Linley makes last-minute Lords leap

THERE were at one time 19 lords a leaping to become an elected member of the House of Lords, replacing Lord Baldwin, grandson of three-time Tory MP Stanley Baldwin, who is retiring – but I can reveal that Lord Snowdon, aka David Linley, below, unexpectedly withdrew his candidacy at the last minute.

The 57-year-old bespoke furniture maker and nephew of the Queen was torn between wanting to use his newly-inherited title to become involved in national issues in the Lords while juggling the difficulty of navigating politics as a member of the Royal Family. While not HRH, he is the grandson of George VI and is considered a very significant member by the Queen, who rode alone with him in an open carriage at Ascot last month.

Says my source: ‘His main concern was not to embarrass the Queen and there was the niggling issue of whether a member of the Royal Family should be in an unelected electoral chamber. ‘He decided that it was a question of noblesse oblige and gently retreated.’ Linley, who is honorary chairman of Christie’s, has made a number of public speeches on the craft industry and heritage but has never wandered into more contentious political zones, unlike his cousin, the Prince of Wales. One friend advised him that he still very much had the opportunity to speak out on things for which he cared deeply without having to enter politics. After Linley’s withdrawal, the Earl of Devon was elected to the Lords. He is married to a former Beverly Hills 90210 and Baywatch actress and is one of 92 hereditary peers left out of 800 peers in the Lords.