Royal aide played key role in Diana funeral
Lt.-Col. Sir Malcolm Ross, who has died on his 76th birthday, was Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office at the time of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales; he later served as Master of the Household of the Prince of Wales, Lord Lieutenant of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright and Lord Prior of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
Numerous important royal occasions occurred under his watch, but the most challenging was the hastily arranged funeral of the Princess, following her death in Paris in August 1997. Ross was present at RAF Northolt when her body was brought back into the country.
On the way into London, he observed that, apart from the one lane in which the cortège was travelling, the traffic was completely stationary in both directions. He realized immediately that the plans would have to be upgraded significantly.
He greatly extended the length of the procession so that it began at Kensington Palace, to be joined by the young princes and their family at St. James’s Palace.
As he told the press the day before: “In putting together this funeral plan we have not followed precedent. We have broken with convention for this unique day for a unique person.”
Walter Hugh Malcolm Ross was born on Oct. 27, 1943, the son of Col. Walter John Macdonald Ross and his wife, Josephine.
Malcolm was educated at Eton and Sandhurst, after which he served in the Scots Guards from 1964 to 1987. He was adjutant at Sandhurst from 1977 to 1979, and retired in the rank of Lt.-Col. in 1982. He then joined the Royal Household as Assistant Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office and Management Auditor.
He succeeded Anthony Mather as Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office in 1991 and served as such until 2005.
He oversaw the Queen Mother’s funeral in 2002, the celebrations for the Golden Jubilee in the same year and many other royal events, such as the funeral and memorial service for Princess Margaret.
When he took leave of the Queen in 2005 he told her that he was going to work for the Prince of Wales, responding to a direct late-night call from the Prince himself.
According to the author Tom Bower, the Queen’s response was: “You must be quite mad. Work for Charles? Well ...”
In 1969 he married Susie Gow, daughter of Gen. Sir Michael Gow; she survives him along with their two daughters and a son.