Tim Hitchens
Encyclopedia
Tim Hitchens, LVO is a British diplomat and a former Assistant Private Secretary
to the Queen
in the Royal Household
of the Sovereign
of the United Kingdom
, 1999-2002.
He was seconded from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
, to which he returned to become Head of the Africa Department (Equatorial). He had been First Secretary Political and Information, British High Commission, Islamabad
and speechwriter for Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd
.
Hitchens was born in 1962, and educated at the University of Cambridge
, where he read English. After joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
he studied Japanese, and then became Trade Secretary in Tokyo
.
In autumn 2008, he returned to London as Director European Political Affairs. In August 2010 he became Director Africa.
Hitchens now resides in London with his wife Sara, his daughter Gemma, and a son, Matt.
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...
to the Queen
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
in 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....
of the Sovereign
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, 1999-2002.
He was seconded from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
, to which he returned to become Head of the Africa Department (Equatorial). He had been First Secretary Political and Information, British High Commission, Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
and speechwriter for Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd
Douglas Hurd
Douglas Richard Hurd, Baron Hurd of Westwell, CH, CBE, PC , is a British Conservative politician and novelist, who served in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major between 1979 and his retirement in 1995....
.
Hitchens was born in 1962, and educated at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, where he read English. After joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
he studied Japanese, and then became Trade Secretary in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
In autumn 2008, he returned to London as Director European Political Affairs. In August 2010 he became Director Africa.
Hitchens now resides in London with his wife Sara, his daughter Gemma, and a son, Matt.