Crown stardust adds lustre to medals
Family of Lord Charteris, Queen’s faithful servant and now a Netflix star, put his honours up for auction
TO NETFLIX viewers he is an unexpected star of The Crown, the charming private secretary so invaluable to the Queen during her early reign.
The real life of Baron Charteris of Amisfield, from distinguished Second World War veteran to Palace aide and beyond, is to be illustrated at an auction house later this month after his family agreed to sell his medals.
Lord Charteris received the Queen’s Service Order, the Order of the Bath, the Royal Victorian Order and France’s Legion d’honneur among numerous military honours, which will be sold as one collection for an estimate of up to £15,000 at Morton & Eden, London, on June 28.
The orders and medals could fetch considerably more in the wake of The Crown, in which the young Martin Charteris is portrayed as an affable aide whom the Queen wishes to elevate through the ranks.
The auctioneers said that, while the quality of the collection spoke for itself, its “desirability” was certainly boosted by the newfound fame of Lord Charteris, due to the Netflix show.
His family, who said they were selling the medals to raise funds to maintain their late father’s property, said they hoped they would find a new home with “someone who loves the Queen and British history”.
The lot includes the rare Queen’s Service Order; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 19391945 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; General Service Medal, 1918-62; Palestine 1945-48; Coronation Medal, 1953 and the Jubilee Medal, 1977, as well as The Most Excellent Order of the Bath (Civil Division); The Royal Victorian Order and France’s Legion d’honneur.
David Kirk, medal specialist at the auction house, said: “This is an exceptionally rare combination of medals and awards to an important and well-respected figure in modern royal history.”
Harry Charteris, Lord Charteris’s son, said: “Following the death of our mother last year, my siblings and I decided it was the right moment to auction our fa- ther’s medals. Our father was hugely proud and honoured to have received these awards in his lifetime but we know he would approve of our decision.”
Lord Charteris, who died in 1999, had a distinguished military career, in North Africa for much of the Second World War and subsequently made head of military intelligence in Palestine. Returning to England in 1949, he was persuaded by his friend Jock Colville to meet with Princess Elizabeth, whom Charteris later recalled as “the most impressive of women”.
With her in Kenya when she became Queen, Charteris remained in her service until 1977, overseeing the Silver Jubilee celebrations. When he retired, the Queen re- portedly told him: “Martin, thank you for a lifetime.” Of his achievements at the Palace, the auction catalogue states he “helped to introduce the idea of royal walkabouts” and once told the Queen: “Your job is to spread a carpet of happiness.”
He went on to serve as Provost at Eton College, and died in 1999 aged 86 leaving two sons and a daughter. He is described on his gravestone as “Soldier, Courtier, Provost, Sculptor”.
The young Charteris is played by Harry Hadden-paton in The Crown, who was described by Harry Charteris as “very watchable”.
“It’s amusing to see him and our mum in the series,” he said. “Of course, it makes you proud. He was very dedicated to his job and had a personal role in some important events that were of national interest.”