Alastair Aird
Encyclopedia
Captain Sir Alastair Sturgis Aird, GCVO
(born 14 January 1931 – 30 September 2009) was a British
royal courtier.
Aird was the second son of Malcolm Aird (himself a grandson of Sir John Aird, 1st Baronet
) and his wife Joan née Sturgis. He was educated at Eton
and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
and joined The 9th Queen's Royal Lancers
as a Captain
in 1951.
From 1960–64, he was a Temporary Equerry
to the Queen Mother
and then her Assistant Private Secretary and Extra Equerry from 1964–73, Comptroller from 1974–2002 and Private Secretary and Equerry from 1993–2002. After Queen Elizabeth's death in 2002, Sir Alastair was made an Extra Equerry to The Queen
in 2003.
On 22 July 1963, he married Fiona Myddelton, LVO who was an Extra Lady-in-Waiting
to Princess Margaret
from 1960–2002. The couple lived in Dorset
and had two daughters.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(born 14 January 1931 – 30 September 2009) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
royal courtier.
Aird was the second son of Malcolm Aird (himself a grandson of Sir John Aird, 1st Baronet
John Aird (engineer)
Sir John Aird, 1st Baronet was a notable English civil engineering contractor of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is the Great Grandfather of Ollie Parkes...
) and his wife Joan née Sturgis. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
and joined The 9th Queen's Royal Lancers
9th Queen's Royal Lancers
The 9th Queen's Royal Lancers, or the Delhi Spearmen, were a cavalry regiment of the British Army. They are best known for their roles in the Indian mutiny of 1857 and for their part in the North African campaign of World War II including the retreat to and the battle of El Alamein in 1942.-Early...
as a Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in 1951.
From 1960–64, he was a Temporary Equerry
Equerry
An equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
to the Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
and then her Assistant Private Secretary and Extra Equerry from 1964–73, Comptroller from 1974–2002 and Private Secretary and Equerry from 1993–2002. After Queen Elizabeth's death in 2002, Sir Alastair was made an Extra Equerry to The Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in 2003.
On 22 July 1963, he married Fiona Myddelton, LVO who was an Extra Lady-in-Waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
to Princess Margaret
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of King George VI....
from 1960–2002. The couple lived in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
and had two daughters.
External links
- Sir Alastair Aird - Daily Telegraph obituary