An 82-year-old former private secretary to the late Queen, who served during a challenging era for the monarchy, has passed away. He held the role from 1990 to 1999, a period that included the Queen’s “annus horribilis” in 1992. This year saw the separations of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Princess Anne’s divorce, and the Windsor Castle fire.

Born in 1941 at Sandringham House, he attended Eton College and began his career with the Scots Guards in 1960. He later moved into banking before joining the Royal Household in 1977 as an Assistant Private Secretary. He became private secretary in 1990, earning the Queen Elizabeth II Version of the Royal Household Long and Faithful Service Medal in 1997.

Upon retiring in 1999, he was made a Baron and joined the House of Lords. He was married to Lady Jane Fellowes, sister of Princess Diana, with whom he had three children. Reflecting on Diana after her death, he said, “She was a person of great character who faced considerable personal challenges.”