Antony Acland

Antony Acland is the second son of Brigadier Peter Acland. He was educated at Eton College, then in 1948 joined the Royal Artillery with a post-war "emergency commission".[1] 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).[2]

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 1962–66, then at Geneva 1966–68. Back at the 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[3] 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.'[4]

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.[5]

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.[6]

Acland was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1976 New Year Honours[7] and made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in November of that year after Queen Elizabeth's state visit to Luxembourg,[8] after which he was styled "Sir Anthony Acland". He was given the additional knighthood of Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1982 Birthday Honours[9] and promoted to Knight Grand Cross of that same order in the 1986 Birthday Honours[10] and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order in the 1991 Birthday Honours.[11] He was Chancellor of the between 1994 and 2005.[12] In 2001 he was given the rare honour of appointment as a Knight of the Order of the Garter.[13]

In 1956 Acland married Clare Anne Verdon; they had two sons and a daughter, including Simon Acland. She died in 1984 and in 1987 he married Jennifer McGougan.

Coat of arms of Antony Acland 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.[14][15][16] Banner The banner of Sir Antony Acland's arms used as knight of the Garter depicted at St George's Chapel.

• ACLAND, Sir Antony (Arthur), Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, 2014 (online edition, Oxford University Press, 2014)
• Sir Antony Acland interviewed by Liz Cox on Monday 23 April 2001, British Diplomatic Oral History Programme (BDOHP), Churchill College, Cambridge