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Antony Acland

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British diplomat (1930–2021) This article is about the diplomat. For the army officer, see Antony Guy Acland.

Sir Antony AclandKG GCMG GCVO
Acland in 1987
British Ambassador to the United States
In office
1986–1991
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime Minister
Preceded bySir Oliver Wright
Succeeded bySir Robin Renwick
Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
In office
1982–1986
Foreign Sec.
Preceded bySir Michael Palliser
Succeeded byThe Lord Wright of Richmond
British Ambassador to Spain
In office
1977–1980
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime Minister
Preceded bySir Charles Wiggin
Succeeded bySir Richard Parsons
British Ambassador to Luxembourg
In office
1975–1977
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime Minister
Preceded byJohn Roper
Succeeded byThe Lord Wright of Richmond
Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary
In office
1972–1975
Foreign Sec.
Preceded byJohn Graham
Succeeded byStephen Barrett
Personal details
BornAnthony Arthur Acland
(1930-03-12)12 March 1930
Died8 September 2021(2021-09-08) (aged 91)
NationalityBritish
Spouses
Clare Anne Verdon ​ ​(m. 1956; died 1984)​
Jennifer McGougan
​ ​(m. 1987)​
Children3, including Simon
Parent
EducationEton College
Alma materChrist Church, Oxford
Awards

Sir Antony Arthur Acland KG GCMG GCVO (12 March 1930 – 8 September 2021) was a British diplomat and a provost of Eton College.

Early life

Antony Acland was the second son of Bridget Susan (Barnett) and Brigadier Peter Acland. He was educated at Eton College, then in 1948 joined the Royal Artillery with a post-war "emergency commission". 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).

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 City 1962–66, then at Geneva 1966–68. Back at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (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 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 discussion he threatened to resign, whereupon Thatcher backed down and said "All right, no more Foreign Office bashing."

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.

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.

Honours

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

Personal life

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

He died in September 2021, at the age of 91. His death came one day before that of fellow Knight Companion of the Garter Sir Timothy Colman.

Arms

Coat of arms of Sir Antony Arthur Acland, KG, GCMG, GCVO
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; Order of St Michael and St George; Royal Victorian Order
Banner
The banner of Sir Antony Acland's arms used as Knight Companion of the Garter depicted at St George's Chapel.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Antony Acland
8. Sir Henry Acland, 1st Baronet
4. Col. Alfred Dyke Acland
9. Sarah Cotton, Lady Acland
2. Brig. Peter Acland
10. William Henry Smith
5. Hon. Beatrice Danvers Smith
11. Emily Danvers, Viscountess Hambleden
1. Sir Antony Acland
12. Henry Barnett
6. Rev. Herbert Walter Barnett
13. Emily Ann Stratton
3. Bridget Susan Barnett
14. Charles Lethbridge
7. Mary Lethbridge
15. Susan Anne Yarburgh

References

  1. "No. 38520". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 January 1949. p. 442.
  2. BDOHP 2001, p. 2.
  3. "No. 46681". The London Gazette. 11 September 1975. p. 11464.
  4. BDOHP 2001, p. 33.
  5. "No. 52592". The London Gazette. 2 July 1991. p. 10098.
  6. "Founding Council". Rothermere American Institute. Archived from the original on 17 November 2012.
  7. "No. 46777". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1975. p. 4.
  8. "No. 47074". The London Gazette. 23 November 1976. p. 15755.
  9. "No. 49008". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 1982. p. 4.
  10. "No. 50551". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 1986. p. 3.
  11. "No. 52557". The London Gazette. 11 June 1991. p. 8957.
  12. "Court Circular". The Independent. 10 June 1994. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013.
  13. "No. 56183". The London Gazette. 23 April 2001. p. 4839.
  14. (9 September 2021). "Sir Antony Acland, Foreign Office Permanent Under-Secretary and Ambassador to the US who became a favourite of Mrs Thatcher – obituary". The Telegraph. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  15. Bishop, Donna-Louise (9 September 2021). "Organisations across Norfolk pay tribute to Sir Timothy Colman". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  16. "Anthony Acland's banner of arms image". Heraldic Sculptor. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  17. "Banner image". St George-Windsor. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  18. "Anthony Acland's crest image". Heraldic Sculptor. Retrieved 20 December 2013.

Sources

Diplomatic posts
Preceded byJohn Graham Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary
1972–1975 		Succeeded byStephen Barrett
Preceded byJohn Roper Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
1975–1977 		Succeeded byPatrick Wright
Preceded bySir Charles Wiggin Ambassador to Spain
1977–1980 		Succeeded bySir Richard Parsons
Preceded bySir Michael Palliser Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
1982–1986 		Succeeded bySir Patrick Wright
Preceded bySir Oliver Wright Ambassador to the United States
1986–1991 		Succeeded bySir Robin Renwick
Academic offices
Preceded byLord Charteris of Amisfield Provost of Eton
1991–2000 		Succeeded bySir Eric Anderson
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