Dr Alfred Blunt , the Bishop of Bradford , who has declared that the position of the Queen as "Defender of the Faith" would make it virtually impossible for her to consent to the union of any member of the family with a divorcee . He made continuous reference to the reported plans of Princess Margaret to marry Group Captain Peter Townsend , and said that such a marriage would force the church "to decide whether it was to inisist on its rules in all cases , or whether it would water them down in some cases " . 14th March 1955