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Edward Young, Baron Young of Old Windsor

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The Right Honourable
Edward Young
GCB GCVO PC
Private Secretary to the Sovereign
In office
17 October 2017 – 15 May 2023
Serving with Sir Clive Alderton (2022–2023)
MonarchsElizabeth II
Charles III
Preceded byThe Lord Geidt
Succeeded bySir Clive Alderton
Deputy Private Secretary to the Sovereign
In office
8 September 2007 – 17 October 2017
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded byChristopher Geidt
Succeeded byTom Laing-Baker (performing the duties of)
Personal details
Born (1966-10-24) 24 October 1966 (age 57)
NationalityBritish

Sir Edward Young GCB GCVO PC (born 24 October 1966) is a retired British courtier who served as the Private Secretary to the Sovereign from 2017 to 2023. As private secretary, he was the senior operational member of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom. Young was recruited to the Royal Household in 2004, serving as Queen Elizabeth II's Assistant and then Deputy Private Secretary until his promotion to Private Secretary in 2017. After the death of the Queen in 2022, Young served as joint principal private secretary to King Charles III until he stepped down in May 2023.

Early career

Young worked for the international side of Barclays 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.[1]

From late 1999 to 2001, he was advisor to the Conservative Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Michael Portillo, and then to the party's Leader of the Opposition, William Hague.[2] In 2001, Young was appointed Head of Communications at Granada plc, working primarily on the merger with Carlton Communications to form ITV PLC in 2004.[1][3]

Royal Household

Assistant and Deputy Private Secretary, 2004–2017

Young began as the Assistant Private Secretary to the Queen in September 2004.[4] He was promoted to Deputy Private Secretary in September 2007 after the promotion of Christopher Geidt from Deputy Private Secretary to Private Secretary, on the retirement of Sir Robin Janvrin, Private Secretary from 1997 to 2007.[5][2]

As Deputy Private Secretary he played a key role in the planning of the 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 the Irish 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 the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, which took place the following year.[8] It was Young who persuaded the Queen to take part in the famous James Bond helicopter sketch for the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.[10]

Private Secretary, 2017–2023

Young became Private Secretary in 2017, on Geidt's retirement. As Private Secretary, Young also served as Keeper of the Royal Archives and a Trustee of the Royal Collection Trust.

As head of the Private Secretary's Office, Young has direct control over the Press Office, the office of the Director for Security Liaison, the research, correspondence, anniversaries and records offices, and the Royal Archives.

As Private Secretary, Young was a member of the so-called 'golden triangle' of senior British officials – the others being the Cabinet Secretary and the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister – with key responsibilities in the event of a hung parliament in the United Kingdom.[11]

On 11 March 2021, The Times reported that royal historian Robert Lacey stated that Young had a share of the responsibility for the so-called Megxit royal crisis after the Oprah with Meghan and Harry U.S. CBS television interview. Lacey charged that Young "should have sat down with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and explained precisely" her "relatively minor ranking" after her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018.[12][13]

Young took part in the Royal procession at the 2023 Coronation.[14]

Retirement

On 15 May 2023, Buckingham Palace announced that Lord Young was retiring after 19 years of service to the Royal Family.[15]

Following his retirement as private secretary to the sovereign, Young was granted a peerage, made a lord-in-waiting, and appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath and a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.[16][17]

Personal life

Edward Young was born on 24 October 1966 to Dr Edward Young and Sally Rougier Young. He was educated as a boarder at Reading School in Berkshire.[2]

Young married in 2003 and has one daughter.[2]

Honours and awards

Young was appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) in the 2010 Birthday Honours, Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 2015 Birthday Honours, and Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in the 2020 New Year Honours.[18][19]Upon leaving his position, The King appointed Young a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) and a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO). Young was also granted a peerage and made a Lord-in-Waiting.[20][16]

On 11 October 2017, Young was sworn of the Privy Council.[21]

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) 2023 Special Honours[16]
Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) 2023 Special Honours[16]
Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) 2020 New Year Honours[18]
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) 2015 Birthday Honours
Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) 2010 Birthday Honours[22]
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal [23]
Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal [23]
King Charles III Coronation Medal

References

  1. ^ a b "UK Government: Assistant Private Secretary to HM The Queen appointed". M2 Presswire. 27 July 2004.
  2. ^ a b c d "Young, Rt Hon. Sir Edward, (born 24 Oct. 1966), PC 2017; Private Secretary to the Queen and Keeper of the Queen's Archives, since 2017". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u70865. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  3. ^ Buckingham Palace press release, 2004
  4. ^ Elston, Laura. "Queen Appoints New Aide". PA Regional Newswire. 24 July 2007.
  5. ^ Fisher, Connie (24 July 2007). "New Assistant Private Secretary to The Queen". The Royal Family. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  6. ^ "The Queen in Ireland: Dublin Castle speech in full".
  7. ^ Hand, Lise (18 May 2011). "A modest delegation to deal with the visit's details". Irish Independent. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  8. ^ a b Bates, Stephen (3 June 2011). "Derby victory for Carlton House could crown Queen's winning run". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  9. ^ "Hats off, Ma'am! The Queen in Ireland. The inside story of a diplomatic coup". The Independent. London. 22 May 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  10. ^ {{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9642396/London-2012-Olympics-Princes-delight-at-Bond-girl-Queen.html
  11. ^ Nicholas, Watt (16 March 1997). "Men of the 'golden triangle' who pull the election strings". The Independent. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  12. ^ Low, Valentine (11 March 2021). "Sir Edward Young blamed for 'failing to find right role for Meghan'". The Times. London. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  13. ^ "King's aide Sir Edward Young steps down after 19 years". The Times. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  15. ^ "King's aide Sir Edward Young steps down after 19 years". The Times. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  16. ^ a b c d "Royal aide who served late Queen and King awarded peerage as he steps down". The Herald. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  17. ^ "Announcement of peerage". gov.uk. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  18. ^ a b "No. 62866". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 2019. p. N4.
  19. ^ "Queen's private secretary made Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order". shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  20. ^ Rebecca English [@RE_DailyMail] (15 May 2023). "Sir Edward Young retires" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  21. ^ "Court Circular, 11 October 2017".
  22. ^ "No. 59446". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 2010. p. 3.
  23. ^ a b "Queen's aide who clashed with Harry steps down after 19 years of service". express.co.uk. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
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 		Succeeded by
Vacant
Preceded by Private Secretary to the Sovereign
2017–2023 		Succeeded by
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