Robin Renwick, Baron Renwick of Clifton

Born in Clifton, York, to Richard Renwick, a pharmacist, and Clarice Henderson, he won a scholarship to St Paul's School in London. After completing his national service as a despatch rider in Malta and Libya, he studied at Jesus College, Cambridge (which made him an honorary fellow in 1992) and later at the Sorbonne in France.

Renwick joined the Foreign Office in 1962 and was posted to Dakar, New Delhi and Paris, as well as serving as private secretary to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Joseph Godber (1970−1972), and in the Cabinet Office. In 1978 he joined the Foreign and Commomwealth Office's Rhodesia department, where he helped organise the conferences that led to the Lancaster House Agreement, and in 1980 was a political adviser to Christopher Soames, the last colonial Governor of Southern Rhodesia.

After a brief sabbatical at Harvard University in the United States, Renwick worked in the British embassy in Washington before returning to London in 1984 as assistant under-secretary for Europe at the time of Margaret Thatcher's negotiation of the British rebate in the budget of the European Economic Community. He later served as the British ambassador to South Africa (1987−1991) during negotiations to end apartheid{{Cite news |last=Jenkins |first=Simon |author-link=Simon Jenkins |date=2015-03-05 |title=The End of Apartheid by Robin Renwick review – why Thatcher got it right on South Africa |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/mar/04/the-end-of-apartheid-diary-of-revolution-robin-renwick-review |access-date=2025-02-08 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} and to the United States (1991−1995).

Having retired from the diplomatic service, Renwick advised Tony Blair on foreign policy. He entered private business, serving on the boards of various companies, including Robert Fleming & Co., Richemont and J.P. Morgan & Co.

Renwick was married twice: first, in 1965, to Anne-Collette Guidicelli, whom he had met at the Sorbonne and with whom he had a daughter and a son; and second to Ann Bracken, with whom he had another son.{{Cite book |last=Bracken |first=Ann |url={{GBurl|id=MFIMEAAAQBAJ}} |title=How to Break Into the White House: An Irrepressible Small-town Girl's Up-close and Personal Tale of Presidents, Gangsters and Spies |date=2021 |publisher=Biteback Publishing |isbn=978-1-78590-673-2 |url-access=limited}}

Lord Renwick died from complications of lung disease, on 4 November 2024, at the age of 86.

Renwick was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1980 New Year Honours{{London Gazette|issue=48041 |date=31 December 1979 |page=2 |supp=y}} and was promoted to Knight Commander (KCMG) in the 1989 New Year Honours.{{London Gazette |issue=51578 |date=31 December 1988 |page=3 |supp=y}}

He was given a life peerage as Baron Renwick of Clifton, of Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, on 26 September 1997.{{London Gazette |issue=54907 |date=1 October 1997 |page=11063}} He initially sat as a Labour peer but became a crossbencher in 2007. He retired from the House of Lords in 2018.{{Cite web |title=Parliamentary career for Lord Renwick of Clifton |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/3230/career |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=MPs and Lords |publisher=UK Parliament |language=en}}

Renwick was the author of several books:

• [https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/a-true-statesman A True Statesman: George H. W. Bush and the 'Indispensable Nation'] (London: Biteback Publishing, 2023) {{ISBN|9781785907845}}
• [https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/not-quite-a-diplomat Not Quite A Diplomat: A Memoir] (London: Biteback Publishing, 2019) {{ISBN|9781785904592}}
• [https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/how-to-steal-a-country How to Steal a Country: State Capture and Hopes for the Future in South Africa] (London: Biteback Publishing, 2018) {{ISBN|9781785903618}}
• [https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/fighting-with-allies Fighting With Allies: America and Britain in Peace and War] (London: Biteback Publishing, 2016) {{ISBN|9781849549790}}
• [https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/the-end-of-apartheid The End of Apartheid Diary of a Revolution] (London: Biteback Publishing, 2015) {{ISBN|9781849548656}}
• [https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/helen-suzman Helen Suzman Bright Star In A Dark Chamber] (London: Biteback Publishing, 2014) {{ISBN|9781849546676}}
• [https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/a-journey-with-margaret-thatcher A Journey with Margaret Thatcher] (London: Biteback Publishing, 2013) {{ISBN|9781849545334}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0014%2FDOHP%2033 Interview with Robin William, Lord Renwick] and [https://www.chu.cam.ac.uk/media/uploads/files/Renwick.pdf transcript], British Diplomatic Oral History Programme, Churchill College, Cambridge, 1998

{{s-start}}

{{s-dip}}

{{succession box | before = Sir Patrick Moberly | title = British Ambassador to South Africa | years = 1987–1991 | after = Sir Anthony Reeve}}

{{succession box | before = Sir Antony Acland | title = British Ambassador to the United States | years = 1991–1995 | after = Sir John Kerr}}

{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Renwick of Clifton, Robin Renwick}}

Category:1937 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:People educated at St Paul's School, London

Category:University of Paris alumni

Category:Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge

Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the United States

Category:Crossbench life peers

Category:Labour Party (UK) life peers

Category:Life peers created by Elizabeth II

Category:Diplomatic peers

Category:Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George

Category:People from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Category:Ambassadors and High Commissioners of the United Kingdom to South Africa

Category:JPMorgan Chase people

Category:Peers retired under the House of Lords Reform Act 2014

Category:Place of death missing