William Shawcross
Encyclopedia
William Hartley Hume Shawcross, CVO
(born 28 May 1946, Sussex
) is a British writer and commentator.
, Rottingdean, Eton College
and University College, Oxford
. He attended St. Martin's Art School to study sculpture after leaving Oxford. He worked as a journalist for The Sunday Times
. He writes and lectures on issues of international policy, geopolitics
, Southeast Asia
and refugee
s for a number of publications, including Time
, Newsweek
, International Herald Tribune
, The Spectator
, The Washington Post
and Rolling Stone
. He has also written a number of books, including biographies of Rupert Murdoch
and the Shah of Iran
. His official biography of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother
was released in the UK on 17 September 2009 and in the United States on 20 October 2009.
Shawcross is chairman of Response, a charity helping refugees and others who have suffered for their political opinions and a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee
. He has been an advisor to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. In 2003, he was named the New Statesman
's 'Man of the Year', having had a high profile for supporting the invasion of Iraq
and accusations of betrayal by left-liberal commentators.
He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 2011 New Year Honours.
On July 13, 2011, he was quoted by The Sun newspaper (owned by Rupert Murdoch's News International) defending Murdoch against criticism relating to phone hacking and bribery charges
at another News International paper, the now-defunct News of the World. The article does not mention that Shawcross' daughter Eleanor is connected (see below) with George Osborne
, who has been described as a leading supporter of Murdoch's News International.
, he is entitled to the style "The Honourable". Shawcross married the writer and art critic Marina Warner in 1970. Their son, Conrad
, is an artist of rising prominence. He married twice more; he and his third wife, Olga Polizzi, live in East Dean
, East Sussex
. His daughter Eleanor is a member of the Council of Economic Advisers to George Osborne
, having been appointed in 2008 prior to Osborne assuming office. She had previously worked on Boris Johnson
's mayoral campaign, where she was responsible for composing large parts of his manifesto.
He has lifelong ties to Cornwall where he is a keen campaigner in the preservation and protection of local Conservation Areas. There his one man campaign succeeded in obtaining Grade II listing for St Mawes' historic, and endangered, sea wall.
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...
(born 28 May 1946, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
) is a British writer and commentator.
Career
Shawcross was educated at St. Aubyns Preparatory SchoolSt. Aubyns Preparatory School
St. Aubyns Preparatory School is a private co-educational school in Rottingdean, East Sussex, England, catering for children from the ages of 3 to 13. The school was formally founded in 1895 but has origins in educational establishments founded in the 18th century by the then vicar of Rottingdean,...
, Rottingdean, Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
. He attended St. Martin's Art School to study sculpture after leaving Oxford. He worked as a journalist for The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
. He writes and lectures on issues of international policy, geopolitics
Geopolitics
Geopolitics, from Greek Γη and Πολιτική in broad terms, is a theory that describes the relation between politics and territory whether on local or international scale....
, Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s for a number of publications, including Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune
The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
, The Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
and Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
. He has also written a number of books, including biographies of Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
and the Shah of Iran
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
. His official biography of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
was released in the UK on 17 September 2009 and in the United States on 20 October 2009.
Shawcross is chairman of Response, a charity helping refugees and others who have suffered for their political opinions and a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee
Disasters Emergency Committee
The Disasters Emergency Committee is an umbrella group comprising fourteen UK charities. These charities are all associated with disaster related issues such as providing clean water, humanitarian aid and medical care....
. He has been an advisor to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. In 2003, he was named the New Statesman
New Statesman
New Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
's 'Man of the Year', having had a high profile for supporting the invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
and accusations of betrayal by left-liberal commentators.
He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 2011 New Year Honours.
On July 13, 2011, he was quoted by The Sun newspaper (owned by Rupert Murdoch's News International) defending Murdoch against criticism relating to phone hacking and bribery charges
News of the World phone hacking affair
The News International phone-hacking scandal is an ongoing controversy involving mainly the News of the World but also other British tabloid newspapers published by News International, a subsidiary of News Corporation. Employees of the newspaper were accused of engaging in phone hacking, police...
at another News International paper, the now-defunct News of the World. The article does not mention that Shawcross' daughter Eleanor is connected (see below) with George Osborne
George Osborne
George Gideon Oliver Osborne, MP is a British Conservative politician. He is the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, a role to which he was appointed in May 2010, and has been the Member of Parliament for Tatton since 2001.Osborne is part of the old Anglo-Irish aristocracy, known in...
, who has been described as a leading supporter of Murdoch's News International.
Family life
Shawcross' father was the politician, lawyer and life peer Hartley Shawcross, his mother Joan Winifred Mather, who died in a riding accident on the Sussex Downs in 1974. As the son of a baronBaron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
, he is entitled to the style "The Honourable". Shawcross married the writer and art critic Marina Warner in 1970. Their son, Conrad
Conrad Shawcross
Conrad Shawcross is a British artist, the son of the writers William Shawcross and Marina Warner. He specialises in wooden mechanical sculptures based on philosophical and scientific ideas.-Life and work:...
, is an artist of rising prominence. He married twice more; he and his third wife, Olga Polizzi, live in East Dean
East Dean
East Dean may refer to:*East Dean, Gloucestershire*East Dean, Hampshire*East Dean and Friston, a civil parish in East Sussex*East Dean, West Sussex...
, East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
. His daughter Eleanor is a member of the Council of Economic Advisers to George Osborne
George Osborne
George Gideon Oliver Osborne, MP is a British Conservative politician. He is the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, a role to which he was appointed in May 2010, and has been the Member of Parliament for Tatton since 2001.Osborne is part of the old Anglo-Irish aristocracy, known in...
, having been appointed in 2008 prior to Osborne assuming office. She had previously worked on Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
's mayoral campaign, where she was responsible for composing large parts of his manifesto.
He has lifelong ties to Cornwall where he is a keen campaigner in the preservation and protection of local Conservation Areas. There his one man campaign succeeded in obtaining Grade II listing for St Mawes' historic, and endangered, sea wall.
Publications
- Dubcek: Dubcek and Czechoslovakia 1918–1968 (1970), a New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
Book of the Year - Crime and Compromise: Janos Kadar and the politics of Hungary since Revolution (1974)
- Sideshow: Kissinger, Nixon and the destruction of Cambodia (1979), nominated for a Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
- The Quality of Mercy: Cambodia, Holocaust and Modern Conscience (1984), awarded the Freedom From HungerFreedom from HungerFreedom from Hunger is recognized for fighting hunger with innovative self-help programs. An international development organization working in seventeen countries across the globe, Freedom from Hunger is a nonprofit, nongovernmental, nonsectarian organization classified by the IRS as a 501 charity...
Media Award - The Shah's Last Ride: The fate of an ally (1988)
- Murdoch: The making of a media empire (1992)
- Deliver us from Evil: Warlords, Peacekeepers and a World of Endless Conflict (2000)
- Queen and Country (2002)
- Allies (2004)
- Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother: The Official Biography (2009)