Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane
- September 30, 1910
- April 30, 1984
- 73 years
About Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane
Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, 73, Private Secretary to Elizabeth II
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Full Biography
|Michael Edward Adeane, Baron Adeane, GCB, GCVO, PC (30 September 1910 – 30 April 1984) was Private Secretary to Elizabeth II from 1953 to 1972.
Early life and education
Adeane was the son of Captain Henry Robert Augustus Adeane (1882–1914), by his wife Hon. Victoria Eugenie Bigge (d.1969). His paternal grandfather was Admiral Edward Stanley Adeane, from a family of landed gentry tracing their ancestry to a Simon Adeane who died in 1686; his maternal grandfather was Arthur Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham, Private Secretary to Queen Victoria and King George V. Adeane was educated at Eton College and graduated from Magdalene College, Cambridge in 1934 with a Master of Arts degree.
Career
After graduating, Adeane travelled to Canada. He was aide-de-camp to Lord Bessborough, Governor General of Canada from 1934 to 1935, and then to his successor, Lord Tweedsmuir, until 1936.
Adeane then returned to Britain and became George VI's Assistant Private Secretary from 1945 after five-and-a-half years on active military duty, a post he held until the king's death in 1952. He continued in that post for Queen Elizabeth until 1953 when he was promoted to Private Secretary and admitted to the Privy Council.
In 1961, during a Royal visit to Nepal, Adeane was credited with a share of a tiger kill with Sir Christopher Bonham-Carter in a royal tiger hunt. The tiger-shooting role had fallen to him after the Queen had declined, the Duke of Edinburgh had been unable to shoot due to having his trigger finger in a splint, and the then Foreign Secretary Alec Douglas-Home had missed twice.
Personal life
On 10 January 1939 Adeane married Helen Chetwynd-Stapylton (1916 – 1994), and they had a daughter and a son. Their son, Edward Adeane, a barrister, was Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales from 1979 to 1984.
On 30 April 1984 Adeane died of heart failure in Aberdeen, Scotland. He was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium.
Honours
Adeane was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) in 1946, and a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 1947; he was promoted to Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1951, and Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1955. In 1962 he was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) and in 1968 to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB).
In 1959, Adeane received the Grand Decoration in Gold with Sash for Services to the Republic of Austria and on 20 April 1972, he was created a life peer as Baron Adeane, of Stamfordham in the County of Northumberland.
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Adeane%2C_Baron_Adeane
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- October 30, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane's archived record and the sources above.
1.On what date was Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, born?
- A.30 April 1984
- B.10 January 1939
- C.30 September 1910correct
- D.20 April 1972
Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, was born on 30 September 1910.
Source: biography header
2.At which institution did Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, earn a Master of Arts degree in 1934?
- A.Magdalene College, Cambridgecorrect
- B.Royal Military Academy
- C.Eton College
- D.Oxford University
Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, graduated from Magdalene College, Cambridge in 1934 with a Master of Arts degree.
Source: Early life and education
3.Who was the maternal grandfather of Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane?
- A.Captain Henry Robert Augustus Adeane
- B.Arthur Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordhamcorrect
- C.Admiral Edward Stanley Adeane
- D.Simon Adeane
Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane's maternal grandfather was Arthur Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham.
Source: Early life and education
4.Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, served as aide-de-camp to which Governor General of Canada starting in 1934?
- A.Lord Bessboroughcorrect
- B.Lord Tweedsmuir
- C.Sir Christopher Bonham-Carter
- D.Alec Douglas-Home
Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, was aide-de-camp to Lord Bessborough from 1934 to 1935.
Source: Career
5.In what year was Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, appointed as Assistant Private Secretary to King George VI?
- A.1952
- B.1936
- C.1945correct
- D.1953
Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, became Assistant Private Secretary to George VI in 1945.
Source: Career
6.During which years did Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, serve as Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II?
- A.1953–1972correct
- B.1968–1984
- C.1936–1945
- D.1945–1952
Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, served as Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II from 1953 to 1972.
Source: biography header
7.During a 1961 royal visit to Nepal, with whom did Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, share a tiger kill?
- A.Alec Douglas-Home
- B.Sir Christopher Bonham-Cartercorrect
- C.The Duke of Edinburgh
- D.Lord Tweedsmuir
Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, was credited with a share of a tiger kill with Sir Christopher Bonham-Carter in 1961.
Source: Career
8.Who was the wife of Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane?
- A.Elizabeth II
- B.Victoria Eugenie Bigge
- C.Helen Chetwynd-Stapyltoncorrect
- D.Lady Stamfordham
Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, married Helen Chetwynd-Stapylton on 10 January 1939.
Source: Personal life
9.What was the profession of Edward Adeane, the son of Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane?
- A.Admiral
- B.Barristercorrect
- C.Private Secretary to the Queen
- D.Aide-de-camp
Edward Adeane, the son of Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, was a barrister.
Source: Personal life
10.Where did Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, die on 30 April 1984?
- A.London, England
- B.Aberdeen, Scotlandcorrect
- C.Cambridge, England
- D.Stamfordham, Northumberland
Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, died of heart failure in Aberdeen, Scotland on 30 April 1984.
Source: Personal life
11.In what year was Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, appointed as a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO)?
- A.1955
- B.1946correct
- C.1951
- D.1947
Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order in 1946.
Source: Honours
12.When was Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB)?
- A.1962
- B.1955
- C.1972
- D.1968correct
Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in 1968.
Source: Honours
13.Which foreign decoration did Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, receive in 1959?
- A.Grand Decoration in Gold with Sash for Services to the Republic of Austriacorrect
- B.Stamfordham Cross
- C.Royal Victorian Order
- D.Order of the Bath
In 1959, Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, received the Grand Decoration in Gold with Sash for Services to the Republic of Austria.
Source: Honours
14.On what date was Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, created a life peer?
- A.30 April 1984
- B.10 January 1939
- C.30 September 1910
- D.20 April 1972correct
Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, was created a life peer on 20 April 1972.
Source: Honours
15.What is the name of the crematorium where Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, was cremated?
- A.Stamfordham Crematorium
- B.Golders Green Crematoriumcorrect
- C.Cambridge Crematorium
- D.Aberdeen Royal Crematorium
After his death, Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium.
Source: Personal life
16.To whom did Edward Adeane, son of Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane, serve as Private Secretary?
- A.King George VI
- B.The Prince of Walescorrect
- C.Lord Bessborough
- D.Queen Elizabeth II
Edward Adeane served as Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales from 1979 to 1984.
Source: Personal life
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