Was Roman Holiday inspired by Princess Margaret? Tatler investigates as we mark the 72nd anniversary of the release of Audrey Hepburn’s breakout film

That summer, the world was set ablaze with rumours of a relationship between Princess Margaret and Group Captain Peter Townsend. On 14 June 1953, The People became the first to break news of the relationship in the UK, with the headline ‘They must deny it NOW’ plastered on newsstands, cautioning that ‘scandalous rumours about Princess Margaret are racing around the world’. That was all that was needed to set the public’s imagination alight.

And just two months later, the story of…