Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Sir Edward Alexander Smyth-Osbourne, (born 18 May 1964) is a retired senior

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officer.

Early life and education

Smyth-Osbourne was born on 18 May 1964 in

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...

, England. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

, an all-boys

public school Public school may refer to: * State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government * Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England an ...

in Berkshire. He studied at the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

, graduating with an

undergraduate Master of Arts The degree of Master of Arts (MA; , ) in Scotland is an Undergraduate education, undergraduate degree. The degree can be either a three-year general or four-year ''Honours degree'' in humanities or social sciences, awarded by one of several ins ...

(MA Hons).

Military career

left, On duty at the State Opening of Parliament 2015 Smyth-Osbourne was commissioned into the Life Guards in October 1983. He went on to be Commanding Officer of the

Household Cavalry Regiment The Household Cavalry Regiment (HCR) is an Armoured Cavalry regiment of the British Army based in Bulford Camp in Wiltshire. It is the brother regiment of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR) based at Hyde Park Barracks in London - both ...

in 2005 and in that role deployed to

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

in 2007.Royal wedding guest list: who will be attending Prince William and Kate Middleton's big day
The Telegraph, 23 April 2011 He then became commander of the

38th (Irish) Brigade The 38th (Irish) Brigade, is a brigade formation of the British Army that served in the Second World War. It was composed of Ulster, North Irish line infantry regiments and served with distinction in the Tunisia Campaign, Tunisian and Italian Camp ...

in 2009, Director of the

ISAF ' ps, کمک او همکاري ' , allies = Afghanistan , opponents = Taliban Al-Qaeda , commander1 = , commander1_label = Commander , commander2 = , commander2_label = , commander3 = , command ...

Force Reintegration Cell in 2012, and

Major-General commanding the Household Division The Major-General commanding the Household Division commands the Household Division#United Kingdom, Household Division of the British Army and is also the General officer commanding, General Officer Commanding London District (British Army), Lon ...

in July 2013. Smyth-Osbourne was

Prince William William, Prince of Wales, (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982) is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. Born in London, William was educat ...

's and

Prince Harry Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, (Henry Charles Albert David; born 15 September 1984) is a member of the British royal family. He is the younger son of Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. He is fifth in the line of succ ...

's Commanding Officer in the Household Cavalry Regiment and acted as their military mentor. He was also Prince Harry's Commanding Officer when the prince undertook active service in Afghanistan. He was invited to the wedding of Prince William and

Kate Middleton Catherine, Princess of Wales, (born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton; 9 January 1982) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to William, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the British throne, making Catherine the likely next ...

in April 2011. Smyth-Osbourne relinquished command of the Household Division on 11 June 2016 and was knighted and invested as a

Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, or ...

by the Queen. He became Deputy Commander of the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Italy in July 2016, and took command of the

Allied Rapid Reaction Corps The Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization High Readiness Force (Land) Headquarters ready for deployment worldwide. History The ARRC was created on 1 October 1992 in Bielefeld based on the former I (Britis ...

in July 2019. He retired in April 2022. Smyth-Osbourne was appointed Colonel of the Life Guards and

Gold Stick in Waiting The Gold Stick and the Silver Stick are bodyguard positions in the British Royal Household, personal attendants to the Sovereign on ceremonial occasions. Gold Stick Although now only in evidence on ceremonial and state occasions, the offi ...

to the Queen on 7 June 2019.

Personal life

In 1996, Smyth-Osbourne married Lucy Turner. Together they have two children: one son and one daughter.

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Smyth-Osbourne, Edward 1964 births Alumni of the University of St Andrews British Army generals British Army personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) British Life Guards officers Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Living people People educated at Eton College Military personnel from Plymouth, Devon