David Armstrong-Jones, the second Earl of Snowdon, turned 64 on Monday, and the day has certainly marked a new era for the royal. Five years on from his shock divorce from his wife of 26 years, Serena Stanhope, he has found love again with his art-expert girlfriend, Isabelle de la Bruyère. After first sparking romance rumours in 2022, their romance amped up this year, and the couple have been pictured together attending a series of high-society events.
In June, Isabelle made her debut at Royal Ascot this year, and she seems to have slotted in nicely into the royal fold, being pictured chatting away to Zara and Mike Tindall as well as Princess Anne’s husband, Timothy Laurence. Other glamorous public outings include a trip to the Chelsea Flower Show as well as a date night at the inaugural amfAR London gala.
© Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty I
David and Isabelle’s under-the-radar romance
News of David and Isabelle’s relationship came in May 2022, when the Earl and his new flame were spotted out arm in arm in Mayfair. No doubt the couple will have bonded over their shared love of art. David is a well-respected furniture designer, while Isabelle once worked as an international senior director at Christie’s auction house, where the Earl serves as an honorary chairman. Currently, Isabelle is the CEO of the Opera Gallery Group.
© Getty Images
Fitting into the family
No doubt, Isabelle’s love of art will go down well among David’s royal family members, as their shared love of arts and craftsmanship is something that bonds the former Viscount Linely and his cousin, the King. David is vice-president of The King’s Foundation. His Majesty’s cousin often works closely with the King at a number of events, including a celebration marking the 35th anniversary of the Foundation at Dumfries House.
© Getty Images
David is the first royal to have a vocation after founding the eponymous handmade furniture business, David Linley, in 1985. He inherited his flair for the craft from his father, Antony Armstrong-Jones, who was a high society photographer and married Princess Margaret in 1960.
© Dave Benett/Getty Images for The
David’s sister, Lady Sarah Chatto, and her son Sam are also decorated artists. Lady Sarah got her artistic education at the Camberwell School of Art, before progressing to the prestigious Royal Academy Schools. Since 1995, she has held regular solo exhibitions at the Redfern Gallery in London, establishing a strong and consistent presence in the London art scene. As for her son Sam, after being educated at Eton College, he completed his degree in History of Art at the University of Edinburgh. After university, Samuel completed a six-week apprenticeship at North Shore Pottery and, in 2020, completed a course at the Royal Drawing School. Samuel currently lives in West Sussex, where his home doubles as his personal ceramics studio.
© WireImage
Another royal with a passion for all things art is Princess Eugenie, who worked for the online auction house Paddle8 in New York, where she gained experience in the contemporary art market. Since 2015, she has worked at Hauser & Wirth, a leading international contemporary art gallery where she began as an associate director and is now a director at the London branch.
