Princess Margaret's son Lord Snowdon reveals his mother had her 'proud mum face on' when she attended his events - and recalls the struggle he felt auctioning her £920k wedding tiara
- Princess Margaret's son Lord Snowdon, 57, spoke about family life growing up
- Revealed his proud mother encouraged his creativity and supported his work
- Added his father's design workshop was the 'funnest place in the house'
- Also shared his struggle at auctioning off her £920k wedding tiara in 2006
Princess Margaret's son has spoken of how his proud mother encouraged his creative streak growing up.
Furniture designer David, Lord Snowdon told the Daily Telegraph the Princess supported him when he announced he wanted to go 'from college to the workshop' and attended 'every workshop, every opening' once he launched his career.
The 57-year-old also revealed the struggle he faced in deciding to put his mother's diamond wedding tiara up for auction in 2006.
Princess Margaret's son Lord Linley, picutred, spoke of how his proud mother encouraged his creative streak growing up - and how he struggled with the decision to sell her wedding tiara
Lord Snowdon, who inherited his father's title on his death in 2017, is the eldest child of Princess Margaret and photographer and filmmaker Anthony Armstrong-Jones.
He and his sister, Lady Sarah Chatto, 55, enjoy a good relationship with their aunt the Queen and spent much time with their cousins, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, growing up.
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Recalling his childhood, Snowdon said he spent time with his father in his workshop, describing it as the 'funnest place in the house'.
And both parents were supportive when their privately-educated son decided he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and pursue a creative career.
'There was pressure on my parents from their friends saying, "When’s he going to get a proper job?",' he said. 'But when you made things and brought them back from school, that was high kudos.'
Lord Snowdon, who inherited his father's title on his death in 2017, is the youngest child of Princess Margaret and photographer and filmmaker Anthony Armstrong-Jones. Pictured, Lord Snowdon as a child with his parents and younger sister, Lady Sarah Chatto
Lord Snowdon opened his first workshop in Dorking before forming David Linley Furniture Limited, now known as Linley.
'My mother came to every workshop, every opening, pretty much every party and so forth,' he continued. 'She and my design partner at the time, Matthew Rice’s mother, used to stand in the corner and, "Put our proud mums faces on".'
Lord Snowdon also spoke about his decision to auction off some of his mother's personal collection of jewels in 2006.
The sale saw some items fetch up to 100 times more than expected, with bidders clamouring to buy mementoes of her glamorous past.
Trinkets that were expected to fetch only £40 or £50 commanded prices in the thousands. Once-treasured items valued in mere hundreds of pounds suddenly soared into five figure bids.
Lord Snowdon also revealed the struggle he faced in deciding to put his mother's diamond wedding tiara up for auction in 2006. Pictured, Princess Margaret on her wedding day
The Poltimore tiara, which Princess Margaret wore for her 1960 wedding, sold for £920,000.
At the time Lord Snowdon and Lady Sarah faced some criticism over the move, with royal commentators describing it as 'vulgar'.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Snowdon explained it was not an easy decision but that he believed it was the best one.
He added: 'Getting rid of anything is not my natural habitat. I have a lot of clutter. I remember at the time there was a lot of worry as to whether anyone would come. Everyone’s very wise after the event.'
