LORD SNOWDON
public cynicism about the royal fairytale had yet to set in . Home was a grand apartment in Kensington Palace , and they were in the vanguard of all that was new and exciting . Long before Buckingham Palace even dreamt of entertaining them , writers , painters , actors and dancers poured through their front door .
The couple had returned from their honeymoon to a stultifying life at court , carrying out minor public engagements in which the husband had always to walk two paces behind his royal wife . He did his best to fit in , learning to shoot so that he wouldn ' t disgrace himself on the killing fields of Sandringham and Balmoral . In 1961 there was the consolation of ennoblement , as the Earl of Snowdon , in a nod towards his Welsh roots . He was part of the Royal Family , but not royal , routinely ignored by the servants who were resentful of his ambiguous position . His sartorial style was described at the time by one royal watcher as : “ The King ’ s Road rubbing shoulders with Savile Row .”
Although he could bespoke with the best for formal and grand occasions – Tailor and Cutter magazine claimed he was a devotee of the Row – he didn ' t think twice about turning up at the palace in hip hugging slacks , a roll necked top , and knee high suede Chelsea boots . He became a customer of the legendary Doug Hayward , of Mount Street , who dressed the stars , such as Michael Caine , Roger Moore , and a galaxy of others . Doug was invited to Mustique , where Margaret and Tony had a holiday home , and crooned Cole Porter songs with her without missing a beat . He beguiled the Princess with his working class charm , and as another guest said : “ His secret was to treat her like a regular bird .”
In 1963 Tony was appointed as Constable of Carnarvon Castle , and six years later he took part in the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales and , as everyone else seemed to be wearing a uniform , designed himself a distinctive olive green outfit with the Prince of Wales ' s Feathers on the collar of the jacket . He believed it made him look like a 1950s cinema usherette or the panto character Buttons . In a television interview 40 years later he did not disagree when Huw Edwards gently suggested that he had tried to bring a
touch of Carnaby Street to the ceremony .
Tony ' s style went side by side with his photography which contributed spectacular images to the world , and thus influenced popular culture in a lasting way . It was indeed all about image . He moved through the decades sporting the looks of the times with great confidence . His friend , the American fashion designer , Tom Ford , says that he was always stunned by his choice of clothes . “ He was a buttoned up gentleman in tweed ; a mod , a macho biker , a groovy photographer striding through an airport in suede and Dolce Vita shades . He was a playboy ; his sideburns grew long , as did his hair , and neckerchiefs seemed to work on him as well as a classic black tie . He was a chameleon , able to straddle several worlds simultaneously , and to the end was a man of great style and taste .” Q
Antony Armstrong Jones , 1st Earl of Snowdon , March 1930-January 2017 .
Lord Snowdon in reflective mood in 2008
32 SAVILE ROW STYLE MAGAZINE