John Johnston (Royal Household)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John "Johnny" Frederick Johnston GCVO
MC
(24 August 1922 - 10 September 2006) was an officer in the British Army
and then joined the Royal Household
, serving as Assistant Comptroller and then Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Office
. Sometimes known as "Stopwatch Johnny", he was one of the Queen's most popular courtier
s. His duties included co-ordinating the weddings of The Prince of Wales
and Lady Diana Spencer
at St Paul's Cathedral
in 1981 and of The Prince Andrew
and Sarah Ferguson
at Westminster Abbey
in 1986, and the funeral of The Duchess of Windsor at St George's Chapel, Windsor, also in 1986.
Johnston was born in Burma, where his father was a banker in Mandalay
. Brought up as a Roman Catholic, he was educated at Ampleforth College
, where he became friends with Basil Hume.
In 1941, he joined the 4th Battalion, Grenadier Guards
, then being converted from infantry
into an armour
ed formation with Churchill tank
s. He commanded a squadron and then a troop
. His troop was part of a diversion force posted to mislead the Germans into expecting an invasion of the Pas de Calais, so he landed in Normandy
six weeks after D-Day
. His battalion advanced though Belgium
and Holland, entering German territory near Minden
. He sustained head injuries from a Panzerfaust
attack on 21 April 1945, and he was hospitalised in Brussels
. After convalescing and some leave, he rejoined his unit after VE Day in Schleswig-Holstein
. He was awarded the Military Cross
for his actions on the advance to the Elbe
, and remained in the Army after demobilisation. He wrote of his war-time experiences in his Memoirs of a Tank Troop Leader.
In 1949, he married the Honourable Elizabeth Hardinge, the younger daughter of Alexander Hardinge, 2nd Baron Hardinge of Penshurst
, who was Private Secretary to the Sovereign
from 1936 to 1943. Johnston first met his future wife at Welbeck College
, where she was visiting her older sister who was married to another officer. She was later a magistrate
in Windsor
. Together, they had a son and a daughter. She died in 1995.
Johnston was brigade major
of the Household Division
from October 1959 to August 1962, and he led the royal procession at Trooping the Colour
in 1962, although he quickly had to be taught to ride a horse first. He commanded the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards in Germany, and retired from the Army as a Lieutenant-Colonel in July 1964.
On leaving the Army, he joined the Lord Chamberlain's Office as Assistant Comptroller. He was appointed an Extra Equerry
to the Queen in 1965. Until 1968, the Lord Chamberlain
's duties included the licensing (and censor
ing) of plays and theatres under the Theatres Act 1843
. He described the historic role of the Lord Chamberlain's Office in this area in his 1990 book, The Lord Chamberlain's Blue Pencil. Amongst his other duties, he helped to organise the celebrations of The Queen's Silver Jubilee
in 1977.
He was promoted to Comptroller in 1981, replacing Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Eric Penn shortly before the 1981 royal wedding. As such, he took charge of protocol
, state visit
s, investiture
s, garden parties, the State Opening of Parliament
, royal weddings and royal funerals, administration of the royal palaces and the Royal Collection
, the Central Chancery of Knighthood, the Lords-in-Waiting
, the Gentlemen at Arms, the Yeomen of the Guard
, the Royal Company of Archers
, the Queen's Bargemaster
, the Royal Watermen, and supervised swan upping
. He also controlled royal styles and titles, matters of precedence
, granting of Royal Warrant
s, and licensing the use of the royal arms
. On one occasion, when dressed in the uniform of the Grenadier Guards
, he stood prominently beside The Queen on Horse Guards Parade
, holding her handbag.
Amongst his other interests, he was president of Hearing Dog
s for the Deaf.
For many years, he occupied a grace and favour
cottage in Home Park, Windsor
. He bought a cottage in west Wales in the 1970s which he used as a holiday home. He was appointed MVO in 1971, advanced to CVO in 1977, and then KCVO in 1981. He was appointed GCVO in 1987, the year in which he retired in 1987 and was succeeded as Comptroller by Lieutenant-Colonel George Alston-Roberts-West. He moved to a house in Windsor Great Park
.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(24 August 1922 - 10 September 2006) was an officer in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and then joined the Royal Household
Royal Household
A Royal Household in ancient and medieval monarchies formed the basis for the general government of the country as well as providing for the needs of the sovereign and his relations....
, serving as Assistant Comptroller and then Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Office
Lord Chamberlain's Office
The Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department within the British Royal Household. It is presently concerned with matters such as protocol, state visits, investitures, garden parties, the State Opening of Parliament, royal weddings and funerals. For example, in April 2005 it organised the wedding of...
. Sometimes known as "Stopwatch Johnny", he was one of the Queen's most popular courtier
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
s. His duties included co-ordinating the weddings of The Prince of Wales
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
and Lady Diana Spencer
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
at St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
in 1981 and of The Prince Andrew
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and Sarah Ferguson
Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York is a British charity patron, spokesperson, writer, film producer, television personality and former member of the British Royal Family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whom she married from 1986 to 1996...
at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
in 1986, and the funeral of The Duchess of Windsor at St George's Chapel, Windsor, also in 1986.
Johnston was born in Burma, where his father was a banker in Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
. Brought up as a Roman Catholic, he was educated at Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, England, is the largest Roman Catholic co-educational boarding independent school in the United Kingdom. It opened in 1802, as a boys' school, and is run by the Benedictine monks and lay staff of Ampleforth Abbey...
, where he became friends with Basil Hume.
In 1941, he joined the 4th Battalion, Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
, then being converted from infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
into an armour
Armour
Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action...
ed formation with Churchill tank
Churchill tank
The Tank, Infantry, Mk IV was a heavy British infantry tank used in the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour, large longitudinal chassis with all-around tracks with multiple bogies, and its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. It was one of the heaviest Allied tanks of the war...
s. He commanded a squadron and then a troop
Troop
A troop is a military unit, originally a small force of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron and headed by the troop leader. In many armies a troop is the equivalent unit to the infantry section or platoon...
. His troop was part of a diversion force posted to mislead the Germans into expecting an invasion of the Pas de Calais, so he landed in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
six weeks after D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
. His battalion advanced though Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and Holland, entering German territory near Minden
Minden
Minden is a town of about 83,000 inhabitants in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The town extends along both sides of the river Weser. It is the capital of the Kreis of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detmold. Minden is the historic political centre of the...
. He sustained head injuries from a Panzerfaust
Panzerfaust
The Panzerfaust was an inexpensive, recoilless German anti-tank weapon of World War II. It consisted of a small, disposable preloaded launch tube firing a high explosive anti-tank warhead, operated by a single soldier...
attack on 21 April 1945, and he was hospitalised in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. After convalescing and some leave, he rejoined his unit after VE Day in Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
. He was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for his actions on the advance to the Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
, and remained in the Army after demobilisation. He wrote of his war-time experiences in his Memoirs of a Tank Troop Leader.
In 1949, he married the Honourable Elizabeth Hardinge, the younger daughter of Alexander Hardinge, 2nd Baron Hardinge of Penshurst
Alexander Hardinge, 2nd Baron Hardinge of Penshurst
Alexander Henry Louis Hardinge, 2nd Baron Hardinge of Penshurst GCB GCVO MC PC was Private Secretary to the Sovereign during the Abdication Crisis of Edward VIII and during most of the Second World War....
, who was Private Secretary to the Sovereign
Private Secretary to the Sovereign
The Private Secretary to the Sovereign is the senior operational member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, as distinct from the Great Officers of the Household. The Private Secretary is the principal channel of communication with Her Majesty's Government and the...
from 1936 to 1943. Johnston first met his future wife at Welbeck College
Welbeck College
Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College is a selective sixth form college in Woodhouse, Leicestershire, England, providing A-Level education for candidates to the technical branches of the British Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defence civil service and privately funded students.Welbeck is located near...
, where she was visiting her older sister who was married to another officer. She was later a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
in Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
. Together, they had a son and a daughter. She died in 1995.
Johnston was brigade major
Brigade Major
In the British Army, a Brigade Major was the Chief of Staff of a brigade. He held the rank of Major and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section directly and oversaw the two other branches, "A - Administration" and "Q - Quartermaster"...
of the Household Division
Household Division
Household Division is a term used principally in the Commonwealth of Nations to describe a country’s most elite or historically senior military units, or those military units that provide ceremonial or protective functions associated directly with the head of state.-Historical Development:In...
from October 1959 to August 1962, and he led the royal procession at Trooping the Colour
Trooping the Colour
Trooping the Colour is a ceremony performed by regiments of the British and the Commonwealth armies. It has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century, although the roots go back much earlier. On battlefields, a regiment's colours, or flags, were used as rallying points...
in 1962, although he quickly had to be taught to ride a horse first. He commanded the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards in Germany, and retired from the Army as a Lieutenant-Colonel in July 1964.
On leaving the Army, he joined the Lord Chamberlain's Office as Assistant Comptroller. He was appointed an Extra Equerry
Equerry
An equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
to the Queen in 1965. Until 1968, the Lord Chamberlain
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State....
's duties included the licensing (and censor
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
ing) of plays and theatres under the Theatres Act 1843
Theatres Act 1843
The Theatres Act 1843 was an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. It amended the regime established under the Licensing Act 1737 for the licensing of the theatre in the UK, implementing the proposals made by a select committee of the House of Commons in 1832.Under the Licensing Act 1737 The...
. He described the historic role of the Lord Chamberlain's Office in this area in his 1990 book, The Lord Chamberlain's Blue Pencil. Amongst his other duties, he helped to organise the celebrations of The Queen's Silver Jubilee
Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II
The Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II marked the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other Commonwealth realms...
in 1977.
He was promoted to Comptroller in 1981, replacing Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Eric Penn shortly before the 1981 royal wedding. As such, he took charge of protocol
Protocol (diplomacy)
In international politics, protocol is the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of state.A protocol is a rule which guides how an activity should be performed, especially in the field of diplomacy. In diplomatic services and governmental fields of endeavor protocols are often unwritten guidelines...
, state visit
State visit
A state visit is a formal visit by a foreign head of state to another nation, at the invitation of that nation's head of state. State visits are the highest form of diplomatic contact between two nations, and are marked by ceremonial pomp and diplomatic protocol. In parliamentary democracies, heads...
s, investiture
Investiture
Investiture, from the Latin is a rather general term for the formal installation of an incumbent...
s, garden parties, the State Opening of Parliament
State Opening of Parliament
In the United Kingdom, the State Opening of Parliament is an annual event that marks the commencement of a session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is held in the House of Lords Chamber, usually in November or December or, in a general election year, when the new Parliament first assembles...
, royal weddings and royal funerals, administration of the royal palaces and the Royal Collection
Royal Collection
The Royal Collection is the art collection of the British Royal Family. It is property of the monarch as sovereign, but is held in trust for her successors and the nation. It contains over 7,000 paintings, 40,000 watercolours and drawings, and about 150,000 old master prints, as well as historical...
, the Central Chancery of Knighthood, the Lords-in-Waiting
Lord-in-Waiting
Most Lords in Waiting are Government whips in the House of Lords who are members of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. As members of the Royal Household their duties are nominal, though they are occasionally required to meet visiting political and state leaders on visits...
, the Gentlemen at Arms, the Yeomen of the Guard
Yeomen of the Guard
The Queen's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard are a bodyguard of the British Monarch. The oldest British military corps still in existence, it was created by Henry VII in 1485 at the Battle of Bosworth Field. As a token of this venerability, the Yeomen still wear red and gold uniforms of Tudor...
, the Royal Company of Archers
Royal Company of Archers
The Royal Company of Archers is a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign's Bodyguard in Scotland, a role it has performed since 1822 and the reign of King George IV, when the company provided a personal bodyguard to the King on his visit to Scotland. It is currently known as the Queen's...
, the Queen's Bargemaster
Queen's Bargemaster
The King's/Queen's Bargemaster is a subordinate officer of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. Until the mid-19th century, the Royal family frequently used the River Thames for, but the role is now largely ceremonial...
, the Royal Watermen, and supervised swan upping
Swan Upping
Swan Upping is an annual ceremonial and practical activity in Britain in which mute swans on the River Thames are rounded up, caught, marked, and then released....
. He also controlled royal styles and titles, matters of precedence
Precedence
Precedence may refer to:* Message precedence of military communications traffic* Order of precedence, the ceremonial hierarchy within a nation or state* Order of operations, in mathematics and computer programming...
, granting of Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
s, and licensing the use of the royal arms
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
. On one occasion, when dressed in the uniform of the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
, he stood prominently beside The Queen on Horse Guards Parade
Horse Guards Parade
Horse Guards Parade is a large parade ground off Whitehall in central London, at grid reference . It is the site of the annual ceremonies of Trooping the Colour, which commemorates the monarch's official birthday, and Beating Retreat.-History:...
, holding her handbag.
Amongst his other interests, he was president of Hearing Dog
Hearing dog
A hearing dog is a specific type of assistance dog specifically selected and trained to assist people who are deaf or hearing impaired by alerting their handler to important sounds, such as doorbells, smoke alarms, ringing telephones, or alarm clocks...
s for the Deaf.
For many years, he occupied a grace and favour
Grace and favour
A grace and favour home is a residential property owned by a monarch by virtue of their position as head of state and leased rent-free to persons as part of an employment package or in gratitude for past services rendered....
cottage in Home Park, Windsor
Home Park, Windsor
The Home Park, previously known as the Little Park , is a private Royal park, administered by the Crown Estate. It lies on the eastern side of Windsor Castle in the town and civil parish of Windsor, Berkshire....
. He bought a cottage in west Wales in the 1970s which he used as a holiday home. He was appointed MVO in 1971, advanced to CVO in 1977, and then KCVO in 1981. He was appointed GCVO in 1987, the year in which he retired in 1987 and was succeeded as Comptroller by Lieutenant-Colonel George Alston-Roberts-West. He moved to a house in Windsor Great Park
Windsor Great Park
Windsor Great Park is a large deer park of , to the south of the town of Windsor on the border of Berkshire and Surrey in England. The park was, for many centuries, the private hunting ground of Windsor Castle and dates primarily from the mid-13th century...
.