Alastair Bruce of Crionaich
Major General Bruce in 2019
Birth nameAlastair Andrew Bernard Reibey Bruce[1]
Born (1960-06-25) 25 June 1960[1]
Winchester, Hampshire, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
Years of service1979–present
RankMajor General
UnitScots Guards
General Staff
Commands heldGovernor of Edinburgh Castle
Battles/warsFalklands War
Iraq War
The Troubles
AwardsOfficer of the Order of the British Empire
Knight of the Order of St John
Volunteer Reserves Service Medal
Spouse(s)
Stephen Knott
​
(m. 2021)​
RelationsThe Earl of Elgin and Kincardine,
Chief of Clan Bruce
Other workFitzalan Pursuivant Extraordinary

Major-General Alastair Andrew Bernard Reibey Bruce OBE VR DL (born 25 June 1960) is a journalist and television correspondent,[2] and a senior British Army reservist and officer of arms in the Royal Household. He commanded the TA Media Operations Group before being appointed Governor of Edinburgh Castle in 2019.[3]

Royal, Religious and National Events Commentator for Sky News, Bruce was previously engaged by the BBC, and was historical adviser to several feature films and the ITV series Downton Abbey.[4] He has commentated on many major state events in the United Kingdom, including the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, the Royal Wedding in 2011, the Papal Visit in 2010, and the deaths and funerals of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, The Queen Mother in 2002, The Duke of Edinburgh in 2021, and Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.

Early life and education

Bruce was born at Winchester in 1960, younger son of Lieutenant Commander Henry Victor Bruce of Salloch and Helen Vernon Wallop William-Powlett, daughter of Vice Admiral Sir Peveril William-Powlett. His great-grandfather was James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine KT, and he is in remainder to both family earldoms.[1] Brought up in Hampshire, he spent much of his childhood in Sutherland, in the far north of the Scottish Highlands,[5] where his parents owned the Sallachy Estate[6] near the village of Lairg.[7]

Bruce was educated at Milton Abbey School, an independent boarding school for boys (now co-educational), in Milton Abbas, Dorset, before attending the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, in Berkshire.[5]

Life and career

Armed forces

Commissioned in the British Army, 1979, Bruce was promoted, the following year, as Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion[7] of the Scots Guards.[1] He served as a regular officer for four years, seeing active service in the Falklands War of 1982. The following year, he erected a cairn at Sallachy in Sutherland, in memory of his orderly during the War, Guardsman James Reynolds, from the village of Bridge of Weir in Renfrewshire, who was killed in action while bringing back a wounded comrade, who survived. Reynolds died at the age of 19 at Tumbledown Mountain, and at the time was the only soldier to be awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal posthumously. At the time, Alastair Bruce said: "On returning to Britain after the Falklands, I decided I wanted to do something in honour of Jim Reynolds. He was such a brave young man who was well-liked by everyone".[7]

An Assistant Vice-President with Merrill Lynch from 1983 to 1989,[1] Bruce remained a military reservist. In 2004, he took command of the reserve unit, Media Operations Group, co-ordinating media representation of military activity.[8] In the same year, he was mobilised on active operations in Iraq, serving in Operation TELIC.[9] He was promoted colonel in the Territorial Army, and became the Equerry to Prince Edward.[4] In 2008, Bruce was appointed a Knight of St John[10] (OStJ (1991);[11] CStJ (1997)),[12] and in 2010, became OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for "services to the Territorial Army".[7][13] He was deputy commander of 3rd Division and colonel of the London Scottish Regiment.[9]

In 2019, Bruce succeeded Major General Michael Riddell-Webster as Governor of Edinburgh Castle[14] and was promoted to the rank of major general.[15]

In 2020, Bruce was appointed honorary colonel of 5 Military Intelligence Battalion;[16] and in 2021, as Honorary Colonel of Tayforth Universities Officers' Training Corps.[17]

Officer of Arms

Bruce processing as Fitzalan Pursuivant

Queen Elizabeth II appointed him as one of her heralds on 7 October 1998 as Fitzalan Pursuivant,[18] and he has been a member of the Royal Company of Archers,[19] the King's ceremonial bodyguard in Scotland, since 1990.[9]

Television, film and publications

Historian

Bruce has worked as a historical advisor to Oscar-winning films such as The King's Speech (2010) and The Young Victoria (2009), and the BAFTA-winning television series Downton Abbey (2010–2015) in which he provided historical accuracy as far as possible while balancing this with the need not to slow down the story unduly. He also advised on the minutiae of early 20th-century society protocol, in such subjects as dress, posture, the serving of food and even on matters that might initially appear trivial, such as the use of vocabulary or the correct way to step out of a car.[4][5]

Bruce has written many books, and worked with several independent production companies in the preparation of television documentaries which are regularly aired on the BBC, America's PBS network, Discovery Channel and A&E channels. Among these are Nicholas and Alexandra, Victoria and Albert (2001) and Days of Majesty.[9]

Royal documentary

In 2017 Bruce recorded a conversation with Queen Elizabeth II for the BBC: the Queen spoke about her coronation, more than 60 years earlier, in a programme entitled The Coronation.[20]

Academia

Bruce has lectured widely throughout Britain, Europe, and the United States; his subjects range from the last Tsars of Russia to British monarchy and the Vatican. In 2011, he was appointed Honorary Professor of Media at the University of Winchester.[9]

Personal life

In 1984, Bruce was recognised in the name of Bruce of Crionaich by Lord Lyon King of Arms.[1]

On 3 July 2021, after 20 years together, Bruce was married to Stephen Knott at St John's Episcopal Church by the Bishop of Edinburgh.[21][22][23]

Bruce is a godfather to James, Earl of Wessex, the son of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.[24]

Arms

Coat of arms of Major General Alastair Bruce of Crionaich
Adopted
Matriculated 12 December 1981
Crest
A lion statant, tail extended sable, armed and langued gules.
Escutcheon
Or a saltire and chief gules, on a dexter canton argent a lion rampant azure armed and langued of the second, on a sinister canton argent a bend wavy sable.[25]
Motto
Fuimus et Sumus ("We have been and we are")

Honours




RibbonDescriptionNotes
Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Order of St John (KStJ)
General Service Medal
South Atlantic Medal
Iraq Medal
  • 2004
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
  • 6 February 2002
  • UK Version of this Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
  • 6 February 2012
  • UK Version of this Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal
  • 6 February 2022
  • UK Version of this Medal
King Charles III Coronation Medal
  • 6 May 2023
  • UK Version of this Medal
Volunteer Reserves Service Decoration (VR)
Service Medal of the Order of St John
Governor-General’s Medal [26]
  • Silver Award
25th Anniversary of Independence Medal [26]
30th Anniversary of Independence Medal [26]

As an Equerry to The Duke of Edinburgh (formerly the Earl of Wessex) since 2004, he wears an aiguillette on his right shoulder while in military uniform, as well the Royal Cypher of The Duke of Edinburgh on his epaulettes.[27][26] He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Greater London on 9 October 2012. This permits him the use of the post-nominal letters "DL" in perpetuity.[28]

See also

Publications

  • Days of Majesty, (co-authored with Simon Welfare); Macmillan Publications, London (1993)
  • Keepers of the Kingdom: The Ancient Offices of Britain (co-authored with Mark Cator and Julian Calder); Cassell Illustrated Publications, London (1999)
  • The Oldest: In Celebration of Britain's Living History (co-authored with Julian Calder); Cassell Publications, London (2005)
  • The Butler's Guide to Running the Home and Other Graces (foreword by Alastair Bruce and written by Stanley Ager and Fiona St. Aubyn); Biteback Publications, London (2012)

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. pp. 1297–1298. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
  2. ↑ "Alastair Bruce and Dame Joanna Lumley join Sky News for the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort in Ultra HD". Sky News. 16 April 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  3. ↑ "Handover of the Governor of Edinburgh Castle". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 How Downton minds its manners Publisher: The Daily Telegraph. Published: 16 September 2011. Retrieved: 17 May 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 Interview: Alastair Bruce – Lord of the Manners The Scotsman 31 October 2011. Retrieved: 29 March 2013.
  6. ↑ www.sallachyestate.co.uk
  7. 1 2 3 4 North campaigners honoured Archived 29 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Publisher: The Northern Times. Published: 17 June 2010. Retrieved: 29 March 2013.
  8. ↑ "Army to set up 'social media unit'". BBC News. 31 January 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Biographies – Alastair Bruce Publisher: Sky News Press Office. Retrieved: 7 October 2015.
  10. ↑ "No. 58905". The London Gazette. 8 December 2008. p. 19119.
  11. ↑ "No. 52590". The London Gazette. 1 July 1991. p. 10030.
  12. ↑ "No. 54940". The London Gazette. 6 November 1997. p. 12485.
  13. ↑ "No. 59446". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 2010. p. 5.
  14. ↑ "The highest ranking Army Reservist has been installed as Governor of Edinburgh Castle - Defence in the media". modmedia.blog.gov.uk. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  15. ↑ Cawthorn, Joe (4 April 2019). "Alastair Bruce appointed new Governor of Edinburgh Castle". Edinburgh News. Edinburgh. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  16. ↑ "Major General Alastair Bruce of Crionaich OBE VR DL Governor of Edinburgh Castle". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  17. ↑ "No. 63548". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 December 2021. p. 22147.
  18. ↑ "No. 55291". The London Gazette. 26 October 1998. p. 11553.
  19. ↑ "The Royal Company of Archers". Royal Household. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  20. ↑ "Coronation details revealed in documentary". BBC News. 14 January 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  21. ↑ Flockhart, Gary (5 July 2021). "'Attitudes change but love is constant': Major General marries partner of 20 years at same-sex wedding in Edinburgh". The Scotsman. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  22. ↑ "Major General Alastair Bruce Married In Edinburgh". Forces.net. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  23. ↑ "Alastair Bruce on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  24. ↑ "Our Ambassadors". hampshirescouts.org.uk. 9 May 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  25. ↑ Chesshyre, D. H. B.; Ailes, Adrian (1 January 2001). Heralds of Today: A Biographical List of the Officers of the College of Arms, London, 1987-2001. Illuminata. p. 54. ISBN 9780953784516.
  26. 1 2 3 4 "Alastair Bruce on Twitter". Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  27. ↑ "Major General Alastair Bruce of Crionaich OBE VR DL Governor of Edinburgh Castle". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  28. ↑ "Greater London Lieutenancy | Deputy Lieutenant Commissions | the Gazette".
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