Martin Charteris, Baron Charteris of Amisfield
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Martin Michael Charles Charteris, Baron Charteris of Amisfield, GCB, GCVO, OBE, QSO, PC (7 September 1913 – 23 December 1999) was a confidante and aide to Queen Elizabeth II.
Charteris was the son of Hugo Charteris, Lord Elcho and a brother of the 12th Earl of Wemyss. He was educated at Eton and the Royal Military College Sandhurst and fought in the Middle East during World War II, rising to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. On his return, he married Hon. Mary Margesson (a daughter of the 1st Viscount Margesson) on 16 December 1944 and they had three children.
In 1950 he became Private Secretary to then Duchess of Edinburgh and as her Assistant Private Secretary from her accession in 1952 until 1972 when he was promoted to Private Secretary. He held this post until his semi-retirement in 1977 and returned to Eton as its Provost.
In 1978 he was created a life peer as Baron Charteris of Amisfield, of Amisfield in East Lothian.
Charteris was probably most notable due to an interview he had with The Spectator in 1995 where he described the Duchess of York as "vulgar", the Prince of Wales as "whiney", and the Queen Mother as "a bit of an ostrich."
| Court offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Michael Adeane |
Private Secretary to the Sovereign 1972–1977 |
Succeeded by Sir Philip Moore |
| Academic Offices | ||
| Preceded by The Lord Caccia |
Provost of Eton 1978–1991 |
Succeeded by Sir Anthony Acland |
Categories: 1913 births | 1999 deaths | Companions of the Queen's Service Order | Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath | Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order | Officers of the Order of the British Empire | Recipients of the Royal Victorian Chain | Légion d'honneur recipients | Life peers | Old Etonians | Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
