Malcolm Ross (courtier)

Sir Malcolm Ross

Lord Prior of St John
In office
1 September 2016 – 25 June 2019
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded byNeil Conn
Succeeded byMark Compton
Extra Equerry to the Queen
In office
1988–2019
MonarchElizabeth II
Master of the Household
to the Prince of Wales
In office
2006–2008
Preceded byKevin Knott
Succeeded byRichard Pattle
Comptroller
of the Lord Chamberlain's Office
In office
1991–2005
Preceded byGeorge Alston-Roberts-West
Succeeded bySir Andrew Ford
Personal details
Born(1943-10-27)27 October 1943
Died27 October 2019(2019-10-27) (aged 76)
NationalityBritish
Spouse
Susan Jane Gow
(m. 1969)
RelationsSir Robert Ross (brother)
Sir Michael Gow (f-in-law)
Sophie Hunter (niece)
Children1 son, 2 daus
ParentColonel Walter Ross CB (f)
EducationEton College
Alma materRMA Sandhurst
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order of St John
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Mentioned in Dispatches
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceBritish Army
RankLieutenant-Colonel
UnitScots Guards

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Walter Hugh Malcolm Ross, GCVO OBE DL (27 October 1943 – 27 October 2019),[1] was a member of the British Royal Household, becoming Master of the Household to then-Prince Charles from 2006 to 2008.[2]

Sir Malcolm Ross served as Lord-Lieutenant for the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright from 2006 until 2018[3] and also, from 2016, as Lord Prior of the Order of St John.[4]

Early life and background

[edit]

Born in 1943 at Borgue to Josephine May née Cross (1915–1982) and Colonel Walter John Macdonald Ross,[5] Lord-Lieutenant of Kirkcudbrightshire (1977–1982). A kinsman of Sir Charles Ross, 9th Baronet, his grandfather was Major Robert Ross of Ledgowan (1877–1935).

Ross was educated at Eton and Sandhurst, before being commissioned into the Scots Guards in 1964. Adjutant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (1977–79), he was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel in 1982, before retiring from British Army service in 1987.

Career

[edit]

Ross joined the Royal Household in 1987 as Assistant Comptroller and Management Auditor of the Lord Chamberlain's Office. Appointed Secretary of the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood in 1989,[6] he relinquished his auditing responsibilities and continued as Assistant Comptroller until 1990.[7]

Promoted Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Office 1991–2005, and Master of the Household to the Prince of Wales from 2006 until 2008, Ross then appointed an Extra Equerry to the Queen.[8]

A member of the Royal Company of Archers since 1981,[9] Ross was admitted as a Freeman of the City of London in 1994.

From 2006, HM Lord Lieutenant of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright in succession to Sir Norman Arthur, who had appointed him a Deputy Lieutenant in 2003, Sir Malcolm retired from the Lord Lieutenancy on 27 October 2018 upon reaching his 75th birthday.[10]

In 2007, Ross was appointed non-executive chairman[11] of international security and defence Westminster Group plc,[12] whilst continuing to fulfill his Royal Household duties.[13]

Honours

[edit]

Appointed OBE in 1988, then CVO in 1994, and knighted as KCVO in 1999, being promoted GCVO in 2005, on 1 September 2016, Sir Malcolm was further honoured becoming Lord Prior and a Bailiff Grand Cross[14] of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem.[15]

Family

[edit]

On 31 January 1969 Ross married Susan Jane Gow (b. 1949), eldest daughter of General Sir Michael Gow and Jane Emily née Scott (1925–2024), elder sister of Brough Scott.

Sir Malcolm and Lady Ross had three children:[5]

  • Tabitha Alice Ross (b. 1970), m. 2002 Luke Lillingston[16]
  • Flora Jane Josephine Ross (b. 1974), m. 2002 James Harvey[17]
  • Hector Walter James Ross (b. 1983), m. 2014 Samantha Jenkinson.[18]

Sir Malcolm died on 27 October 2019, his birthday, at the age of 76.[19]

Lady Ross' niece is Sophie Hunter (b. 1978), wife of actor Benedict Cumberbatch.[20] His younger brother, Sir Robert Ross, was Keeper of the Records of the Duchy of Cornwall from 1997 until 2013.[5]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Debrett's". Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  2. ^ Prince of Wales.gov. "Sir Malcolm Ross is appointed Master of the Household". PrinceOfWales.gov.uk (28 October 2005). Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  3. ^ www.lordlt.dumgal.gov.uk
  4. ^ www.sja.org.uk
  5. ^ a b c Burke's Peerage & Baronetage (2003) Volume 3, page 3401
  6. ^ www.centralchancery.org.uk
  7. ^ No. 10 Downing Street. "Sir Malcolm Ross - Profile". Number-10.gov.uk (3 March 2006). Archived from the original on 11 June 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Walter Hugh Malcolm Ross GCVO, OBE, DL, Non-Executive Deputy Chairman, Westminster Group PLC". bloomberg. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  9. ^ www.kbgsrca.co.uk
  10. ^ "Lord Lieutenant of the Stewartry Sir Malcolm Ross set to retire". Daily Record. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  11. ^ Elizabeth Judge. "Sir Malcolm Ross". The Times (14 May 2007). London. Retrieved 22 May 2007.[dead link]
  12. ^ "Westminster Group Plc Board Members". Westminster Group Plc website. Archived from the original on 1 July 2007. Retrieved 18 June 2007.
  13. ^ www.dailyrecord.co.uk
  14. ^ "2633708 | Order of St John | The Gazette". thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  15. ^ "St John International | Blog | Appointment of Great Officers". Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  16. ^ www.royalsandnobles.com
  17. ^ https://www.floraharvey.com/cv/ www.floraharvey.com]
  18. ^ www.rossandrossconsulting.com
  19. ^ Sir Malcolm Ross, 1943–2019
  20. ^ Hawkes, Rebecca (5 November 2014). "Sophie Hunter: who is Benedict Cumberbatch's fiancée?". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 November 2014. ...she is a 36-year-old Oxford graduate...


Honorary titles
Preceded by
Lord Lieutenant of Kirkcudbright

2006–2018
Succeeded by
Elizabeth Patricia Gilroy
Preceded by
Lord Prior of the Order St John

2016–2019
Succeeded by