SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM: Please consider donating to keep our website running and free for all - thank you!

British Royals

The Queen’s nephew: looking back at the birth of David Armstong-Jones

margarita jones

Today David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon, celebrates his 60th birthday. He is the first child and only son of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, and at the time of his birth, was fifth in line to the British throne.

Given his glamorous parents and close proximity to The Queen, his birth was covered with the usual pomp by British papers.

On 25 May 1961, Kensington Palace announced the news that Princess Margaret was expecting her first child later in the year. She had carried out engagements to a local hospital the day of the announcement, but in the next day’s issue of The Times, it was further announced that Princess Margaret would cease official engagements until after the baby was born—either in October or November, according to unconfirmed reports in the paper.

She did announce that she planned to attend the wedding of The Duke of Kent to Katharine Worsley in June 1961 (which she did attend) but did not carry out tours, visits, or engagements for the rest of the year.

Reporters were anxiously awaiting the birth of Princess Margaret’s first child. On 3 November, The Times reported that Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon travelled back to Clarence House the night before at 10:00 pm and that she would be meeting with her doctors ahead of the imminent birth.

Princess Margaret elected to give birth at Clarence House, the London home of her mother, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. The Princess had lived there in the period following her sister’s accession to the throne in 1952. However, she moved to Kensington Palace following her wedding in 1960 (her now-famous Apartment 1A residence was not completed until 1962).

The Times covered the birth of Princess Margaret’s first child, David Albert Charles Armstrong-Jones, Lord Linley, as such: “Princess Margaret gave birth to a son at Clarence House yesterday. The Queen paid a brief visit to her sister a few hours later; Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother had earlier seen her daughter and grandson, and Lord Snowdon was first to be admitted to the Princess’s room.”

David’s birth was noted in that day’s Court Circular: “The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh have received with great pleasure the news that The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, gave birth to a son this morning.”

Following royal tradition, news of David’s birth was posted as a bulletin outside the gates of the royal residence—the bulletin outside Clarence House noted: “Her Royal Highness the Princess Margaret Countess of Snowdon was safely delivered of a son at 10:45 am today. Both mother and baby are well.”

Prince Philip, who’d been touring a hospital wing in Leeds, was told of the news and said to reporters, “Oh good! That is a great relief all around.”

The Lord Mayor of London, Sir Frederick Alfred Hoare, was among the many who sent Princess Margaret telegrams following the birth. Princess Margaret sent a reply: “I and my husband thank you and the citizens of London for your kind message of congratulations.”

The first photographs of David, then known as Lord Linley—one of his father’s subsidiary titles—were published on 29 November and taken by his photographer father. They featured the new family at Clarence House.

On 5 December, The Times announced that David would be christened in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace on 19 December. Two days following his christening, he departed on the royal train with his parents, aunt, grandmother, and cousins for his first Christmas at Sandringham.   

At birth, David was fifth in line to the throne—behind Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, and his mother. As of his birthday today, he is currently 25th in line to the throne. He is the first person in the line of succession who is not a direct descendant of The Queen.

About author

Jess Ilse is the Assistant Editor at Royal Central. She specialises in the British, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish Royal Families and has been following royalty since Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee. Jess has provided commentary for media outlets in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Jess works in communications and her debut novel THE MAJESTIC SISTERS will publish in Fall 2024.