Oliver Payan Dawnay CVO (4 April 192018 March 1988) was a British civil servant, banker, stockbroker, and private secretary to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother from 1951 to 1956."Captain Oliver Dawnay." ''The Times'', London, 21 March 1988, pg. 14 Dawnay served with the army in World War II, and worked as a banker before and after his royal service.

Early life and army service

Dawnay was the son of Major-General Guy Dawnay, and attended

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, ...

and Balliol College, Oxford, before working as a civil servant in the

Ministry of Economic Warfare The Minister of Economic Warfare was a British government position which existed during the Second World War. The minister was in charge of the Special Operations Executive and the Ministry of Economic Warfare. See also * Blockade of Germany (193 ...

. At the outbreak of World War II Dawnay joined the army and served as an adjutant with the 1st Battalion of the

Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...

and the

Guards Armoured Division The Guards Armoured Division was an armoured division of the British Army during the Second World War. The division was created in the United Kingdom on 17 June 1941 during the Second World War from elements of the Guards units, the Grenadier ...

; seeing action on D-Day in 1944."The Queen's Private Secretary.", ''The Times'', London, 3 February 1951, pg. 8 Dawnay was also mentioned in dispatches during the war. At the end of the war Dawnay joined the Foreign Office Conference Department, and worked as a merchant banker with Dawnay Day after leaving the army.

Private Secretary to the Queen Mother

In February 1951 Dawnay was appointed private secretary to Queen Elizabeth, wife of King George VI. Dawnay succeeded T. C. Harvey as private secretary to the Queen. As private secretary to the Queen Dawnay also oversaw the affairs of the Queen's daughter, Princess Margaret. Dawnay was involved in the discussions over Margaret's proposed marriage to Peter Townsend. In his role as the Queen's private secretary Dawnay communicated the Queen's concerns over a proposed biography of George VI to the book's author,

John Pudney John Sleigh Pudney (19 January 1909 – 10 November 1977) was a British poet, journalist and author. He was known especially for his popular poetry written during the Second World War, but he also wrote novels, short stories and children's fict ...

. Dawnay objected to the depiction of George's ill health, writing that 'I can tell you that up to the last year of his life, many young visitors – half His age – to His estates have been practically walked off their legs by their Sovereign!". In July 1951, in an incident that was published in international newspapers, Dawnay rescued a woman and her three children from a car that had crashed into the River Blackwater near his home in Reading, Berkshire. The driver of the car was killed in the crash, with an eyewitness describing Dawnay's actions as having "undoubtedly saved the children's lives".

Post royal service

Dawnay resumed his banking career in 1956, leaving the Queen Mother's service, and was succeeded as the Queen's private secretary in 1956 by Martin Gilliat."Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Martin Gilliat.", ''The Times'', London, 29 May 1993, pg. 17 Gilliat would serve as the Queen Mother's private secretary for 37 years until his death in 1993. Dawnay was a partner of the stockbroking firm Grieveson, Grant & Co. from 1961 to 1980, and remained friends with the Queen Mother for many years after he left her service.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dawnay, Oliver 1920 births 1988 deaths Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford British Army personnel of World War II British bankers British civil servants Coldstream Guards officers Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order Equerries People educated at Eton College Oliver