Robin Janvrin, Baron Janvrin

Private Secretary to Elizabeth II from 1999 to 2007

The Right Honourable
The Lord Janvrin
GCB GCVO QSO PC
Janvrin in 2019
Private Secretary to the Sovereign
In office
4 February 1999 – 8 September 2007
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded bySir Robert Fellowes
Succeeded bySir Christopher Geidt
Press Secretary to the Sovereign
In office
1 June 1987 – 19 October 1990
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded byMichael Shea
Succeeded byCharles Anson
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office
10 October 2007
Life Peerage
Personal details
Born (1946-09-20) 20 September 1946 (age 77)
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
Spouse
Isabelle de Boissonneaux de Chevigny
​
​
(m. 1977)​
Parent(s)Richard Janvrin
Nancy Fielding
Alma materBritannia Royal Naval College and Brasenose College, Oxford
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceRoyal Navy
Years of service1966–1975
RankLieutenant

Robin Berry Janvrin, Baron Janvrin, GCB, GCVO, QSO, PC (born 20 September 1946) is a British naval officer, diplomat, and courtier who was private secretary to Elizabeth II from February 1999 to September 2007.

Early life

Born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Robin Berry Janvrin is the son of Vice Admiral Sir Richard Janvrin and Nancy Fielding. He was educated at Marlborough College, Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, and Brasenose College, Oxford, from which he received a first class bachelor's degree in philosophy, politics and economics[1] in 1969, and of which he was made an Honorary Fellow in 1999. In 1962, he was selected to attend Camp Rising Sun in upstate New York.

Career

Janvrin entered the Royal Navy in 1964, was commissioned as an acting sub-lieutenant on 1 September 1966,[2] promoted lieutenant on 4 March 1971,[3] and served until 2 July 1975.[4] He subsequently became a member of the Castaways' Club. On leaving the navy, Janvrin joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He was a Second Secretary in 1975 and was appointed First Secretary at the mission to NATO in 1976. He was officially appointed an Officer of the Diplomatic Service on 7 February 1979.[5] Janvrin was First Secretary in New Delhi from 1981 to 1984, during which time he was made a member of the 4th Class of the Royal Victorian Order[6] for services during the Queen's state visit to India.

Janvrin was then counsellor and deputy head of the Department for the Personnel Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1985 to 1987.

On 1 June 1987 Janvrin was recruited as press secretary to the Queen,[7] though it was initially thought that he would be appointed assistant press secretary. On 19 October 1990 he became assistant private secretary to the Queen,[8] and in 1996 the deputy private secretary. He was promoted a commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the 1994 New Year Honours,[9] a companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1997 New Year Honours,[10] and a knight commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the 1998 New Year Honours,.[11] In February 1999 he succeeded Sir Robert Fellowes (later Lord Fellowes) as private secretary to the sovereign. He was promoted to knight commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2003 New Year Honours.[12]

Janvrin was also a trustee of the Queen's 80th Birthday Trust,[13] and was the chairman of trustees of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry from 29th September 2009 to 1st April 2016.

Janvrin retired in September 2007, and was succeeded as private secretary by Christopher Geidt.[14] He was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 2007 Birthday Honours[15] and, on 24 July, it was announced that Janvrin would be made a life peer, as one of the ten public servants per Parliament whom the Prime Minister may nominate for a peerage upon their retirement.[16][17] His title was gazetted as Baron Janvrin, of Chalford Hill in the County of Gloucestershire on 10 October,[18] and he sits as a crossbencher in the House of Lords. On the day of his retirement, 8 September, Janvrin was also promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order by the Queen.[19] In October, the Queen appointed Lord Janvrin to be a permanent lord-in-waiting in the royal household.[20]

In the 2008 New Zealand New Year Honours, Lord Janvrin was made a companion of the Queen's Service Order for "services to New Zealand as Private Secretary to The Queen".[21]

On 7 January 2008 Janvrin took up his appointment of deputy chairman, HSBC Private Bank (UK). Janvrin is also chairman of The Leadership Council, a research and thought leadership body in the UK.[22] In 2008, he replaced Sir Christopher Mallaby as president of the British Entente Cordiale Scholarship trust.[23]

Marriage

Janvrin married Isabelle de Boissonneaux de Chevigny, daughter of Yann de Boissonneaux de Chevigny, in 1977.

In popular culture

Janvrin was portrayed by Roger Allam in Stephen Frears' The Queen (2006) starring Oscar-winner Dame Helen Mirren. The film, which deals with the immediate aftermath of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997, inaccurately portrays Janvrin, then deputy private secretary to the Sovereign, as private secretary.[24] In 1997, the position of Private Secretary was occupied by Robert Fellowes - who was also Diana's brother-in-law, being married to her sister Jane.

Janvrin was portrayed by Jamie Parker in season 6 of The Crown. In episode 4, "Aftermath", Janvrin is depicted informing the Queen, Prince Charles, and The Duke of Edinburgh of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.[25]

Honours

  • CB: Companion of the Order of the Bath, 1997
    • KCB: Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, 2003
      • GCB: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, 16 June 2007
  • LVO: Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order, 1983 (regraded from MVO 4th Class in 1984)
    • CVO: Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, 1994
      • KCVO: Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, 1998
        • GCVO: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, 8 September 2007
  • Life Peerage: 10 October 2007
  • QSO: Companion of the Queen's Service Order, 2008
  • Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan, 2005[26]
  • Saskatchewan Distinguished Service Award[27]
  • He received the Queen Elizabeth II Version of the Royal Household Long and Faithful Service Medal for 20 years of service to the Royal Family in June 2007. He retired from Royal Service soon after receiving it.

Styles

  • Mr Robin Janvrin 1946–1983
  • Mr Robin Janvrin MVO 1983–1984
  • Mr Robin Janvrin LVO 1984–1994
  • Mr Robin Janvrin CVO 1994–1997
  • Mr Robin Janvrin CB CVO 1997–1998
  • The Rt Hon Sir Robin Janvrin KCVO CB 1998–2003
  • The Rt Hon Sir Robin Janvrin KCB KCVO 2003 – 16 June 2007
  • The Rt Hon Sir Robin Janvrin GCB KCVO 16 June 2007 – 8 September 2007
  • The Rt Hon Sir Robin Janvrin GCB GCVO 8 September 2007 – 10 October 2007
  • The Rt Hon The Lord Janvrin GCB GCVO PC 10 October 2007 – 2008
  • The Rt Hon The Lord Janvrin GCB GCVO QSO PC 2008–present

References

  1. ^ Bowers, John (16 February 2021). "Principal's Blog: 16th February 2021". Brasenose College, Oxford. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  2. ^ "No. 44661". The London Gazette. 27 August 1968. pp. 9347–9348.
  3. ^ "No. 45454". The London Gazette. 24 August 1971. p. 9185.
  4. ^ "No. 46638". The London Gazette. 21 July 1975. p. 9320.
  5. ^ "No. 47811". The London Gazette. 5 April 1979. p. 4500.
  6. ^ "No. 49569". The London Gazette. 13 December 1983. p. 16478. Membership of the 4th Class was subsequently renamed so members of this grade became Lieutenants of the order, and were entitled to the postnominals LVO.
  7. ^ "No. 50942". The London Gazette. 9 June 1987. p. 7387.
  8. ^ "No. 52306". The London Gazette. 19 October 1990. p. 16315.
  9. ^ "No. 53527". The London Gazette. 30 December 1993. p. 4.
  10. ^ "No. 54625". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1996. p. 3.
  11. ^ "No. 54993". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1997. p. 3.
  12. ^ "No. 56797". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2002. p. 2.
  13. ^ Trustee, Queen's 80th Birthday Trust
  14. ^ "Announcement of the retirement of Sir Robin Janvrin" (Press release). Buckingham Palace. 19 December 2006. Retrieved 4 January 2007.
  15. ^ "No. 58358". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 June 2007. p. 2.
  16. ^ "Announcement of Janvrin's life peerage nomination for service as Private Secretary to the Queen". 'Number 10' website. Archived from the original on 26 September 2007.
  17. ^ "No. 58411". The London Gazette. 3 August 2007. p. 11251.
  18. ^ "No. 58495". The London Gazette. 26 October 2007. p. 15513.
  19. ^ "No. 58465". The London Gazette. 28 September 2007. p. 14061.
  20. ^ The Times, 9 September 2007
  21. ^ DPMC – New Zealand Honours
  22. ^ "The Leadership Agency || the Leadership Council". Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
  23. ^ "Regards Voices Around the world in seven Entente Cordiale scholars' stories" (PDF). website.
  24. ^ "The Queen (2006)". Roger Allam Films. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  25. ^ Fogarty, Paul. "The Crown Season 6 Recreates Prince Charles' Real 'cry of pain" After Being Told Diana Had Died". HITC. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  26. ^ Excerpt from The Monarchist (Canada) Archived 21 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  27. ^ Distinguished Service Award to Baron Janvrin by the provincial government of Saskatchewan
Court offices
Preceded by Private Secretary to the Sovereign
1999–2007 		Succeeded by
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by Gentlemen
Baron Janvrin 		Followed by
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