David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl Of Snowdon

David Albert Charles Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon, was born on 3 November 1961 at Clarence House, London. He is a member of the British royal family and an English furniture maker. He is also the honorary chairman of Christie's UK, an auction house. He is the only son of Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, and Princess Margaret. Through his maternal lineage, he is a grandson of King George VI and a first cousin of King Charles III. At birth, he was fifth in the line of succession to the British throne; as of 2025, he is twenty-sixth, and the highest among those not a descendant of Queen Elizabeth II, his aunt.

Early Life and Education:

He was born at Clarence House and was baptized on 19 December 1961 in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace. His godparents included Queen Elizabeth II, Lady Elizabeth Cavendish, Patrick Plunket, Lord Rupert Nevill, and Simon Phipps. At age five, he began lessons at the Buckingham Palace schoolroom alongside his cousin Prince Andrew. His education included attendance at Gibbs Pre-Preparatory School in Kensington, Ashdown House School in East Sussex, Millbrook House School near Abingdon, and Bedales School. He developed an interest in arts and crafts during his school years. Between 1980 and 1982, he studied craftsmanship in wood at Parnham House in Dorset.

Family:

He has one full sister, Lady Sarah Chatto, born as Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones. His paternal half-sisters are Lady Frances von Hofmannsthal and Polly Fry. Additionally, he has a half-brother, Jasper Cable-Alexander, son of his father and Melanie Cable-Alexander.

Professional Life:

Linley established a workshop in Dorking, where he designed and produced furniture for three years. He subsequently founded David Linley Furniture Limited (now Linley), focusing on bespoke furniture, upholstery, and interior design, characterized by neoclassical styling and inlaid woods. He authored several books and conducted lectures globally. His products are sold through retail outlets such as Belgravia, Harrods, and internationally, including the Bespoke Collection. He incurred around £3 million in debt through company loans, which were resolved in 2012 by selling controlling shares for £4 million, resulting in his loss of control over the company.

In December 2006, Linley became the chairman of Christie's UK, having joined the board as a non-executive director in 2005. His role was later changed in 2015 to honorary chairman of Christie's Europe, Middle East, Russia, and India (EMERI). He also engaged briefly in the restaurant industry with Patrick Lichfield, establishing a restaurant called Deals in Chelsea, London.

Candidacy for the House of Lords:

His father was initially a hereditary peer in the House of Lords. Following the House of Lords Act 1999, most hereditary peers were unseated with some granted life peerages to retain seats. His father was created Baron Armstrong-Jones with a life peerage, which he held until his death in 2017. Upon his father's death, Linley inherited the earldom but not the life peerage or his father's seat. In 2018, Linley stood as a candidate in a by-election for a crossbench peerage but withdrew later. His candidacy attracted media attention due to his royal connection.

Personal Life:

During the 1980s, Linley had an eight-year relationship with Susannah Constantine. In 1990, he successfully sued the Today newspaper for libel, receiving damages. On 8 October 1993, he married Hon. Serena Alleyne Stanhope, daughter of Viscount Petersham, at St. Margaret's Church, Westminster. They have two children: Charles Patrick Inigo Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley, born on 1 July 1999, and Lady Margarita Elizabeth Rose Alleyne Armstrong-Jones, born on 14 May 2002. His son studied product design engineering at Loughborough University, and his daughter studied jewellery design in Paris.

The family has residences in Chelsea, Gloucestershire, and Provence. Linley and his wife separated in February 2020. His daughter was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, and his son served as a page of honour at the 2012 Diamond Jubilee.

Other Notable Events:

Linley's involvement in a blackmail extortion case in 2007 was publicly reported. He was targeted by individuals attempting to extort money by threatening to release compromising videos. Linley reported the incident to the police, resulting in the arrest and conviction of the extortionists.

Titles and Honors:

He was styled as Viscount Linley from his birth until 2017, after which he became the Earl of Snowdon. He has authored several books on furniture and design and holds numerous honors and arms.

Published Works:

His publications include "Classical Furniture" (1993), "Extraordinary Furniture" (1996), "Design and Detail in the Home" (2000), and others focusing on furniture and architecture.