David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley

Viscount Linley
Born	David Albert Charles Armstrong-Jones 3 November 1961 Clarence House, London
Title	Viscount Linley (of Nymans)
Spouse(s)	Hon. Serena Stanhope (m. 1993)
Parents	Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon Princess Margaret
Occupation	Furniture maker

David Albert Charles Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley (born 3 November 1961), known professionally as David Linley, is an English furniture maker and chairman of the auction house Christie's UK. The son of Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, and Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, he is a grandson of King George VI, is 18th in line to succeed Queen Elizabeth II, his maternal aunt, and is the heir-apparent to the Earldom of Snowdon.^[1]

Education

At the age of five, Linley started lessons in the Buckingham Palace schoolroom with his cousin, Prince Andrew.^[2] He went to several independent schools: first, to Gibbs Pre-Preparatory School in Kensington in London,^[3] followed by the pre-preparatory section of Ashdown House School, East Sussex, then on to Millbrook House School, near Abingdon, in Oxfordshire,^[4] and finally to Bedales School, where he developed a passion for arts and crafts. From 1980 to 1982, he studied at Parnham College in the small town of Beaminster in Dorset, for craftsmen in wood.

Professional life

Linley opened a workshop in Dorking where he designed and made furniture for three years before setting up his own company David Linley Furniture Ltd, now known as LINLEY, where he makes bespoke furniture, upholstery, and interior design products known for their neoclassical appearance and use of inlaid woods. He has written numerous books and lectured around the world.^[5] His work is sold in retail stores in Belgravia, Harrods and overseas including the Bespoke Collection.^[6]

On 1 December 2006, Linley took up the post of chairman of Christie's UK, having joined the board in 2005 as a non-executive director.^[5]

Duties

As the Queen's nephew, Linley takes part in royal family events such as Trooping the Colour and Christmas celebrations at Sandringham. He does not have an official royal role.

On 8 April 2002, Linley, along with the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex, stood guard at the lying-in-state of their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.^[7] This was a mark of respect unofficially known as the Vigil of the Princes, which had taken place only once before, during the lying-in-state of King George V in 1936.

In 2011, Linley's daughter, Margarita Armstrong-Jones, was a bridesmaid at the wedding of the Duke of Cambridge.

In 2013, Linley became a patron of the Greenpower Education Trust, which inspires young people towards careers in engineering.

Personal life and family

Lord Linley had romances with Susannah Constantine, Kate Menzies and Nicola Formby. On 8 October 1993, he married the Hon. Serena Stanhope, a daughter of Viscount Petersham (later the 12th Earl of Harrington) at St. Margaret's Church, Westminster.

Viscount Linley and his wife have two children:

• The Hon. Charles Patrick Inigo Armstrong-Jones (born 1 July 1999)
• The Hon. Margarita Elizabeth Rose Alleyne Armstrong-Jones (born 14 May 2002)

Linley has one full sister, Lady Sarah Chatto (née Armstrong-Jones); and one paternal half-sister, Lady Frances von Hofmannsthal (née Armstrong-Jones). Viscount Linley also has a half-brother, Jasper Cable-Alexander, son of his father and Melanie Cable-Alexander, an editor at Country Life magazine.

From 2000–2002, Viscount Linley, his wife and baby son lived in Kensington Palace with his mother, Princess Margaret, in her declining years.^[8]

The Linleys have three homes: a flat in Chelsea, London; a cottage on the Daylesford estate in Gloucestershire;^[9] and the Chateau d'Autet^[10] in the Luberon, Provence.

Titles, styles and arms

Title

• 3 November 1961 – present: Viscount Linley

Succession

Lord Linley is the son of Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, and the 1st Earl of Snowdon; thus he is the nephew of Queen Elizabeth II, and a grandson of George VI. Though his mother was a princess, in the United Kingdom royal titles and styles are passed only from the father. He does not hold the title Viscount Linley in his own right; rather, it is a courtesy title used by the eldest son and heir apparent of the Earl of Snowdon. If he outlives his father, Viscount Linley will assume the title 2nd Earl of Snowdon in his own right. At the time of his birth he was fifth in the line of succession to the British throne; he is currently in eighteenth place and is the first person in the line of succession who is not a descendant of the Queen.^[1]

Arms

Arms of David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley

Notes The Viscount's personal coat of arms are those of his father quartered with those of his mother. Escutcheon Quarterly 1st and 4th sable on a chevron argent, between in chief two fleurs-de-lis Or, and in base an eagle displayed Or, four pallets gules differenced with a label vert of three points (Snowdon), 2nd and 3rd being the royal arms, differenced with a label argent of three points, the outer points bearing Tudor roses, and the central bearing a thistle proper. Symbolism The 1st and 4th quarters are those of his father, the Earl of Snowdon, differenced for the heir apparent of the earldom. The 2nd and 3rd quarters are the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom, differenced for the Princess Margaret.

Ancestry

Ancestors of David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley

16. Thomas Jones               8. Sir Robert Armstrong-Jones CBE                       17. Jane Elizabeth Jones               4. Major Ronald Armstrong-Jones MBE QC                             18. Sir Owen Roberts               9. Margaret Roberts                       19. Jane Margaret Stagg               2. Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon                                   20. Ludwig Ernst Messel               10. Leonard Charles Rudolph Messel                       21. Anne Cussans               5. Anne Messel, Countess of Rosse                             22. Edward Linley Sambourne               11. Maud Sambourne                       23. Marion Herapath               1. David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley                                         24. Edward VII of the United Kingdom               12. George V of the United Kingdom                       25. Princess Alexandra of Denmark               6. George VI of the United Kingdom                             26. Francis, Duke of Teck               13. Princess Mary of Teck                       27. Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge               3. Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom                                   28. Claude Bowes-Lyon, 13th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne               14. Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne                       29. Frances Dora Smith               7. Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon                             30. Charles Cavendish-Bentinck               15. Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck                       31. Caroline Louisa Burnaby

References

1. He is the only nephew of Queen Elizabeth II. "The Royal Family – Succession". The Royal Family. 17 December 2007.
2. Viscount Linley Publisher: Mandy's Royalty. Org. retrieved 22 May 2013.
3. Viscount Linley in school uniform, Gibbs School, Kensington, London, 4 October 1968. Publisher: Heritage Images. Com. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
4. Archive - Tuesday, 6 May 2003 - Prep school set to close Publisher:The Oxford Mail. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
5. "David Linley appointed chairman of Christie's UK" (PDF) (Press release). Christie's. 3 November 2006.
6. Schneider, Sara (February 2012). "Northern California Weekend" (PDF). Sunset: 20. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
7. Bates, Stephen (9 April 2002). "Grandsons hold vigil as public files past". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
8. Syal, Rajeev (10 February 2002). "Children spent much of last years with mother". The Daily Telegraph (London).
9. Tyzack, Anna (24 November 2011). "My perfect weekend: David Linley". The Daily Telegraph (London).
10. Purnell, Sonia (29 June 2003). "My passion for Provence". The Daily Telegraph (London).

External links

• Linley website
• Linley designed suites at the Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow
• Linley designed suites at Claridge's
• David Albert Charles Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley (1961–), Son of Princess Margaret Rose and 1st Earl of Snowdon (National Portrait Gallery photographs)