Defence Services Secretary

The Defence Services Secretary is the senior member of the Royal Household responsible for liaison between the Sovereign and the British Armed Forces.^[1] They are answerable to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Chief of Defence Staff for tri-service appointments, national ceremonial events and honours, decorations, awards and medals.^[2] From 1992 the Defence Services Secretary has been double-hatted with a second Ministry of Defence role, generally that of Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel).^[3]

Defence Services Secretaries have been:^[4]

• General Sir Rodney Moore, KCB, KCVO, CBE, DSO 1964–1966
• Vice Admiral Sir Ian Hogg, KCVO, CB, DSC 1966–1967
• Air Vice-Marshal Sir Alan Boxer, KCVO, CB, DSO, DFC 1967–1970
• Major General Sir Chandos Blair, KCVO, OBE, MC 1970–1972
• Rear Admiral Sir Ronald Forrest, KCVO 1972–1975
• Air Vice-Marshal Sir Brian Stanbridge, KCVO, CBE, AFC 1975–1979
• Rear Admiral Sir Leslie Townsend, KCVO, CBE 1979–1982
• Major General Sir Michael Palmer, KCVO 1982–1985
• Air Vice-Marshal Sir Richard Peirse, KCVO, CB 1985–1988
• Rear Admiral Sir David Allen, KCVO, CBE 1988–1991
• Major General Brian Pennicott, CVO 1991–1994 (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel and Reserves) from 1992)
• Air Vice-Marshal Peter Harding, CB, CVO, CBE, AFC 1994–1998
• Rear Admiral Rodney Lees, CVO 1998–2001 (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel and Reserves) as secondary post)
• Major General Christopher Elliot, CVO, CBE 2001–2004 (Director General, Reserve Forces and Cadets as secondary post)
• Air Vice-Marshal David Pocock, CVO 2004–2005 (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel and Reserves) as secondary post)
• Rear Admiral Peter Wilkinson, CVO 2005–2007 (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel and Reserves) as secondary post)
• Major General Matthew Sykes, CVO 2007–2010
• Air Vice-Marshal David Murray, CVO, OBE 2010–2012
• Rear Admiral Simon Williams, CVO 2012–2015 (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel and Reserves) as secondary post)
• Major-General Richard Nugee, CVO, CBE 2015–2016 (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel and Reserves) as secondary post)^[5]
• Air Vice-Marshal Garry Tunnicliffe, CVO 2016–2019 (Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel Capability) as secondary post)^[6][7]
• Rear Admiral James Macleod, CB, CVO 2019-2022 (Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel Capability) as secondary post)^{[8][9][10][11]}
• Major General Eldon Millar, CVO, MBE 2022–2024 (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (People Capability) as secondary post)^[12][10][13]
• Major General Lisa Keetley 2024–present (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (People Capability) as secondary post)