Overview

• Airy rose through the Grenadier Guards to command the Household Division and served as Assistant Chief of Staff of UK Land Forces during the Falklands War before being knighted for his service.
• His 1990 appointment as private secretary to Prince Charles and Princess Diana was recommended by Jimmy Savile but he struggled to navigate the couple’s growing charitable commitments and divided household.
• He left the post in May 1991 after less than a year following complaints of being a poor cultural fit and a notable clash when he insisted it was the Prince’s “duty” to attend a state occasion.
• After retiring to Somerset, he dedicated over three decades to veterans’ causes, notably leading The Not Forgotten Association as chairman.
• Sir Christopher died on April 7, 2025, and the news of his passing emerged in early June, prompting renewed reflection on his service and brief royal tenure.