Lord Carrington
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| Lord Carrington | |
|---|---|
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| Name | Lord Carrington |
| Caption | The 6th Baron Carrington in 1982 |
| Office | Secretary General of NATO |
| Term start | 25 June 1984 |
| Term end | 1 July 1988 |
| Predecessor | Joseph Luns |
| Successor | Manfred Wörner |
| Office1 | Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs |
| Primeminister1 | Margaret Thatcher |
| Term start1 | 4 May 1979 |
| Term end1 | 5 April 1982 |
| Predecessor1 | David Owen |
| Successor1 | Francis Pym |
| Office2 | Secretary of State for Defence |
| Primeminister2 | Edward Heath |
| Term start2 | 20 June 1970 |
| Term end2 | 8 January 1974 |
| Predecessor2 | Denis Healey |
| Successor2 | Ian Gilmour |
| Birth name | Peter Alexander Rupert Carington |
| Birth date | 6 June 1919 |
| Birth place | London, England |
| Death date | 9 July 2018 (aged 99) |
| Death place | Bledlow, England |
| Party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Iona McClean (m. 1942; died 2009) |
| Alma mater | Royal Military College, Sandhurst |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Serviceyears | 1939–1949 |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | Grenadier Guards |
| Battles | Second World War |
| Awards | Knight of the Garter, Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour, Deputy Lieutenant |
Lord Carrington. Peter Alexander Rupert Carington, 6th Baron Carrington, was a prominent British statesman and diplomat whose career spanned over five decades. A senior figure in the Conservative Party, he held several high offices including Secretary of State for Defence and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. He is particularly noted for his service as Secretary General of NATO and for his principled resignation following the Falklands War.
Early life and education
Born in London on 6 June 1919, he was the son of Rupert Carington, 5th Baron Carrington, and his wife, Sybil Colville. He was educated at Eton College before attending the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, where he received his officer training. Upon the death of his father in 1938, he inherited the title of Baron Carrington, entering the House of Lords at the age of nineteen. His early life was thus shaped by the traditions of the British aristocracy and a commitment to public service, which was soon to be tested by the outbreak of the Second World War.
Military and political career
He served with distinction in the Grenadier Guards during the war, seeing action in North Africa and Sicily, and was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery. After the war, he began his political career, holding junior ministerial posts in the governments of Winston Churchill and Harold Macmillan. His first major cabinet appointment came under Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home as First Lord of the Admiralty in 1963. He later served as High Commissioner to Australia from 1956 to 1959, gaining valuable diplomatic experience.
Foreign Secretary and European roles
Appointed Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1979, he played a key role in negotiating the terms for Rhodesia's transition to the independent state of Zimbabwe, culminating in the Lancaster House Agreement. He was a strong proponent of the European Economic Community and worked closely with counterparts like Hans-Dietrich Genscher of West Germany. His tenure was abruptly ended in April 1982 when he resigned, accepting constitutional responsibility for the failure to anticipate the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands.
NATO Secretary-General
In 1984, he was appointed Secretary General of NATO, succeeding Joseph Luns of the Netherlands. During his four-year term, he navigated the alliance through the final years of the Cold War, managing relations between the United States under Ronald Reagan and European allies. He oversaw the deployment of Pershing II missiles in Europe and engaged in dialogue with the Soviet Union under Mikhail Gorbachev, emphasizing the dual-track policy of defence and détente. His tenure concluded in 1988, when he was succeeded by Manfred Wörner of West Germany.
Later life and legacy
After leaving NATO, he remained active in international affairs, serving as Chairman of the Christie's board and participating in the European peace negotiations for the Yugoslav Wars in the early 1990s. He was a recipient of numerous honours, including the Knight of the Garter and the Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour. He died at his home in Bledlow on 9 July 2018, aged 99. He is remembered as a diplomat of immense integrity, whose career was defined by a steadfast commitment to the Atlantic alliance and the principles of liberal international order.
Category:1919 births Category:2018 deaths Category:Barons in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Category:British Army personnel of World War II Category:Knights of the Garter Category:Members of the Order of the Companions of Honour Category:Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Category:Secretaries General of NATO