Antony Acland

This article is about the diplomat. For the army officer, see Antony Guy Acland.

Sir Antony Acland KG GCMG GCVO
Acland in 1987
British Ambassador to the United States
In office 1986–1991
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher John Major
Preceded by	Sir Oliver Wright
Succeeded by	Sir Robin Renwick
Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
In office 1982–1986
Foreign Sec.	The Lord Carrington Francis Pym Sir Geoffrey Howe
Preceded by	Sir Michael Palliser
Succeeded by	The Lord Wright of Richmond
British Ambassador to Spain
In office 1977–1980
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	James Callaghan Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Sir Charles Wiggin
Succeeded by	Sir Richard Parsons
British Ambassador to Luxembourg
In office 1975–1977
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Harold Wilson James Callaghan
Preceded by	John Roper
Succeeded by	The Lord Wright of Richmond
Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary
In office 1972–1975
Foreign Sec.	Sir Alec Douglas-Home James Callaghan
Preceded by	John Graham
Succeeded by	Stephen Barrett
Personal details
Born	Anthony Arthur Acland (1930-03-12)12 March 1930
Died	8 September 2021(2021-09-08) (aged 91)
Nationality	British
Spouses	Clare Anne Verdon ​ ​ (m. 1956; died 1984)​ Jennifer McGougan ​ ​ (m. 1987)​
Children	3, including Simon
Parent	Peter Acland (father)
Education	Eton College
Alma mater	Christ Church, Oxford
Awards	Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter (2001) Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (1986) Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (1991)

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

Sources

• "Acland, Sir Antony (Arthur)". Who's Who. A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
• "Sir Antony Acland interviewed by Liz Cox on Monday 23 April 2001" (PDF). British Diplomatic Oral History Programme (BDOHP). Churchill College, Cambridge. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.