Edward Young, Baron Young of Old Windsor,GCB,GCVO,PC (born 24 October 1966) is a British courtier who served asPrivate Secretary to the Sovereign from 2017 to 2023. In this role, he was the senior operational member of theRoyal Households of the United Kingdom. As chief adviser to the Sovereign, he oversaw the transition from QueenElizabeth II to KingCharles III. Young was recruited to the Royal Household in 2004, serving as Queen Elizabeth II's assistant and then as deputy private secretary until his promotion to private secretary in 2017. After thedeath of Elizabeth II in 2022, Young served as joint principal private secretary to King Charles III until he stepped down in May 2023.
The Lord Young of Old Windsor | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Private Secretary to the Sovereign | |
| In office 17 October 2017 – 23 May 2023 Serving with SirClive Alderton (2022–2023) | |
| Monarchs | Elizabeth II Charles III |
| Preceded by | Christopher Geidt |
| Succeeded by | SirClive Alderton |
| Deputy Private Secretary to the Sovereign | |
| In office 8 September 2007 – 17 October 2017 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | Christopher Geidt |
| Succeeded by | Tom Laing-Baker (performing the duties of) |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
| Assumed office 13 June 2023 Life peerage | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1966-10-24)24 October 1966 (age 58) |
| Political party | None (crossbencher) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Reading School |
Early life and career
editYoung was born on 24 October 1966 to Edward Young and Sally Rougier Young. He was educated atReading School in Berkshire, where he was a boarder.[1]
Young worked for the international side ofBarclays Bank between 1985 and 1997, where he held a range of executive roles including as a specialist in international trade finance and as manager for the Corporate Bank European Currency Programme. In 1997, he moved to Barclays' Head Office to become the bank's Deputy Head of Corporate Public Relations.[2]
From late 1999 to 2001, he was an advisor toMichael Portillo, theConservative Party'sshadow chancellor of the Exchequer, and then to the party'sLeader of the Opposition,William Hague.[1] In 2001, Young was appointed Head of Communications atGranada plc, working primarily on the merger withCarlton Communications to formITV plc in 2004.[2][3]
Royal Household
editAssistant and Deputy Private Secretary (2004–2017)
editYoung became an assistant private secretary to QueenElizabeth II in September 2004.[4] He was promoted to Deputy Private Secretary in September 2007 after the promotion ofChristopher Geidt from Deputy Private Secretary to Private Secretary, on the retirement ofSir Robin Janvrin, Private Secretary from 1997 to 2007.[5][1]
As Deputy Private Secretary he played a key role in the planning ofthe Queen's visit to the Republic of Ireland in 2011. He is credited with assisting the Queen in writing the highly praised speech, which she began with a few words in theIrish language.[6] The Queen's visit was hailed as a diplomatic triumph that improved Anglo-Irish relations.[7][8][9]
Young led the national planning of theDiamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, which took place in 2012.[8] He persuaded Elizabeth to take part in theJames Bond helicopter sketch in theopening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[10]
Private Secretary (2017–2023)
editYoung became Private Secretary in 2017, on Geidt's retirement. As Private Secretary, Young also served asKeeper of the Royal Archives and a Trustee of theRoyal Collection Trust.
As head of the Private Secretary's Office, Young had direct control over thePress Office, the office of theDirector for Security Liaison, the research, correspondence, anniversaries and records offices, and theRoyal Archives.
As Private Secretary, Young was a member of the so-called 'golden triangle' of senior British officials – the others being theCabinet Secretary and thePrincipal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister – with key responsibilities in the event of ahung parliament in the United Kingdom.[11]
Harry and Meghan
editIn Prince Harry's memoirSpare, Young is given the nickname 'the Bee'. Harry wrote: "The Bee was oval-faced and fuzzy and tended to glide around with great equanimity and poise ... He was so poised that people didn't fear him. Big mistake. Sometimes their last mistake."[12]
On 11 March 2021,The Times reported that royal historianRobert Lacey stated that Young had a share of the responsibility for the so-calledMegxit royal crisis after theOprah with Meghan and Harry U.S.CBS television interview. Lacey charged that Young "should have sat down withMeghan, Duchess of Sussex and explained precisely" her "relatively minor ranking" afterher marriage to Prince Harry in 2018.[13][14] However, others, including the Daily Telegraph's Gordon Rayner, have argued that Young was simply trying to 'save Prince Harry from himself'.[12]
Death of Queen Elizabeth II
editYoung was one of the last people to spend time with QueenElizabeth II before her death in September 2022. Elizabeth's final diary entry reportedly records a meeting with Young. "Edward came to see me."[15]
Young wrote that Queen Elizabeth II's final moments in Balmoral were "very peaceful" and without pain. It was Young who broke the news of Elizabeth's death to KingCharles III, informing him that he was King. Elizabeth left two private letters after she died, one addressed to Young, the other to Charles.[15][16]
Young took part in the royal procession at the2023 coronation.[17]
Career post-Palace
editOn 15 May 2023, Buckingham Palace announced that Young was retiring after 19 years of service to the Royal Family.[18]
Following his retirement as private secretary to the sovereign, Young was granted apeerage, made a permanentlord-in-waiting, and appointed aKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath and aKnight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.[19][20]
On 13 June 2023, Young was created alife peer asBaron Young of Old Windsor, ofOld Windsor in theRoyal County of Berkshire,[21] and was introduced to theHouse of Lords on 15 June.[22] He sits as acrossbencher[23] and made his maiden speech on 15 November 2023.[24]
In July 2024 Young was appointed as Senior Adviser toPictet, the Swiss multinational private bank and financial services company. He was also appointed as Global Chairman, Family Office Practice, forAPCO Worldwide. Young is a member of the House of Lords Finance Select Committee and of the UK National Public Services Honours Committee.[25]
Cultural depictions
editYoung was played byAlex Jennings in the 2024 three-part Amazon Prime dramaA Very Royal Scandal. The drama concludes with a stand-off between Young andPrince Andrew (played byMichael Sheen) following the disastrous BBCNewsnight interview of 2019. Young is depicted coldly informing the Duke that he must live with the consequences of his actions.[26]
Honours and awards
editYoung was appointedLieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) in the2010 Birthday Honours, and was promoted toCommander (CVO) in the2015 Birthday Honours, andKnight Commander (KCVO) in the2020 New Year Honours.[27][28] Upon his leaving office as Private Secretary to the Sovereign, King Charles III appointed Young aKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) and aKnight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO). Young was also granted a peerage and made a permanentlord-in-waiting.[29][19]
On 11 October 2017, Young was sworn of thePrivy Council.[30]
 | |||
 |  |  |  |
| Country | Date | Appointment | Ribbon | Post-nominal letters | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 12 June 2010 | Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order | | LVO | [31] Promoted to CVO in 2015 |
| 6 February 2012 | Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal | | |||
| 12 June 2015 | Commander of the Royal Victorian Order | | CVO | Promoted to KCVO in 2019 | |
| 27 December 2019 | Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order | KCVO | [27] Promoted to GCVO in 2023 | ||
| 6 February 2022 | Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal | | |||
| 15 May 2023 | Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order | | GCVO | [19][32] | |
| 15 May 2023 | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath | | GCB | [19][32] | |
| 6 May 2023 | King Charles III Coronation Medal | |
References
edit- ^abc"Young of Old Windsor".Who's Who. A & C Black. 2023.doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U70865.(Subscription orUK public library membership required.)
- ^ab"UK Government: Assistant Private Secretary to HM The Queen appointed". M2 Presswire. 27 July 2004.
- ^Buckingham Palace press release, 2004
- ^Elston, Laura. "Queen Appoints New Aide".PA Regional Newswire. 24 July 2007.
- ^Fisher, Connie (24 July 2007)."New Assistant Private Secretary to The Queen".The Royal Family. Retrieved23 December 2017.
- ^"The Queen in Ireland: Dublin Castle speech in full". 18 May 2011.
- ^Hand, Lise (18 May 2011)."A modest delegation to deal with the visit's details".Irish Independent. Retrieved18 May 2011.
- ^abBates, Stephen (3 June 2011)."Derby victory for Carlton House could crown Queen's winning run".The Guardian. London. Retrieved18 May 2011.
- ^"Hats off, Ma'am! The Queen in Ireland. The inside story of a diplomatic coup".The Independent. London. 22 May 2011. Retrieved18 May 2011.
- ^"London 2012 Olympics: Princes' delight at Bond girl Queen". The Telegraph. 30 October 2012. Retrieved18 May 2023.
- ^Nicholas, Watt (16 March 1997)."Men of the 'golden triangle' who pull the election strings".The Independent. Retrieved11 August 2019.
- ^abRayner, Gordon (11 January 2023)."what prince harry really owes to sir edward young simon case and sir clive alderton".The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved11 March 2024.
- ^Low, Valentine (11 March 2021)."Sir Edward Young blamed for 'failing to find right role for Meghan'".The Times. London. Retrieved11 March 2021.
- ^"King's aide Sir Edward Young steps down after 19 years".The Times. 15 May 2023. Retrieved15 May 2023.
- ^ab"Queen Elizabeth died peacefully and without pain, book says".BBC News. 13 January 2024. Retrieved6 November 2024.
- ^"What did Queen Elizabeth write in her final diary entry? How the late monarch was still updating her journal two days before her death".Tatler. 8 November 2024. Retrieved6 November 2024.
- ^"Coronation order of service in full".BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved6 May 2023.
- ^"King's aide Sir Edward Young steps down after 19 years".The Times. 15 May 2023. Retrieved15 May 2023.
- ^abcd"Royal aide who served late Queen and King awarded peerage as he steps down".The Herald. 15 May 2023. Retrieved15 May 2023.
- ^"Announcement of peerage".gov.uk. Retrieved18 May 2023.
- ^"No. 64081".The London Gazette. 16 June 2023. p. 11890.
- ^"Introduction: Lord Young of Old Windsor".Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 830. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Lords. 15 June 2023. col. 2095.
- ^"Lord Young of Old Windsor".UK Parliament. Parliamentary career. Retrieved13 June 2023.
- ^"Parliamentlive.tv".parliamentlive.tv. Retrieved30 November 2023.
- ^"www.parliament.uk".parliament.uk. Retrieved23 November 2024.
- ^Chauhan, Rupali (19 September 2024)."a very royal scandal ending explained".MEAWW.com. Retrieved23 November 2024.
- ^ab"No. 62866".The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 2019. p. N4.
- ^"Queen's private secretary made Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order".shropshirestar.com. 27 December 2019. Retrieved27 December 2019.
- ^Rebecca English [@RE_DailyMail] (15 May 2023)."Sir Edward Young retires" (Tweet) – viaTwitter.
- ^"Court Circular, 11 October 2017".
- ^"No. 59446".The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 2010. p. 3.
- ^ab"No. 64068".The London Gazette. 1 June 2023. p. 10814.
External links
edit- Profile at UK Parliament
| Court offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Assistant Private Secretary to the Sovereign 2004–2007 | Succeeded by Douglas King |
| Preceded by | Deputy Private Secretary to the Sovereign 2007–2017 | Vacant Title next held by John Sorabji |
| Preceded by | Private Secretary to the Sovereign 2017–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by | Gentlemen Baron Young of Old Windsor | Followed by |