually met Marie-Luce, whom he married in 1968.
At 66 years old, Townsend attended a reunion of those who had traveled with the Royal Family in 1947 to South Africa. Princess Margaret did not attend but sent a message saying he looked charming as ever. This reunion took place at Kensington Palace and was organized by Air Commodore Sir Archie Windskill CBE, former commander of RAF Battle of Britain Squadron; Windskill later died from stomach cancer himself as the last surviving pilot who had protected Britain against invasion by Nazi Germany during 1940.
Filmography of Isabelle Townsend
Isabelle Townsend decided to pursue acting after experiencing successful modeling. Taking acting lessons in both New York and Los Angeles, Isabelle honed her craft on theater stages such as Barton Fink by the Coen brothers or La Vie Naturelle by Shakespeare while touring France as a theatre artist.
Isabelle Townsend is the daughter of Peter Townsend, an RAF hero from World War Two who later worked as Queen Elizabeth II’s equerry and eventually found himself romantically involved with Princess Margaret before divorcing and marrying Belgian heiress Marie-Luce Jamagne instead.
His story deserves its television series. After he died in 1995, Isabelle moved back to France where she restored a property once owned by her father as well as begun painting and writing about sculpture in various museums as well as writing a book on this topic.
Isabelle Townsend’s Acting Career
Isabelle enjoyed being a top Chic’k model, yet wanted more meaning from her work. After trying her luck at acting and finding it was the right path for her, she trained and secured a role in Joel and Ethan Coen’s Barton Fink production as directed by Joel himself.
She loved being on stage and touring Europe with her company. Additionally, she taught English for 28 years in Middletown and Goshen schools before retiring in 1991. Her hobbies included reading and gardening; spending time at their homes in North Carolina and Florida together as well as shopping and being on the move.
As a child, she lived in France with her Belgian mother and British father. Growing up in rural France and loving the outdoors was central to her development – learning to swim early on and taking up tennis soon thereafter; later becoming an accomplished equestrian who won various competitions including international shows; she later went into fashion modeling as a Ralph Lauren model.
Isabelle met and married another model and actor while in her 20s, giving birth to two children together and moving to New York with them. Isabelle enjoyed gardening and traveling during her free time; shopping was always on her shopping agenda!
In her later years, she remained actively engaged with the Middletown Day Nursery Board and enjoyed reading. Additionally, she loved spending time with her grandchildren. Sadly, she is survived by her son, daughters, and grandchildren.
Princess Margaret and Group Captain Peter Townsend’s tragic romance has long been the source of interest and speculation, yet few know that Townsend would later marry Marie-Luce Jamagne, an older Belgian heiress more than half his age, with whom he shared two daughters; Isabelle became Ralph Lauren model after their deaths (both were still living when Townsend died), while their son who worked professionally training racehorses now lives in New York.
