Sir Robert Henry Thoroton Hildyard, styled Mr Justice Hildyard (born 10 October 1952), is a British High Court Judge.

Personal life and education

Hildyard was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

and

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

. In 1980 he married Isabella Jane Rennie, with whom he had three daughters. They divorced and he later married Lucy Gibson and had another daughter, living at their country house Flintham Hall,

Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated ''Notts.'') is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. The county is bordered by South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. Th ...

. He is a member of the Garrick Club. Hildyard is the brother-in-law of Charles Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, who served as

Lord Chancellor The Lord Chancellor, formally titled Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom. The lord chancellor is the minister of justice for England and Wales and the highest-ra ...

and

Secretary of State for Justice The secretary of state for justice is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Ministry of Justice. The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. Since the office's inception ...

Career

Hildyard was called to the Bar at

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

in 1977 and joined Lincoln's Inn in 1994. He was appointed a

Queen's Counsel A King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch (or their Viceroy, viceregal representative) of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarc ...

in 1994, deputy judge of the High Court from 2002 to 2011, bencher of Lincoln's Inn in 2005 and was attorney-general to the Duchy of Lancaster from 2008 to 2011. He has been a judge of the

High Court of Justice The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal (England and Wales), Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Courts of England and Wales, Senior Cour ...

(Chancery Division) since 2011. He received his customary

knighthood A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

in 2012 from Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

St James's Palace St James's Palace is the most senior royal palace in London, England. The palace gives its name to the Court of St James's, which is the monarch's royal court, and is located in the City of Westminster. Although no longer the principal residence ...

. He was made a deputy lieutenant for

in 2014.

References

1952 births Living people People educated at Eton College Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford 21st-century English judges Chancery Division judges Attorneys-general of the Duchy of Lancaster Knights Bachelor 20th-century King's Counsel 21st-century King's Counsel Members of the Inner Temple Members of Lincoln's Inn Deputy lieutenants of Nottinghamshire {{UK-law-bio-stub