Antony Acland

For the British Army officer, see Major Sir Antony Guy Acland, 5th Baronet

Sir Antony Acland KG GCMG GCVO
Sir Antony Acland in the robes of a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter
Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary
In office 1972–1975
Preceded by	John Graham
Succeeded by	Stephen Barrett
9th UK Ambassador to Luxembourg
In office 1975–1977
Monarch	Queen Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson James Callaghan
Preceded by	John Roper
Succeeded by	The Lord Wright of Richmond
UK Ambassador to Spain
In office 1977–1980
Monarch	Queen Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	James Callaghan Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Sir Charles Wiggin
Succeeded by	Sir Richard Parsons
Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
In office 1982–1986
Monarch	Queen Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Sir Michael Palliser
Succeeded by	The Lord Wright of Richmond
UK Ambassador to the United States
In office 1986–1991
Monarch	Queen Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher John Major
Preceded by	Sir Oliver Wright
Succeeded by	Sir Robin Renwick
Personal details
Born	Anthony Arthur Acland March 12, 1930
Nationality	British
Spouse(s)	Clare Anne Verdon (1956-1984) Jennifer McGougan (1987)
Education	Eton College
Alma mater	Christ Church, Oxford
Awards	Knight of the Order of the Garter (2001) Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (1986) Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (1991)

Sir Antony Arthur Acland KG GCMG GCVO (born 12 March 1930) is a British former diplomat and Provost of Eton College.

Early life

Antony Acland is the second son of Brigadier Peter Acland. He was educated at Eton College, then in 1948 joined the Royal Artillery with a post-war "emergency commission".^[1] After short army service he went up to Christ Church, Oxford, gaining a BA degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics in 1953 (later upgraded to MA). After leaving Oxford in 1953 he went straight into the Foreign Office (FO).^[2]

Career

After studying at the Middle East Centre for Arab Studies, Acland was posted to Dubai and then Kuwait, then back to the FO as Assistant Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary (Selwyn Lloyd, then Lord Home) 1959–62. He then served at the UK Mission to the UN, first in New York 1962–66, then at Geneva 1966–68. Back at the FCO he was head of the Arabian department 1970–72.

Acland was Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary (Sir Alec Douglas-Home, then James Callaghan) 1972–75. He was Ambassador to Luxembourg 1975–77^[3] and to Spain 1977–79. He was Deputy Under-Secretary at the FCO 1979–82, a post which then entailed chairing the Joint Intelligence Committee. In 1982 he was promoted to Permanent Under-Secretary and head of the Diplomatic Service. Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands in April 1982 and Acland came into collision with the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, over the diplomatic response. At one point during a heated discusion he threatened to resign, whereupon Thatcher backed down and said 'All right, no more Foreign Office bashing.'^[4]

Acland was Ambassador to the United States at Washington, D.C., 1986–91, then retired from the Diplomatic Service and was Provost of Eton College 1991–2000.^[5]

Acland was a member of the Founding Council of the Rothermere American Institute at Oxford, helping to raise funds for the Institute's building and library.^[6]

Honours

Acland was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1976 New Year Honours^[7] and made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in November of that year after Queen Elizabeth's state visit to Luxembourg,^[8] after which he was styled "Sir Anthony Acland". He was given the additional knighthood of Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1982 Birthday Honours^[9] and promoted to Knight Grand Cross of that same order in the 1986 Birthday Honours^[10] and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order in the 1991 Birthday Honours.^[11] He was Chancellor of the between 1994 and 2005.^[12] In 2001 he was given the rare honour of appointment as a Knight of the Order of the Garter.^[13]

Personal life

In 1956 Acland married Clare Anne Verdon; they had two sons and a daughter. She died in 1984 and in 1987 he married Jennifer McGougan.

Arms of Antony Acland

Notes Knight since 1986 Crest Upon a hand Argent and Sable, a falcon Argent. Torse Mantling Sable doubled Argent. Escutcheon Chequy Argent and Sable a fess Gules in chief a mullet of five points Argent. Orders The Order of the Garter circlet.[14][15][16]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Antony Acland

16. Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, 10th Baronet               8. Sir Henry Acland, 1st Baronet                       17. Lydia Elizabeth Hoare               4. Col. Alfred Dyke Acland                             18. William Cotton               9. Sarah Cotton, Lady Acland                       19. Sarah Lane               2. Brig. Peter Acland                                   20. William Henry Smith               10. William Henry Smith                       21. Mary Ann Cooper               5. Hon. Beatrice Danvers Smith                             22. Frederick Dawes Danvers               11. Emily Danvers, Viscountess Hambleden                       23. Charlotte Maria Rawlinson               1. Sir Antony Acland                                         24. George Henry Barnett               12. Henry Barnett                       25. Elizabeth Canning               6. Rev. Herbert Walter Barnett                             26. John Stratton               13. Emily Ann Stratton                       27. Frances Maria Jodrell               3. Bridget Susan Barnett                                   28. Rev. Thomas Prowse Lethbridge               14. Charles Lethbridge                       29. Isabella Escott               7. Mary Lethbridge                             30. George John Yarburgh               15. Susan Anne Yarburgh                       31. Mary Antonia Hilton

Sources

• ACLAND, Sir Antony (Arthur), Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, 2014 (online edition, Oxford University Press, 2014)
• Sir Antony Acland interviewed by Liz Cox on Monday 23 April 2001, British Diplomatic Oral History Programme (BDOHP), Churchill College, Cambridge

References

1. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 38520. p. 442. 25 January 1949.
2. BDOHP interview, p.2
3. The London Gazette: no. 46681. p. 11464. 11 September 1975.
4. BDOHP interview, p.33
5. The London Gazette: no. 52592. p. 10098. 2 July 1991.
6. Founding Council, Rothermere American Institute
7. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 46777. p. 4. 30 December 1975.
8. The London Gazette: no. 47074. p. 15755. 23 November 1976.
9. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 49008. p. 4. 12 June 1982.
10. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 50551. p. 3. 14 June 1986.
11. The London Gazette: no. 52557. p. 8957. 11 June 1991.
12. "Court Circular". Independent. 10 June 1994.
13. The London Gazette: no. 56183. p. 4839. 23 April 2001.
14. Anthony Acland's banner of arms image, Heraldic Sculptor. Retrieved 20 December 2013
15. Banner image. St George-Windsor. Retrieved 20 December 2013
16. Anthony Acland's crest image. Retrieved 20 December 2013