Richard Luce, Baron Luce

For the surgeon, army general and politician born in 1867, see Richard Luce (surgeon).
The Right Honourable
The Lord Luce
KG GCVO PC DL
Born Richard Napier Luce
October 14, 1936
Westminster
Alma mater Christ's College, Cambridge
Title Baron Luce
Children The Hon. Alexander Luce
The Hon. Edward Luce
Parent(s) William Luce
Margaret Napier

Richard Napier Luce, Baron Luce, KG, GCVO, PC, DL (born 14 October 1936) was Lord Chamberlain to HM The Queen from 2000 to 2006, and has been Governor of Gibraltar, a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) and Government Minister.

Early career

Born in Westminster, Luce was educated at Wellington College, and Christ's College, Cambridge. He completed National Service in Cyprus 1955–57. He then briefly joined the Overseas Civil Service, first as a district officer in Kenya, 1960–62. He then worked for Gallaher Ltd as a brand manager (1963–65), before becoming marketing manager for the Spirella Company of Great Britain. In 1968–71 he was director of the National Innovation Centre.

From 1972 to 1979, he was Chairman of IFA Consultants Ltd, he was also chair of Selenex Ltd (1973–79), and of Courtenay Stewart International (1975–79).

Political career

After unsuccessfully contesting Hitchin against Labour's Shirley Williams in 1970, Luce was first elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament (MP) for Arundel and Shoreham in a by-election in 1971. When that constituency was abolished in boundary changes for the February 1974 general election, he was returned for the new Shoreham constituency. He retired from the Commons at the 1992 general election.

Luce was appointed the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of Trade and Consumer Affairs in 1972. After the Conservative Party lost the February 1974 general election, he became an Opposition whip.

When the Conservatives returned to power at the 1979 general election, he became Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In 1981, he was promoted to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs within the same department. In 1982, he followed his Secretary of State, Lord Carrington, in resigning over Argentina's invasion of the Falkland Islands.[1] He returned to office in 1983, again as a Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In 1985, he was moved to the Privy Council Office as Minister for the Arts and Minister for the Civil Service, which was his last ministerial office. He resigned in 1990.

Luce was knighted in 1991, and was made a Privy Counsellor in 1986.

After the Commons

Luce was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham[2] between 1992 and 1996. In 1997, he was appointed Governor of Gibraltar,[2] an office he held until 2000,[3] when he was created a Life Peer[2] as Baron Luce, of Adur in the County of West Sussex. In 2000 he was invested as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) and became Lord Chamberlain in HM The Queen's Royal Household.[4]

Lord Luce relinquished the post of Lord Chamberlain on 11 October 2006. He was succeeded by the Rt Hon. The Earl Peel. The Lord Chamberlain is the Head of the Royal Household.

Lord Luce was created a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter (KG) on 22 April 2008. The Order of the Garter is the highest Order of Chivalry in the United Kingdom and is in the personal bestowal of HM The Queen. The membership of the Order of the Garter is limited to 24 at any one time, and this number excludes the British Royal Family and foreign royal families who are members. The Order currently includes one former British Prime Minister, Sir John Major, as well as numerous British government ministers and senior members of the Royal Household.

On 26 April 2012 Lord Luce was appointed by David Cameron, the Prime Minister, as the Chair of the Crown Nominations Commission for the See of Canterbury, the commission set up to nominate the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury.[5]

Lord Luce is President of the Voluntary Arts Network and The Royal Over-Seas League and is High Steward of Westminster Abbey

In popular culture

Lord Luce was portrayed by Jonathan Coy in the 2002 BBC production of Ian Curteis's controversial The Falklands Play. He has also written 'Ringing the Changes, A Memoir' published by Michael Russell.

Family

His father was Sir William Luce, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Aden, Political Resident in the Gulf and Special Representative to the Foreign Secretary (Lord Home) for Gulf Affairs. Luce has two sons, Alexander and Edward. His sister Diana is married to retired Royal Navy Captain David Hart Dyke.

Styles and titles

Arms

Arms of Richard Luce, Baron Luce
Notes
Knight since 1991
Coronet
A coronet of a Baron
Crest
Upon a helm with a wreath of Or and Gules, within a circlet of Plumbago Flowers a Mute Swan naiant proper, gorged with a Chain pendant thereform a Portcullis Or.
Torse
Mantling Or and Gules.
Escutcheon
Gules, two lucies naiant in pale Or, and on a chief Or, a key fesswise the wards to the dexter Gules, between two martlets Sable.
Motto
FIAT LUX
Latin: Come light
Other elements
Order of the Garter circlet bearing the inscription HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE[6]

References

  1. ↑ "By hook or by crook". The Jerusalem Post. 16 July 2004. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Albany: Rock solid". The Sunday Telegraph. 12 January 1997. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
  3. ↑ "Diplomat is new aide to Queen". Birmingham Evening Mail. 16 August 2000. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
  4. ↑ "Dome critic is Queen's man". Daily Record. 16 August 2000. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
  5. ↑ "See of Canterbury Appointment". Number10.gov.uk. 2012-04-26. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
  6. ↑ The Friends of St. George's & Descendants of the Knights of the Garter Annual Review 2007/08 VIII, 2008, p. 479

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Henry Kerby		 Member of Parliament for Arundel and Shoreham
1971 – Feb 1974 		Constituency abolished
New constituency Member of Parliament for Shoreham
Feb 1974 – 1992 		Succeeded by
Michael Stephen
Political offices
Preceded by
Grey Gowrie		 Minister for the Arts
1985–1990 		Succeeded by
David Mellor
Government offices
Preceded by
Sir Hugo White		 Governor of Gibraltar
1997 – 2000 		Succeeded by
Sir David Durie
Honorary titles
Preceded by
The Rt Hon. The Lord Camoys		 Lord Chamberlain
2000–2006 		Succeeded by
The Rt Hon. The Earl Peel