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Robert Fellowes, Baron Fellowes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the actor and writer, see Julian Fellowes.

The Right Honourable
The Lord Fellowes
GCB GCVO QSO PC
Private Secretary to the Sovereign
In office
19 October 1990 – 4 February 1999
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded bySir William Heseltine
Succeeded bySir Robin Janvrin
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
In office
12 July 1999 – 10 February 2022
Life Peerage
Personal details
Born(1941-12-11)11 December 1941
Sandringham, Norfolk, England
Died29 July 2024(2024-07-29) (aged 82)
Norfolk, England
Spouse
​
(m. 1978)​
Children3
RelativesDiana, Princess of Wales (sister-in-law)
Ronald Ferguson (first cousin)
Alma materEton College

Robert Fellowes, Baron Fellowes, GCB, GCVO, QSO, PC (11 December 1941 – 29 July 2024) was a British courtier who was Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II from 1990 to 1999, and was also known as a brother-in-law of Diana, Princess of Wales and maternal first cousin of Ronald Ferguson, the father of Sarah, Duchess of York.

Family background

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Fellowes was the son of Scots Guards Major Sir William Fellowes, the Queen's land agent at Sandringham, and of his wife Jane Charlotte Ferguson, daughter of Brigadier-General Algernon Francis Holford Ferguson (great-grandfather of Sarah, Duchess of York). The Fellowes of Shotesham in Norfolk are an old country family, junior branch to the Lords De Ramsey (senior branch).[1]

Fellowes married Lady Jane Spencer, elder sister of Diana, Princess of Wales, on 20 April 1978 at Westminster Abbey, when he was an assistant private secretary to the Queen. Diana (who married Charles, Prince of Wales in 1981) was a bridesmaid. Lord Fellowes had three children and five grandchildren:[1]

  • The Honourable Laura Jane Fellowes (19 July 1980); married Nicholas Peter Pettman on 30 May 2009. The couple have three children.
  • The Honourable Alexander Robert Fellowes (23 March 1983); married Alexandra Finlay on 20 September 2013. They have two children:
    • Robert George Fellowes (10 April 2015)
    • Rose Jane Fellowes (10 August 2016)
  • The Honourable Eleanor Ruth Fellowes (20 August 1985)

Early career

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Fellowes played cricket for Norfolk in the 1959 Minor Counties Championship,[2] making one appearance each against Buckinghamshire and the Nottinghamshire Second XI.[3] Fellowes was educated at Eton College and joined the Scots Guards in 1960 on a short service commission.[citation needed] After completion of service in 1963 he entered the banking industry, working for Allen Harvey and Ross Ltd, discount brokers and bankers, 1964–77. He was a managing director from 1968.[citation needed]

Royal service

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In 1977, Fellowes was recruited to join the Royal Household as Assistant Private Secretary. He spent the next 20 years in the Private Secretary's Office, becoming Deputy in 1986, and Private Secretary in 1990.[4][5][6]

Fellowes left his position in February 1999 to return to private banking, his retirement having been announced implicitly on 1 June 1998 when his successor Robin Janvrin was named. He was created a life peer on 12 July 1999 taking the title Baron Fellowes, of Shotesham in the County of Norfolk[7][8] in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.[9] He sat as a crossbench peer until his retirement on 10 February 2022.[10]

Lord Fellowes was introduced to the House of Lords and took his seat formally on 26 October 1999. Lord Fellowes remained technically a member of the Royal Household,[11] having been appointed an Extra Equerry to the Queen following his retirement.[12]

Death

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Fellowes died in Norfolk on 29 July 2024, at the age of 82.[13][14]

Honours and legacy

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Fellowes was made a Privy Counsellor (PC) in 1990.[citation needed]

He served as Secretary and Registrar of the Order of Merit from 2003 to 2022.[15] He remained an Extra Equerry to the Queen until her death in 2022.[16]

Fellowes is portrayed by actor Andrew Havill in seasons 5 and 6 of The Crown.[17]

Arms

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Coat of arms of Robert Fellowes, Baron Fellowes
Coronet
Coronet of a Baron
Crest
A Lion's Head erased Or, murally crowned Argent, charged on the neck with a Fess dancettée Ermine.
Escutcheon
Azure, a Fess indented Ermine, between three Lions' Heads erased Or, murally crowned Argent.
Orders
Order of the Bath circlet (Appointed CB 1987; KCB 1991; GCB 1998)

Royal Victorian Order (Appointed LVO 1983; KCVO 1989; GCVO 1996) Queen's Service Order (Appointed 1999) [citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 1406. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
  2. ^ "Player profile: Robert Fellowes". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 4 August 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  3. ^ "Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Robert Fellowes". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  4. ^ Tomlinson, Richard (20 December 1992). "They also serve, who only ush". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  5. ^ "The Gazette, 19 October 1990" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 February 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  6. ^ [The Times, London, 5 February 1999]
  7. ^ "No. 55555". The London Gazette. 16 July 1999. p. 7715.
  8. ^ House of Lords (26 October 1999). "Announcement of his introduction at the House of Lords". Minutes of proceedings. Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2006.
  9. ^ House of Lords (13 October 1999). "House of Lords: Membership". Publications & records. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  10. ^ "Lord Fellowes". members.parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  11. ^ House of Lords (13 October 1999). "Select Committee on Constitution Fourth Report: APPENDIX 1". Publications & records. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  12. ^ Court Circular, Buckingham Palace, 24 March 2003 Archived 14 June 2024 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ "Lord Fellowes obituary: Queen Elizabeth's private secretary and brother-in-law of Diana". The Times. 31 July 2024. Archived from the original on 30 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Robert Fellowes". The Times. 1 August 2024. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Court Circular, 8 May 2003 and 8 May 2022". The Royal Family. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  16. ^ "Court Circular, 28 February 2018". The Royal Family. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  17. ^ "James Murray to play Prince Andrew in the Crown". MSN. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
[edit]
Court offices
Preceded by Private Secretary to the Sovereign
1990–1999 		Succeeded by
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