Lord Rupert Nevill
{{Short description|English nobleman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = Captain
| name = Lord Rupert Nevill
| honorific-suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CVO|KStJ|DL|JP}}
| image = Lord_Rupert_Nevill.png
| order = Treasurer to Duke of Edinburgh
| term_start = 1970
| term_end = 1982
| monarch = Elizabeth II
| predecessor = Sir Christopher Bonham-Carter
| successor = Sir Richard Davies
| office3 = Private Secretary to Duke of Edinburgh
| term_start3 = 1976
| term_end3 = 1982
| predecessor3 = Cdr William Willett
| successor3 = Sir Richard Davies
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1923|1|29}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1982|7|19|1923|1|23}}
| nationality = British
| residence = Horsted Place
| alma_mater = Eton College
| spouse = {{marriage|Lady Anne Wallop|1944}}
| parents = 4th Marquess of Abergavenny
Isabel Nellie Larnach
| children = Guy Nevill
Lady Angela Keating
Christopher Nevill, 6th Marquess of Abergavenny
Lady Henrietta Purbrick
}}
Lord Rupert Charles Montecute Nevill {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CVO|KStJ|DL|JP}}{{cite book|author=Stephen Spender|title=New Selected Journals, 1939–1995|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j2qOfElFbwQC&pg=PT482|date=3 July 2012|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=978-0-571-29411-4|pages=482–}} (29 January 1923 – 19 July 1982) was Chairman of the British Olympic Association from 1966 to 1977 and then its President until his death. As a courtier, he was treasurer and later private secretary to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, between 1970 and 1982. He was a close confidant, friend and associate to Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Early life
Nevill was born on 29 January 1923, the younger son of Guy Larnach-Nevill, 4th Marquess of Abergavenny, and his wife Isabel Nellie LarnachSusan Morris, [https://books.google.com/books?id=99tHEAAAQBAJ&q=lord&pg=PA1963 "Abergavenny, Marquess of"], Debrett's Peerage 2019 (Debrett's, 2020), pp. 78–81 and was educated at Eton College.Journal of the Royal Society of Arts'' Vol. 130 (1981), p. 675: "Lord Rupert Charles Montacute Nevill, CVO, JP, DL, second son of the fourth Marquess of Abergavenny, was educated at Eton, and during the Second World War served in the Life Guards."
Career
During the Second World War, Lord Rupert Nevill gained the rank of captain in the Life Guards. He served as aide-de-camp to Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Horrocks during the allied advance in 1945 and continued as aide-de-camp after the war until 1947.
Nevill served as Chairman of the British Olympic Association from 1966 to 1977 and as its President from 1977 until his death in 1982, being succeeded in this role by Anne, Princess Royal.{{cite book|author1=Kevin Jefferys|author2=Palgrave Connect (Online service)|title=The British Olympic Association: A History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1FdpAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA128|date=25 April 2014|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-1-137-36342-8|pages=128–}} He was President of the British Show Jumping Association between 1973 and 1976.
Nevill was also President of the Metropolitan Union of the YMCA from 1956, a member of the World Council of the YMCA from 1956, vice-chairman of the National YMCA 1963-1966, and president from 1966.Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volumes. Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999 He was president of the East Grinstead and Uckfield branch of the RSPCA.{{cite news |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0000640%2F19590116&page=11 |title=R.S.P.C.A Chief Resigns |newspaper=Sunderland Echo|date=January 16, 1959 |page=11 |url-access=subscription}} He was also an ardent defender of fox hunting and member of the Eridge Hunt. In 1959, he resigned after a decision by the branch to offer a free service for gassing foxes by a qualified pest controller. The Council of the RSPCA responded by claiming the decision of the branch had not been made with any authority or prior consultation.{{cite news |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0002134%2F19590116&page=18 |title=Lord Rupert Nevill Resigns |newspaper=The Birmingham Post|date=January 16, 1959 |page=18 |url-access=subscription}}
He was a member of the Uckfield Rural District Council (1949–1967) and of East Sussex County Council (1954–1967), a Justice of the Peace of Sussex from 1953, and a Deputy Lieutenant of Sussex from 1960. He was High Sheriff of Sussex for 1952–1953. He was a member of the Sussex St John's Council from 1952 and chairman from 1966.
Nevill was treasurer to the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh from 1970 to 1982 and his private secretary from 1976 to 1982. He was one of the godfathers of Princess Margaret’s son David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon.{{cite book|last1=Michaels|first1=Ashley|title=Sobrinos Reales|asin=B077H1HWCB}}
Personal life
{{more citations needed|section|date=December 2022}}
File:Horsted Place - geograph.org.uk - 1480981.jpg]]
On 22 April 1944, Nevill married Lady Anne Camilla Evelyn "Micky" Wallop (12 July 1925 – 25 January 2023; aged 97) a daughter of Gerard Vernon Wallop, 9th Earl of Portsmouth and Mary Lawrence Post. Both Nevill and his wife were childhood friends of Queen Elizabeth II.Pimlott, Ben, 1998, "The Queen: A Biography of Elizabeth”, p. 49. [https://books.google.com/books?id=VkhSn5Fi7c4C&q=lady+camilla+nevill Online reference] They lived at Horsted Place and were sometimes referred to at court as ‘the little people’ because of their small stature.{{cite news |title=The Throne Rangers |url=https://life.spectator.co.uk/2016/04/the-throne-rangers/ |publisher=Spectator Life |date=21 April 2016 |access-date=10 August 2018 |archive-date=10 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810143434/https://life.spectator.co.uk/2016/04/the-throne-rangers/ |url-status=dead }}
The Nevills had four children:
- Guy Rupert Gerard Nevill (29 March 1945 – 5 February 1993; aged 47), godson of Elizabeth II;{{cite web|title=The Queen's Godchildren|url=http://www.christeningsilver.com/the-queens-godchildren|website=Christening Silver}} he married Lady Beatrix Mary Lambton, daughter of Antony Lambton, 6th Earl of Durham.
- Lady Angela Isabel Mary Nevill (born 2 January 1948), a bridesmaid at the wedding of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones;Angela Isabel Mary Keating"{{cite web|title=The Royal Wedding 6 May 1960|url=http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw260227/The-Royal-Wedding-6-May-1960|website=National Portrait Gallery}} married William Keating (died 4 November 1998) on 12 March 1994.{{cite book|author=Gyles Brandreth|title=Charles & Camilla|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_uq-EI6MmL4C&pg=PA195|date=31 May 2011|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-1-4464-7421-1|pages=195–}}
- Christopher George Charles Nevill, 6th Marquess of Abergavenny (born 23 April 1955), married Venetia V. Maynard and had twins.
- Lady Henrietta Emily Charlotte Nevill (born 21 June 1964), goddaughter of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; married Lt. Col. Timothy Purbrick. They have four children.
Lord Rupert Nevill died on 19 July 1982, aged 59. A memorial service was held at St Margaret's Westminster,{{cite web|title=Lord Rupert Nevill|website=westminster-abbey.org|url=http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/people/lord-rupert-nevill|accessdate=15 December 2022}} and he was buried at Holy Trinity Church, Eridge.
Honours
He was vested as a Knight of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (K.St.J.) in 1972,{{London Gazette |issue=45601 |date=17 February 1972 |page=2005 }} and he was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (C.V.O.) in 1978.Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volumes. Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nevill, Lord Rupert}}
Category:British Army personnel of World War II
Category:British Life Guards officers
Category:Burials in East Sussex
Category:Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order
Category:Deputy lieutenants of Sussex
Category:English justices of the peace
Category:High sheriffs of Sussex
Category:Knights of the Order of St John