Latest news with #GrenadierGuards
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Former close aide to King Charles and Princess Diana dies aged 91: Senior soldier who lasted less than a year as private secretary amid the collapse of royal couple's marriage
A former private secretary to King Charles and Princess Diana has died aged 91. Major General Sir Christopher Airy was hired to bring stability to the warring royal couple's marriage in 1990, but he lasted less than a year in the role. Sir Christopher, a former Grenadier Guards officer and distinguished soldier, was hired after a stint commanding the Army's Household Division. He had become a familiar face to the late Queen Elizabeth and other royals in that latter role and had, decades earlier, lined the route at Her Late Majesty's coronation in 1953. But he was described as one of the then Prince Charles' 'worst' appointments by royal expert Valentine Low. Writing in his book Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown, Low detailed how Sir Christopher was left frustrated at the increasing division between Charles and Diana's respective staff as tensions in their marriage increased. One contemporary described him as a 'very bad fit' and 'completely on a different planet'. Charles and Diana announced their separation in 1992 and then divorced in 1996, a year before the late Princess of Wales was killed in a car crash in Paris. Sir Christopher was born in Woolwich in 1934, the second sun of Colonel Eustace Airy. Educated at Marlborough College, he underwent officer training at Sandhurst and was then commissioned into the Grenadier Guards. Stationed at Windsor, he was invited to join the Queen and the Royal Family for dinner at the Castle. Sir Christopher ended up joining the royals in a game of charades, on a team with Princess Margaret. As his military career continued to flourish, he served as an assistant to War Secretary John Profumo, who would later resign in disgrace after a sex scandal. Sir Christopher later commanded the Queen's Company of the 1st Battalion in Northern Ireland in 1970 and then served as brigade major of 4th Guards Brigade in Munster, West Germany. In 1982, he was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff of UK Land Forces. In that role he played a key part in the decision to deploy soldiers in the Scots Guards and Welsh Guards for fighting in the Falklands War. After further distinguishing himself by being appointed as commander of the Household Division, Sir Christopher retired from the Army in 1989. Sir Christopher's appointment as private secretary to both Charles and Diana was announced in late 1989 and he started in the role in the middle of the following year. He replaced Sir John Riddell, who had served for less than four years. But Sir Christopher very quickly discovered that the role was not what he had expected. One courtier, quoted in Low's book, said the 'fundamental' issue was that he did not 'fit in'. 'He was not attuned to Charles' growing charitable interests and struggle to understand the differences between the prince's various organisations,' they said. Another contemporary said: 'Christopher was a very bad fit. He was very charming, very posh, very Household Cavalry. 'But he was very naive about how the world went round outside. He was completely on a different planet. 'He must have been miserable. We would all talk acronyms, all this charitable, voluntary sector, government stuff. 'And Christopher was completely lost.' Patrick Jephson, who served as Diana's private secretary from 1988 to 1996, recounted an incident when Sir Christopher told Charles that he had to attend a particular state occasion because it was 'his duty'. The King was said to have 'stiffened at the remark. He allegedly replied in sarcastic fashion: "Oh, is it?" Sir Christopher's departure from his royal role was announced in May 1991. The Queen gave him the honour of receiving him when he left. Sir Christopher and his wife later moved to a farmhouse in Somerset and spent the rest of their lives there. He raised money for charity and was also chairman of the Not Forgotten Association. He died on April 8 but his passing only emerged in recent days.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Maj Gen Sir Christopher Airy, eminent Guards officer appointed Private Secretary to Prince Charles
Major General Sir Christopher Airy, who has died aged 91, had a distinguished career in the Army; after he retired, he accepted an invitation to become Private Secretary and Treasurer to Prince Charles and Princess Diana. In 1974, after serving with the Grenadier Guards for 20 years, Airy transferred to the Scots Guards and assumed command of the 1st Battalion. Regiments are by their nature tribal, and a commanding officer from a different regiment is always going to be viewed with a certain amount of misgiving. While never disavowing his pride at having been a Grenadier, Airy launched himself into his new assignment. Having swiftly absorbed the regimental history, he assembled the warrant officers in the sergeants' mess and asked them to help him become a Scots Guardsman. He then summoned the Pipe Major and invited him to play a different company march each day in the Orderly Room until he recognised them all. With his natural charm and courtesy, Airy soon earned the loyalty and respect of his battalion. He was a shrewd observer of individuals, and when necessary he could be tough with those who did not live up to his high standards of behaviour and performance. He ran a very successful and happy battalion and his wife, Judy, was a great support. Christopher John Airy was born at the Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital, Woolwich, on March 8 1934. His father, Lieutenant-Colonel Eustace Airy, served in the RAF in the 1920s, gaining his wings before transferring to the Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). In the late 1930s he and his family were stationed in Gibraltar, and during the Second World War Eustace Airy was involved in intelligence work in the Far East. Soon after the outbreak of war, the family returned to England by ship. Young Christopher enjoyed going up on deck; he was fascinated by ripples on the surface of the sea which kept appearing, until it was explained to him that they were actually torpedoes. Airy was educated at Marlborough and became fluent in French after attending a course at the Sorbonne in Paris. After RMA Sandhurst, in 1954 he was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards and was posted to the 3rd Battalion. He was stationed at Windsor, and one day while he was on guard, he received a telephone call inviting him to join the Queen and the Royal family for dinner that evening in the Castle. There were about 20 guests present, and after the meal, they played charades; Airy was in a team with Princess Margaret. The Queen drew all the cards, and he had to mime Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, a rather daunting role under the circumstances for the 21-year-old. After two years in Cyprus during the Eoka Emergency, followed by an appointment as military assistant to the Secretary of State for War, Jack Profumo, in 1970 he commanded the Queen's Company of the 1st Battalion during a period of increasing inter-communal strife in Northern Ireland. He served as brigade major of 4th Guards Brigade in Munster, West Germany, before transferring to the Scots Guards. After relinquishing command of their 1st Battalion, he commanded 5 Field Force in Germany. In 1982 he was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff of UK Land Forces and played a key part in the decision to deploy the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards and 1st Battalion Welsh Guards in 5 Air Portable Brigade for the conflict in the Falklands. He was promoted to major general in 1983 and posted to the Royal College of Defence Studies. The appointments of Major General Commanding the Household Division and that of GOC London District followed. One day, when he was taking the salute at the first rehearsal of the Queen's Birthday parade on Horse Guards, he invited his family to watch from his office immediately above the saluting base. His four-year-old grandson was so excited when he saw his grandfather appear beneath him on his horse and wearing his plumed hat, that he decided to sprinkle him with a colourful selection of canapés from the office window. One of Airy's duties as GOC was to inspect the regiments under his command. On one such inspection with his ADC, they pulled into a lay-by a few minutes early so that he could put on his Sam Browne belt and emerge at the saluting base exactly on time and immaculately turned out. On their arrival, the whole regiment was formed up on the square. A guardsman lent forward, opened the car door and saluted, but the great man did not appear. He was tethered to the back seat of the car by the entangled Sam Browne and the seatbelt. Airy retired from the Army after 35 years' service, in 1989. The following year he was offered the job of chief executive of the British Heart Foundation. Out of a sense of duty, however, when he was invited by Prince Charles to be his Private Secretary, he accepted. The Queen and Prince Charles knew him well from his time in command of the Household Division, and he got on well with Princess Diana. It was thought that what was needed was a man of Airy's integrity, background and experience to re-organise the administration of the office, ensure that it could manage the workload efficiently and see that there was a smooth flow of correspondence. The Prince's interests and activities, however, were growing fast and the Princess was showing an increasing readiness for high-profile public engagements of her own. For Airy, it was a difficult time and he resigned after only a year. The Queen received him on his departure, a mark of her respect for him. He was one of the multitude that lined the route at her Coronation in 1953. In 1995, Airy and his wife moved to a farmhouse near Wiveliscombe in Somerset, and lived there happily for the next 30 years. He raised funds for a number of charities including the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance, the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal and the Society of Martha and Mary. He was also chairman of the Not Forgotten Association for eight years. He cycled some 1,500 miles by himself along the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, and raised £50,000 for the Association. Holidays with young families, travel, parties and shared celebrations played a large part in their lives, as did a menagerie of dogs, cats, ponies, donkeys and some rather temperamental alpacas. In retirement, he was a great supporter of the Scots Guards and regularly attended commemoration dinners and the Regimental Remembrance Sunday Service and Parade. He was appointed CBE in 1984 and KCVO in 1989. A friend of the family wrote: 'I can think of nobody who so embodied the principles of honour, decency and respect for others in the unassuming way that Christopher Airy did.' Christopher Airy married, in 1959, Judith (Judy) Stephenson. She predeceased him by three months to the day and he is survived by two daughters and a son. Sir Christopher Airy, born March 8 1934, died April 8 2025 Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
The Citizen
14-05-2025
- The Citizen
Got to hand it to the king
'The Prince of Wales slept here' Two things people know about King Edward VIII of Britain – assuming they know anything – is he had to abdicate his throne to marry an American divorcee and that he was subsequently suspected of having pro-German sympathies during World War II. Few, though, are aware that he toured South Africa as the Prince of Wales in 1925, in an attempt to heal emotional wounds generated by the second Anglo-Boer war a generation earlier, as well as the Boer Rebellion of 1914-15. Or that he was an avid golfer. I discovered both when my lady Rose-Mariè and I checked into the lovely Royal St Andrews Hotel in Port Alfred a few weeks ago. ALSO READ: A holiday to remember The prince who played through pain Taking a stroll through the place – it was built in 1924 by a former sergeant- major in Scotland's Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders – we came across a photograph of the prince. He was dressed in the uniform of a colonel of the Grenadier Guards. Next to it was a framed recollection 'The Prince of Wales slept here' that bears quoting in part: 'His visit was scheduled as a restful interlude during a hectic British Empire tour – so hectic that when he arrived in Port Alfred his right hand was bandaged after so much cordial hand-shaking. 'This, however, didn't affect his golf. He played nine holes before the start of Saturday's ceremonial programme and a full course of 18 holes twice over the same afternoon! 'He then spent all day Sunday on the golf course, with some final rounds on Monday morning 'driving straight and powerfully. There lay the strength of his play… his putting was regarded as less expert.'' NOW READ: Port Edward: A bridge too far
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Queen Elizabeth's Memories of VE Day Resurfaced for 80th Anniversary — Including Leaving the Palace Incognito
Queen Elizabeth's remarks about VE Day have resurfaced on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe The then-Princess Elizabeth was 19 at the time, and she and sister Princess Margaret went incognito to celebration in the streets of London The history-making monarch said she was "terrified" of being recognized remembered it as "one of the most memorable nights of my life"Queen Elizabeth had a historic life, but she once called the end of World War II in Europe "one of the most memorable nights of my life." As the British royal family gathered in London to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, their social media pages resurfaced the late Queen Elizabeth's recollections of the historic day. The then-princess was 19 when the war ended, and she reflected on celebrating on May 8, 1945, in a BBC recording from 1985. After waving to the crowds gathered in front of the balcony at Buckingham Palace 'every hour' with their father King George VI and their mother Queen Elizabeth, Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret, went incognito to mix in with the crowds and experience first-hand the joy of those celebrating throughout London. "Terrified" of being recognized, the royal recalled how she pulled her uniform cap down over her eyes — until a Grenadier Guards officer who was escorting her said he "refused to be seen in the company of another officer improperly dressed." Elizabeth recalled, "We cheered the King and Queen on the balcony and then walked miles through the street. I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief." The celebrations were "one of the most memorable nights of my life," she said. No photos from the outing are known to exist, but the future Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret's night out was reenacted in the sixth and final season of The Crown as flashback sequences. Actresses Viola Prettejohn and Beau Gadsdon portrayed the royal the 75th anniversary of VE Day in 2020, Queen Elizabeth gave a speech to lead the nation in remembrance. "At the start, the outlook seemed bleak, the end distant, the outcome uncertain. But we kept faith that the cause was right — and this belief, as my father noted in his broadcast, carried us through," the monarch said. "Never give up, never despair — that was the message of VE Day." King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Kate Middleton and other members of the royal family marked the 80th anniversary of VE Day on Thursday at a Service of Thanksgiving held at Westminster Abbey. The service began moments after 12 p.m. local time with two minutes of silent reflection to remember the sacrifices and heroism of the armed forces and the stoicism of ordinary people during World War II. The royals laid wreaths and flowers as well as met with some veterans in attendance at the event. Read the original article on People
Daily Mirror
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'My dad secretly danced with the Queen on VE Day'
A teenager who looked like a young Prince Philip had a secret dance with the Queen after she sneaked out of Buckingham Palace on VE Day A TEENAGE Prince Philip lookalike secretly danced with the Queen as she mingled with crowds on VE Day - but nobody believed him. In what has been described as a 'Cinderella in reverse' moment, Princesses Elizabeth was given permission by their dad King George VI to leave Buckingham Palace in secret and join the celebrations. She'd made appearances on the balcony with the family but along with her sister Princess Margaret, the pair were allowed to quietly slip away flanked by a party of 16, including many Grenadier Guards. That was when Ronald Thomas, aged 15, a blond, good looking working class lad from the Rhondda Valley in Wales, literally bumped into the princess and their 'eyes locked'. His step daughter, Joanne Kavakeb, 60, from Welwyn, explained how her late dad had moved to live with his aunt and uncle in Harrow, as his mother had consumption during World War II. He had been working hard as a teenager, clearing the bomb debris with wheelbarrows in the capital. When the war finished he got on a bus with a pal to join the party in Trafalgar Square. He eventually followed the crowds down Whitehall when he had a brief encounter with royalty. 'As a child he mentioned, very coyly, that he'd danced with the Queen,' Jo recalled. 'But he was a bit ashamed to mention it before because he'd been ridiculed. He rarely talked about it, just once or twice in his lifetime because he'd mentioned it at work in his 20s and people just mocked him and laughed at him, saying 'that's not true'. 'And he also didn't talk about it much because he told the Queen at the time that it was a secret and he was going to keep that secret.' He did however share his story with his close family, explaining how on VE Day he took the bus to the city and had the 'time of his life' and even danced with the future Queen on Whitehall. Ronald, she said, was over 6ft tall at the time and 'extremely handsome' with blond hair and a chiselled jaw. 'His resemblance to Prince Philip is remarkable. If she had a type he was her type. He looked very similar to Prince Philip, with blond parted hair and he had similar facial features, his nose and eyes. 'She'd obviously seen this handsome young man and thought; 'Oh, he's just my sort!' Describing his close encounter with royalty, he told his family: 'There she was and we locked eyes and I said to her; 'Ooh I know you don't I?' And she said; 'No, no, no, no, you don't'. But the teen stood his ground and said: 'Oh, I do. You're Princess Elizabeth' and the Princess, who was 18 at the time, replied; 'Well don't tell anyone, it's a secret!'. 'She had her green ATF uniform on and her cap was tucked down quite low over her face in an attempt at a disguise. They locked eyes and did this little dance together,' Jo said. 'They had this little turn around little dance and she was whisked away by a group of minders who were with her. He was like 'that was fun'. He was only 15 at the time. ' The family admit they had their doubts until the Queen herself spoke about that day then a film came out about it in 2015 and 'everything fell into place'. The Queen told the BBC in 1985: "I think we went on the balcony nearly every hour, six times. And then when the excitement of the floodlights being switched on got through to us, my sister and I realized that we couldn't see what the crowds were enjoying so we asked my parents if we could go out and see for ourselves." To blend in with the crowds, the future Queen wore her Auxiliary Transport Service (ATS) uniform, as she'd served as a driver and mechanic. "We cheered the King and Queen on the balcony and then walked miles through the street. I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief,' she said. Queen Elizabeth added that she and her sister Margaret were "terrified of being recognised, so I pulled my uniform cap well down over my eyes. A Grenadier officer among our party of about 16 people said he refused to be seen in the company of another officer improperly dressed. So I had to put my cap on normally." Among their secret party was Jean Woodroffe, who became a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth and Margaret Rhodes, their first cousin. Later Margaret Rhodes said of that evening, "It was like a wonderful escape for the girls. I don't think they'd ever been out among millions of people. It was just freedom – to be an ordinary person." And Margaret's daughter, Victoria Pryor, previously told Sky News: "Mummy said it was just the most thrilling, exciting night and she always referred to it as a Cinderella moment but in reverse for the two princesses. "They came out and everyone was shouting for the King and Queen to come out on the balcony. To see their parents on the balcony from this position with the ordinary people in the street must have been absolutely extraordinary." The group ended up at the Ritz Hotel in Piccadilly that evening doing the conga. Queen Elizabeth recalled later; "after crossing Green Park we stood outside and shouted, 'We want the King' and were successful in seeing my parents on the balcony, having cheated slightly because we sent a message into the house to say we were waiting outside. I think it was one of the most memorable nights of my life." Ronald's step daughter Jo added the Queen's secret trip had not been made public when her step dad told them about it. 'It was all true and at least he was vindicated and it was really nice that his story was authenticated. From then on he adored the Queen,' she said. His grandson Dominic, 38, said his grandfather was a staunch royalist and would stand when the National Anthem came on.H e explained how his grandad, who died during Covid, had started talking about it more near the end. He said: 'It was family folklore really and then during the end of his life it was the kind of thing he brought up a couple of times.' After the film a 'Right Royal Night Out' came out, Dominic said he knew the mum of the actor in the film and messaged her, who invited them to go to the West End premiere. From then on his grandad was less 'bashful' about his dance with the Queen. After the war he joined the Territorial Army (TA) which reformed after the war serving in the parachute regiment. He ended up moving to Canada and was a miner as a young man, ending up working in his local cinema back in the UK. Dominic added: 'He loved and admired the Queen. She would not have been able to do it these days with TikTok around and everyone with a camera.' VE Day: 80th Anniversary Magazine Specials To commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we bring you two special special collector's magazines that look back at events that led to the end of World War II in Europe and marked a new era. In the VE Day 80: Anniversary Collector's Edition we share photographs from the street parties that were held all over Britain, while esteemed author and journalist Paul Routledge paints a picture of how the day was bittersweet, mixed with jubilation and hope for the future, as well as sadness and regret for the past. Routledge also recounts the key events of the Second World War, including Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain and Pearl Harbour. The magazine costs £9.99. Also available is World War Two - A History in 50 Photographs, a definitive pictorial account of the war. Carefully chosen from hundreds of thousands of images, this commemorative magazine shares 50 exceptional photographs - including many rarely seen shots - that capture the devastating moments, horror, hope and eventual triumph of World War Two. The magazine costs £6.99.
