William Heseltine
Encyclopedia
Sir William Frederick Payne Heseltine, GCB, GCVO, AC, QSO
(born 30 July 1930) was Private Secretary
to Queen Elizabeth II from 1986 to 1990.
He is the son of H. W. Heseltine, a primary school master in East Fremantle
, Western Australia
. He was educated at Richmond Primary School, Christ Church Grammar School, Claremont, Western Australia
, and the University of Western Australia
, where he received a 1st class BA (Hons) in history.
Heseltine joined the Prime Minister's Department (Australia
) in 1951, where he remained until 1962. He was Private Secretary to Sir Robert Menzies
, Prime Minister
, 1955–1959, and Acting Official Secretary
to Viscount De L'Isle
, Governor-General
, May to August 1962. In 1960-1961 he was temporary Assistant Press Secretary to the Queen.
From 1962-1964 he was Assistant Federal Director of the Liberal Party of Australia
, and in 1964 was attached to The Age
(Melbourne
). In the same year he was attached to Princess Marina for her tour of Australia.
Heseltine joined the Press Office
of the Royal Household
as Assistant Press Secretary to the Queen in 1965-1967. He was Press Secretary 1968-1972.
In 1972 Heseltine was moved to the Private Secretary's Office proper, becoming Assistant Private Secretary. In 1977 he was promoted to Deputy Private Secretary, and in April 1986 to Private Secretary to the Sovereign
, and Keeper of the Queen's Archives
. He retired in October 1990.
He was appointed an Extra Equerry
while Deputy Private Secretary to the Queen.
He has been a company director from 1991, including chairman of NZI Insurance Australia Ltd 1992 (deputy 1991-1992); director of NZI Insurance New Zealand 1996; P&O Australia Ltd 1990-; and West Coast Telecasters Ltd 1991-1996.
On leaving Royal service, Sir William retired to the historic town of York
in his native Western Australia.
Queen's Service Order
The Queen's Service Order was established by Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, awarded by the government of New Zealand "for valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or...
(born 30 July 1930) was Private Secretary
Private Secretary to the Sovereign
The Private Secretary to the Sovereign is the senior operational member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, as distinct from the Great Officers of the Household. The Private Secretary is the principal channel of communication with Her Majesty's Government and the...
to Queen Elizabeth II from 1986 to 1990.
He is the son of H. W. Heseltine, a primary school master in East Fremantle
East Fremantle, Western Australia
The Town of East Fremantle is a Local Government Area in the southern suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth, located immediately northeast of the port city of Fremantle and about southwest of Perth's central business district...
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. He was educated at Richmond Primary School, Christ Church Grammar School, Claremont, Western Australia
Claremont, Western Australia
Claremont is a western suburb of Perth, Western Australia on the north bank of the Swan River.-History:Prior to European settlement, the Noongar people used the area as a source of water, for fishing and for catching waterfowl. In 1830, John Butler, a settler, set up an inn at Freshwater Bay to...
, and the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
, where he received a 1st class BA (Hons) in history.
Heseltine joined the Prime Minister's Department (Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) in 1951, where he remained until 1962. He was Private Secretary to Sir Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
, Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
, 1955–1959, and Acting Official Secretary
Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia
The Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia and his staff provide governors-general with the necessary support to enable them to carry out their constitutional, statutory, ceremonial and public duties. The position of Official Secretary was established in 1901, although only...
to Viscount De L'Isle
Viscount De L'Isle
Viscount De L'Isle, of Penshurst in the County of Kent, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1956 for William Sidney, 6th Baron de L'Isle and Dudley...
, Governor-General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
, May to August 1962. In 1960-1961 he was temporary Assistant Press Secretary to the Queen.
From 1962-1964 he was Assistant Federal Director of the Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, and in 1964 was attached to The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
(Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
). In the same year he was attached to Princess Marina for her tour of Australia.
Heseltine joined the Press Office
Press Office (Royal Household)
The Press Office is part of the Private Secretary's Office of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom.The head of the Press Office is the Communications and Press Secretary...
of the Royal Household
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
as Assistant Press Secretary to the Queen in 1965-1967. He was Press Secretary 1968-1972.
In 1972 Heseltine was moved to the Private Secretary's Office proper, becoming Assistant Private Secretary. In 1977 he was promoted to Deputy Private Secretary, and in April 1986 to Private Secretary to the Sovereign
Private Secretary to the Sovereign
The Private Secretary to the Sovereign is the senior operational member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, as distinct from the Great Officers of the Household. The Private Secretary is the principal channel of communication with Her Majesty's Government and the...
, and Keeper of the Queen's Archives
Royal Archives
The Royal Archives, also known as the Queen's Archives, are a division of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It is operationally under the control of the Keeper of the Royal Archives, who is customarily the Private Secretary to the Sovereign.Although Sovereigns have kept...
. He retired in October 1990.
He was appointed an Extra 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...
while Deputy Private Secretary to the Queen.
He has been a company director from 1991, including chairman of NZI Insurance Australia Ltd 1992 (deputy 1991-1992); director of NZI Insurance New Zealand 1996; P&O Australia Ltd 1990-; and West Coast Telecasters Ltd 1991-1996.
Honours
- Royal Victorian OrderRoyal Victorian OrderThe 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...
:- Member of the Royal Victorian Order, 1961 (MVO)
- Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, 1969 (CVO)
- Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, 1982 (KCVO)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, 1990 (GCVO)
- Order of the BathOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
:- Companion of the Order of the Bath, 1977 (CB)
- Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, 1986 (KCB)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, 1990 (GCB)
- Privy CounsellorPrivy Council of the United KingdomHer Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
, 1986 (PC)
- Companion of the Order of AustraliaOrder of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, 1988 (AC)
- Queen's Service OrderQueen's Service OrderThe Queen's Service Order was established by Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, awarded by the government of New Zealand "for valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or...
, 1990 (QSO)
- Honorary Doctorate, Murdoch UniversityMurdoch UniversityMurdoch University is a public university based in Perth, Australia. It began operations as the state's second university in 1973, and accepted its first students in 1975...
, 1992.
On leaving Royal service, Sir William retired to the historic town of York
York, Western Australia
York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia, situated 97 km east of Perth in the Avon Valley near Northam, and is the seat of the Shire of York...
in his native Western Australia.