Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington

Peter Alexander Rupert Carington, 6th Baron Carrington, Baron Carington of Upton (6 June 1919 – 9 July 2018), was a British Conservative Party politician and hereditary peer renowned for his distinguished public service. Over his extensive career, he served as Defence Secretary (1970–1974), Foreign Secretary (1979–1982), chairman of the General Electric Company (1983–1984), and Secretary General of NATO (1984–1988). A key architect of the Lancaster House Agreement, he played a pivotal role in ending the Rhodesian Bush War and facilitating the creation of Zimbabwe. From 1990 to 1998, he chaired the Steering Committee of the Bilderberg Group.

Early Life and Education[edit]

Peter Carington was born on 6 June 1919 in Chelsea, London, the only son of Rupert Carington, 5th Baron Carrington, and the Hon. Sybil Marion Colville, daughter of Charles Colville, 2nd Viscount Colville of Culross. He grew up at Millaton House, Bridestowe, Devon. Educated at Sandroyd School, Eton College, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, he was described by his housemaster as having potential for professions requiring practicality and leadership.

Military Service[edit]

Carington was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards in 1939 and served during the Second World War. He distinguished himself as a tank commander during Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands in 1944, leading the first group of Sherman tanks to cross the Nijmegen Bridge. For his gallantry, he was awarded the Military Cross in 1945. He left the military in 1949, having achieved the rank of major.

Political Career[edit]

Carington succeeded as the 6th Baron Carrington in 1938, taking his seat in the House of Lords in 1945 after active military service. His early political roles included Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Food (1951–1954) and the Minister of Defence (1954–1956). He served as High Commissioner to Australia (1956–1959), First Lord of the Admiralty (1959–1963), and Leader of the House of Lords (1963–1964). Notably, he chaired the Conservative Party from 1972 to 1974 and held the position of Secretary of State for Energy in 1974.

Foreign Secretary and Resignation[edit]

As Foreign Secretary under Margaret Thatcher, Carington chaired the 1979 Lancaster House conference, which ended Rhodesia’s Bush War. However, his tenure was marked by the 1982 Falklands War. Following Argentina’s invasion of the Falkland Islands, Carington accepted full responsibility for the Foreign Office’s failure to predict the attack and resigned on 5 April 1982. Thatcher described his resignation as a loss to her cabinet, emphasising his integrity.

NATO Secretary General and Later Roles[edit]

From 1984 to 1988, Carington served as Secretary General of NATO, mediating critical disputes, including the 1987 Aegean crisis between Greece and Turkey. He later chaired the Victoria and Albert Museum and presided over discussions on the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991. Beyond politics, he held significant positions in academia, business, and cultural institutions, including roles at Barclays Bank, Cadbury Schweppes, and Christie's.

Hereditary and Life Peerage[edit]

Carington inherited the Barony of Carrington in 1938. Following the House of Lords Act 1999, which removed hereditary peers’ automatic right to sit, he was created a life peer as Baron Carington of Upton.

Personal Life[edit]

Carington married Iona McClean in 1942, with whom he had three children: Alexandra, Virginia, and Rupert (the 7th Baron Carrington). The couple remained together until Lady Carrington’s death in 2009. Carington passed away from pneumonia on 9 July 2018 at his home in Bledlow, Buckinghamshire, aged 99. A memorial service was held at Westminster Abbey on 31 January 2019.

Legacy[edit]

Carington’s contributions spanned military service, political negotiation, and cultural leadership. He was the last hereditary peer to serve in a Great Office of State and a stalwart of British diplomacy. His pragmatic leadership and willingness to accept responsibility remain hallmarks of his public service.