Other than “mum”, this was the first word uttered by Princess Margaret’s son

Being son of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones1st Earl of Snowdon, it stands to reason that David Armstrong-Jones2nd Earl of Snowdon, had a taste for the finer things of life from his earliest childhood.

As a child, David (who at the time boasted the title of «Viscount Linley») at the first traditional words of «mum» and «dad» would have preferred something more sophisticated: chandelier“chandelier”.

The anecdote was revealed Gyles Brandrethformer MP, writer and royal family expert, in conversation with Judi Dench in the first episode of his new podcast, Rosebud. According to the host, Princess Margaret shared the information with Laurence Olivier and his wife Joan while they had lunch together.

Brandreth recounts: «Lady Olivier said to Princess Margaret: “We are very excited because Richard [il figlio di Olivier] he said his first word, and it’s a huge relief because he was dada and Larry is very happy.” To which Princess Margaret said: “Well, it just so happens that David has just said his first word too… David’s first word was chandelier”».

Brandreth explains that what inspired the then Viscount Linley was the chandelier hanging above his cot Kensington Palace. Apparently, it was the royal nannies who pointed to the chandelier, as if it were a moving sculpture. One day, little Viscount Linley repeated: “chandelier.”

Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon lived in the London palace with their son and daughter, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones (Now Lady Sarah Chatto), starting from the 1960s. The couple divorced in 1978, when their children were teenagers. Both David and Sarah were very close to their aunt, Queen Elizabeth II and, growing up, they often visited their cousins, namely Prince Charles (Now King Charles III), the Princess AnneThe Prince Andrew and the Prince Edward.

David Armstrong-Jones became the 2nd Earl of Snowdon upon his father’s death in 2017. The Earl is a furniture designer and owner of LINLEY, a furniture company. Lord Snowdon is the father of Charles Armstrong-JonesViscount Linley, and Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, who debuted on the cover of the May issue of Tatler.