Roddy Llewellyn

Sir Roderic Victor Llewellyn, 5th Baronet (born 9 October 1947), is a British baronet, garden designer, journalist, author, and television presenter. He had an eight-year relationship with Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II.

Early life and education

Llewellyn was born in Crickhowell, Brecknockshire, the younger son of Sir Harry Llewellyn, 3rd Bt. (d. 1999), an Olympic gold medallist in show jumping, and his wife, the Hon. Christine Saumarez (d. 1998). He was educated at Shrewsbury School and then received a National Certificate in Horticulture at Merrist Wood College. In 2009, he succeeded his elder brother, Dai, to the Llewellyn baronetcy.

In 2012, Llewellyn discussed his early life at Gobion Manor and later, at Llanfair Grange, with some sadness. His parents were often away at equestrian events, and his nanny, Rebecca Jenkins, became his muse, encouraging the boy's gardening. By age 7, he was sent to Hawtreys, a boarding school.

Personal life

Beginning in 1973, Llewellyn, then aged 25, began an affair with Princess Margaret, then 43. They had met in Scotland at the Café Royal in Edinburgh in September 1973. Margaret's biographer Theo Aronson made this comment some years later, "He was well-mannered, well-spoken, and amusing; above all, he was very sweet-natured."

In 1976, photographs of the couple in Mustique led to a scandal. In the tabloids, he was referred to as her "toy boy". Llewellyn issued a public statement which said, "I much regret any embarrassment caused to Her Majesty the Queen and the royal family, for whom I wish to express the greatest respect, admiration and loyalty".

The much publicised eight-year relationship was a factor in the dissolution of the princess's marriage to the Earl of Snowdon. After Princess Margaret's break-up with Llewellyn, she destroyed all of their correspondence, according to her then chauffeur, David Griffin.

According to Anne Tennant, Baroness Glenconner, quoted in the 2018 documentary ''Elizabeth: Our Queen'', the monarch discussed Llewellyn with her after Princess Margaret's funeral in 2002. She offered Lady Glenconner thanks for having introduced her sister to him because "he made her really happy".

On 11 July 1981, Llewellyn married Tatiana Soskin, a daughter of film producer Paul Soskin. The couple have three daughters, Alexandra, Natasha, and Rosie. Alexandra, the eldest, is a designer and artist.

Career

Gardening

Llewellyn has said, "I have always been fascinated by plants...They give me an enormous amount of solace."

It was apparently his nanny, Rebecca Jenkins, who introduced him to gardening. When the family removed to Llanfair Grange, Llewellyn said, "we had huge lawns and wonderful views. It was pretty country...it had a big vegetable garden and fabulous trees." Throughout Llewellyn always regarded himself as part of that rich Welsh heritage beneath the Sugar Loaf Mountain. Llewellyn runs his own company, Roddy Llewellyn's Garden Design.

He regularly lectures, appearing at venues including the Retirement Show at Olympia, Glasgow and Manchester (chairing question and answer sessions), Dobbies Garden Centre ("Inspirational Ideas for the Garden"), Hereford Cathedral ("Interesting Ideas for the Garden"), Malvern Spring Gardening Show ("Who are better Gardeners – Men or Women?"), Cotswold Wildlife Park (series, "An Evening with the Gardening Experts 2005–2006"), Cholmondeley Castle ("Amusing Ideas for the Garden"), and the ship the ''Crystal Symphony'' (on a garden design theme cruise giving "themed lectures").

His published books include ''Town Garden''s, ''Beautiful Backyards'', ''Water Gardens: The Connoisseur's Choice'', ''Elegance & Eccentricity'', ''Growing Gifts'', ''Grow It Yourself: Gardening with a Physical Disability'' and ''Roddy Llewellyn's Gardening Year''.

Llewellyn was a patron at the Southport Flower Show.

Journalism and broadcasting

Llewellyn has written books, magazine articles, and newspaper columns on the subject of gardening. The magazines he has written for have included ''Heritage Homes'' in 2006, '' Country Life'' in 2005 and 2006, ''Country Illustrated'' in 2004 and 2006, ''Oxfordshire Limited Edition'' in 2006, '' The Lady'' in 2005, ''Eden Project Friends'' in 2004, and ''The Sunday Times'' in 2004. He wrote columns for the '' Daily Star'' from 1981 to 1985, and ''The Mail on Sunday'' from 1987 to 1999.

He presented ''The Home Show'' in 1990 and ''The Gardening Roadshow'' in 1992–93 for Thames Television, amongst several other programmes. He appeared on ''Gardeners' World'' in 2007.

Llewellyn was also Gardening Correspondent for ''The Mail on Sunday'' for 12 years.

Music

Llewellyn released a pop music album of standards in 1978, "Roddy", but found that the news media was interested only in his personal life. The album achieved little success.

Heraldry

Llewellyn served as an assistant herald at the College of Arms and was noted as "liking to trace ancestries".

In popular culture

Llewellyn is portrayed by Simon Woods in the 2005 film ''The Queen's Sister'',BFI Archive page for The Queen's Sister (2005)
accessed 6 November 2020. and by Harry Treadaway in the Netflix series ''The Crown''.

Bibliography

*
*Llewellyn, Roddy. ''Elegance & Eccentricity''. 1989.
*Llewellyn, Roddy. ''Gardening in your face!''. 1990.
*Llewellyn, Roddy. ''Grow It Yourself. Gardening with a Physical Disability''. 1993.
*Llewellyn, Roddy. ''Growing Gifts''. 1991.
*Llewellyn, Roddy. ''Roddy Llewellyn's Gardening Year''. 1997.
*Llewellyn, Roddy. ''Town Gardens''. 1981.
*Llewellyn, Roddy. ''Water Gardens: The Connoisseur's Choice''. 1987.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Llewellyn, Roddy
1947 births
Living people
Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom
People educated at Hawtreys
People educated at Shrewsbury School
People from Crickhowell
Welsh landscape architects
Welsh gardeners
Welsh journalists
Welsh non-fiction writers
Welsh garden writers
Welsh television presenters
Welsh people of Swedish descent
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Male lovers of royalty