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Auction: 22103 - Orders, Decorations and Medals VII - e-Auction
Lot: 636

(x) The historically important and splendid G.C.B., G.C.V.O., Q.S.O., O.B.E. group of thirteen awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel Baron Charteris of Amisfield, King's Royal Rifle Corps, H.M. The Queen's Private Secretary and confidant, known as 'the courtier's courtier'

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Civil Division, Knight Grand Cross set of Insignia comprising sash Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, hallmarks for London 1940; breast Star, silver, gold and enamel, in its original Garrard & Co. case of issue; The Royal Victorian Order, Knight Grand Cross set of Insignia, comprising sash Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, the reverse officially numbered '952'; breast Star, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, the reverse officially numbered '952', in its Collingwood case of issue; Queen's Service Order (Martin Michael Charles Charteris), naming officially impressed, with its case of issue; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd Type, Military Division, Officer's breast Badge, silver-gilt; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1945-48 (Major. M. M. C. Charteris. K.R.R.C.); Coronation 1953; Jubilee 1977; France, Republic, Legion d'honneur, Grand Officier's set of Insignia comprising breast Badge, silver and enamel, hallmarks for Paris, breast Star, silver, in Arthus Bertrand case of issue; the third and fourth as well as the campaign and civil medals mounted as worn by John G. Southern, contact marks, the Legion d'honneur with enamel damage to breast Badge, very fine (13)

[Royal Victorian Chain] London Gazette 10 July 1992, this would have been returned to the Central Chancery.

G.C.B. London Gazette 19 August 1977.

G.C.V.O. London Gazette 1 January 1976.

Q.S.O. London Gazette 31 December 1977.

O.B.E. London Gazette 13 June 1946.

Martin Michael Charles Charteris was born at St. George Hanover Square, London, on 7 September 1913, the son of Captain Lord Hugo and Lady Violet Charteris-Wemyss-Douglas. His father was killed in action in Egypt during the Great War on 23 April 1916. Charteris was educated at Eton and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst before being commissioned into the King's Royal Rifle Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant on 31 August 1933. Promoted Lieutenant on 31 August 1936 he saw service in Africa in the early stages of the Second World War - though with characteristic good humour he later described his role at 13 Corps HQ as 'an ordinary and less aristocratic stooge' (A Year as an Intelligence Officer in Palestine by The Hon. M.M.C. Charteris, refers).

Advanced Captain on 14 June 1940, he picked up a virus - Nile Rheumatism- which resulted in his being temporarily paralysed and invalided back to Britain. While playing chess upon the deck of the Hospital Ship Yorkshire Charteris was flung into the water by the impact of two torpedoes fired, despite the red cross painted upon the ship's sides. Managing to remain afloat he was rescued by a neutral American vessel.

Upon his recovery Charteris returned to Africa and took command of 'A' Company, 2nd Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps leading them through a great deal of heavy fighting as part of 7th Motor Brigade. He made reference to the fighting himself stating:

'For my own part I swung to and fro with the battle. For several days I was around Hacheim, and was filled with admiration for the Free French. I was at El Adem, Knightsbridge, on the edge of the Cauldron, and for two wild days behind the enemy at Mteifel.'

Promoted Captain on 31 August 1941, during the later stages of the war Charteris began work in the role of an Intelligence Officer. Promoted Major on 1 June 1942 he was 'mentioned' (London Gazette 24 June 1943, refers) and posted to Palestine in 1944 with a further advancement to Lieutenant-Colonel coming that same year on 7 June.

Marrying the Hon. Gay Margesson, the daughter of the then Secretary of State for War on 16 December 1944. Promoted Chief of Military Intelligence (G.S.I.) in Palestine in 1945 he was kept busy with secular conflicts engulfing that part of the world even as the war came to a close. His counter-terrorist role made him a target and it is suggested that he was one of the intended victims of the King David Hotel bombing on 22 July 1946. Returning to Britain in 1946, Charteris continued as a Company Commander, with the 1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps until 1949 when he received a letter from Sir Jock Colville asking if he would accept the post of Private Secretary to the then Princess Elizabeth. Accepting his sharp sense of humour soon made him a favourite of the Royal Family. Indeed, it was he who broke the news - a scene depicted at length in the Netlix production of The Crown, where he is played by Harry Hadden-Paton - that King George VI had succumbed to lung cancer. With the succession of Elizabeth, Charteris was appointed Assistant Private Secretary to the Sovereign on 1 January 1954.

In this time he remained close with the Royal couple, often travelling with them on visits throughout the Commonwealth and the world. One story from this period relates to the presentation of a baby crocodile to the Queen on a visit to the Gambia in 1961. For the return journey aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia the animal had the honour of lodging in Charteris' bath.

Appointed as the Private Secretary to the Sovereign on 1 April 1972 he served in this role for several years until retiring from the Royal Household in 1977 to become Provost of Eton. A letter to the royal biographer, Kenneth Rose relates his view on this appointment stating:

' I look forward to becoming what my beloved daughter accurately persists in calling The Prostrate of Eton.'

Further roles followed, the chairmanship of the National Memorial Trust and positions on the boards of Claridge's and the Connaught Hotel. When asked what he did at the board meetings Charteris answered frankly 'I never open my mouth. At the lunch which follows, I never shut it'. Created Baron Charteris of Amisfield on 7 February 1978 he was further appointed a Permanent Lord-in-Waiting to Her Majesty on 31 October of that year. A remarkably sharp and intelligent figure, Charteris was valued for his discretion which he exercised not simply as The Queen's Private Secretary but also as a Privy Councillor and Keeper of the Archives. Charteris died on 23 December 1999 at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire; sold together with copied research including census data, obituaries and Army lists as well as extracts from the London Gazette and A Year as an Intelligence Officer in Palestine along with original research including award documents for the Order of the Bath, The Royal Victorian Order, Queen's Service Order and Order of the British Empire as well as the award document for his document of appointment as a Lord-in-Waiting, a letter from the Queen thanking him for his advice and several photographs.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£13,000

Starting price
£9500