Ralph Anstruther facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Ralph Anstruther, Bt
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | 13 June 1921 |
| Died | 19 May 2002 (aged 80) |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1941–1950 |
| Rank | Major |
| Service number | 219057 |
| Unit | Coldstream Guards |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Military Cross Mentioned in Dispatches |
Major Sir Ralph Anstruther, 7th Baronet (born June 13, 1921 – died May 19, 2002) was a Scottish officer in the British Army. He also served as a special helper and financial manager for the Queen Mother.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ralph Anstruther was the only son of Captain Robert Edward Anstruther. He went to a famous school called Eton. After that, he studied at Magdalene College, Cambridge, which is part of Cambridge University.
Military Service
Sir Ralph joined the Coldstream Guards on November 29, 1941. This was during the Second World War. He was very brave and was given the Military Cross award in 1943. This award is for showing great courage in battle.
Later, in 1950, he served in Malaya. He was also mentioned in official reports for his good work. This is called being "mentioned in despatches".
Working for the Royal Family
After his military career, Sir Ralph took on important roles for the Queen Mother. From 1959 to 1998, he was her Equerry. An equerry is like a personal assistant who helps with daily duties and official events.
He also became her Treasurer from 1961 to 1998. As Treasurer, he managed her money and finances. He worked for the Queen Mother for a very long time, almost 40 years!
For his dedicated service, he received several special honors. He was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1967. Later, he was promoted to Knight Commander in 1976 and then to Knight Grand Cross in 1992. These awards are given by the King or Queen for personal service to the Royal Family.
After many years of service, Sir Ralph retired from his role as Treasurer in 1998. He was then given the title of Treasurer Emeritus.
Other Roles
Sir Ralph was also a member of the Royal Company of Archers. This is a special group that acts as the King's bodyguards in Scotland. He also served as a Deputy Lieutenant for two areas in Scotland: Fife from 1960 to 1997, and Caithness from 1965. A Deputy Lieutenant helps the Lord-Lieutenant, who represents the King or Queen in a county.
Family Titles
In 1934, Sir Ralph inherited the title of Baronet of Anstruther of Balcaskie from his grandfather. This means he became the 7th Baronet in his family line.
Later, in 1980, he inherited another baronetcy from his cousin. With this, he also gained a special traditional role: Hereditary Carver to the Queen. This means his family had the right to carve meat for the Queen at special events.
His cousin, Ian Anstruther, later inherited these titles from him.
