U.S. first lady Hillary Clinton is greeted by British Ambassador to the United States Sir Christopher Meyer and his wife, Lady Meyer, after she arrived at the British Embassy in Washington. The first lady was a guest during the Millennium Ball hosted by the ambassador. (Reuters/Alamy)

SIR CHRISTOPHER MEYER

Honorary Fellow 2002-22

Sir Christopher Meyer was British Ambassador in Washington from 2001, at the end of the Clinton administration and throughout George W. Bush’s first term.  Soon after he took up his post the events of 9/11 occurred: Meyer became the instrument of the unconditional British support as an ally to America in her crisis.  He left Washington on the eve of the Iraq war.

Christopher John Rome Meyer was born in Beaconsfield, the son of Flt Lt Reginald H.R. Meyer, who had been killed in action on a bombing mission over Greece 13 days before he was born on 22 February, 1944.  The boy was raised by his mother, Eve, and a grandmother.  He was educated at Lancing College, where he was captain of boxing, and the Lycée Henri IV in Paris; and he came up to Peterhouse in 1962 as an Entrance Scholar in History.  He then studied at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Bologna.

At Peterhouse he was taught by the Conservative thinker Maurice Cowling, but was not interested in a career in politics.  Cowling suggested the Diplomatic Service and Meyer joined the Foreign Office in 1966.

He quickly learnt Russian at the Army School of Education and was sent to the Embassy in Moscow, 1968–70.  From 1970 to 1973 he served in Madrid.  He returned to London in 1973 and became a speechwriter for prominent politicians.  In 1978 he moved to Britain’s mission to the E.C. in Brussels.  Meyer went back to Moscow in 1982, as Head of Chancery.

After another spell in London as Head of News Dept, F.C.O. from 1984 to 1988, Meyer went on the most distinguished sabbatical in the Foreign Office’s gift, as University Fellow, Center for International Affairs, Harvard, 1988–89.  From there he was posted to the Embassy in Washington as Minister (Commercial), 1989–92, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission, 1992–93.

It was next back to London as Press Secretary to Prime Minister John Major from 1994 to 1996 (on secondment to the Cabinet Office).

Then, in 1997, just a year before the fall of the Major government, he was dispatched to his first ambassadorial appointment, in Germany; but he was there less than a year, being moved rapidly to be Ambassador in Washington 1997–2003.

On his retirement from Washington he became Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, 2003–09, and had several directorships and consultative and advisory positions in the commercial world.  He was a Visiting Professor of the University of North Carolina in 2010.  Meyer was a governor of the English Speaking Union and a Freeman of the City of London.  He became an accomplished current-affairs television performer.  His publications included the controversial DC Confidential, his indiscreet memoirs, published in 2005 and serialised in the Guardian and Daily Mail.  He was known for his red socks.

In 2018 he suffered a vicious and unprovoked assault outside Victoria Underground Station, but was unfazed.

He was appointed C.M.G. in 1988 and K.C.M.G. in 1998.  He married first, in 1976, Françoise Hedge, daughter of Air Cdre Sir Archibald Winskill; and he had two sons and one stepson.  The marriage was dissolved, and in 1997 he married secondly, Catherine Volkmann, and became stepfather to two further stepsons.

Sir Christopher Meyer, K.C.M.G. died after a stroke on 27 July, 2022, aged 78.

© P. Pattenden

The Master writes:

It is with great sadness that the College shares the news of the death of Sir Christopher Meyer KCMG. Sir Christopher studied history at Peterhouse 1962-65 before joining the Foreign & Commonwealth Office for a long and distinguished career in the Diplomatic Service. His final posting was as British Ambassador to Washington 1997-2003. He was elected to an Honorary Fellowship of Peterhouse in 2002. We extend our deepest sympathy to his family and friends.

Bridget Kendall

Master of Peterhouse

July 29 2022