Sir David Steel | |
---|---|
![]() 2021 | |
Governor of Gibraltar | |
In office 11 June 2020 – 23 May 2024 | |
Monarchs | Elizabeth II Charles III |
Chief Minister | Fabian Picardo |
Preceded by | Edward Davis |
Succeeded by | Sir Ben Bathurst |
Personal details | |
Born | 6 April 1961 |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Branch/service | Royal Navy |
Years of service | 1979–2015 |
Rank | Vice Admiral |
Commands | Second Sea Lord Naval Secretary HM Naval Base Portsmouth |
Battles/wars | Kosovo War |
Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service Knight of Justice of the Order of St John |
Vice Admiral Sir David George Steel, KBE, KStJ, DL (born 6 April 1961) is a retired senior Royal Navy officer who served as Second Sea Lord between 2012 and 2015. He served as Governor of Gibraltar from 2020 to 2024.
Early life
[edit]Steel was born on 6 April 1961. He was educated at Rossall School in Lancashire and attended Durham University where he read law, graduating in 1983.[1] He was called to the bar in 1988.[2]
Military career
[edit]Steel joined the Royal Navy in 1979.[2] His early career was spent in a variety of sea and shore appointments, including as the Fleet Legal Adviser. In December 1999, while serving in the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible, he was awarded a Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in support of operations in Kosovo and Macedonia earlier that year.[3] In November 2005 he assumed command of HM Naval Base Portsmouth and in that capacity was honoured for his "inspirational leadership" during the Government's savings review of Naval Bases in 2007.[4] He was also appointed Chief Naval Logistics Officer and Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty The Queen.[5]
In November 2008 Steel was appointed Director of Service Personnel Policy (Pay and Allowances) at the Ministry of Defence and,[6] in April 2010, he was promoted to rear admiral and appointed Naval Secretary.[7] He was promoted to vice admiral and appointed Second Sea Lord in October 2012.[8]
Already a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), Steel was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours.[9][10] He was appointed a Knight of the Order of St John (KStJ) on 11 November 2020.[11]
Later professional life
[edit]Viceregal styles of Sir David Steel (2020–2024) | |
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Reference style | His Excellency |
Spoken style | Your Excellency |
In 2011 Steel was appointed as a Director of Portsmouth Cultural Trust, a role he held until 2016.[12] In 2015 he became Chief Executive of the Leeds Castle Foundation and Enterprises Limited.[13] He is a Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire,[14] a Freeman of the City of London,[15] and a Bencher of the Middle Temple.[16]
Among his other commitments Steel is a trustee of the Nuffield Trust for the Forces of the Crown,[17] and President and Chairman of Trustees of the Union Jack Club.[18][19] He is President of the Church of England Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Clubs and Housing Association,[20] Patron of the Boleh Sailing Trust,[21][22] a vice-president of the Marine Society & Sea Cadets,[23][24] and an ambassador for the Woodland Trust.[25][26]
Steel served as the Governor of Gibraltar from 11 June 2020 to 23 May 2024.[27]
References
[edit]- ^ "Durham University gazette, 1982/83". reed.dur.ac.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- ^ a b "Chief of Naval Personnel & Training and Second Sea Lord". MOD – Royal Navy. Archived from the original on 2 April 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- ^ "No. 55711". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1999. p. 43.
- ^ Hands off our base Portsmouth News, 17 October 2007
- ^ Royal Navy Logistics officers' conference – A NAVSUP perspective Navy Supply Corps Newsletter, 1 September 2008
- ^ "Royal Navy Engineer takes command of Portsmouth Naval Base". Queen's Harbour Master. Archived from the original on 24 December 2010. Retrieved 17 November 2008.
- ^ Next 2SL is appointed Navy News, February 2010
- ^ Ups and outs July 2012 Defence Viewpoints
- ^ "No. 61092". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2014. p. N5.
- ^ "New Year Honours for service personnel and defence civilians 2015". Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "Promotions in, and Appointments to, the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem". Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ "Portsmouth Cultural Trust Trustees: Director". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
- ^ "Chief Executive of the Leeds Castle Foundation". Leeds Castle. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
- ^ "No. 60930". The London Gazette. 14 July 2014. p. 13797.
- ^ "Vice Admiral David Steel". Royal Navy. Archived from the original on 2 April 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
- ^ "Masters of the Bench". Middle Temple. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ^ "The Nuffield Trust for the Forces of the Crown Governance and Administration". The Nuffield Trust for the Forces of the Crown. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- ^ "Council & General Committee". The Union Jack Club. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
- ^ "The Union Jack Club 5 Year Plan" (PDF). The Union Jack Club. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
- ^ "CESSAC Impact Statement" (PDF). CESSAC. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
- ^ "Trustees of Boleh Trust". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
- ^ "Boleh's Patron and Trustees". Boleh Trust. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
- ^ "11th Annual Court of Marine Society & Sea Cadets". Marine Society & Sea Cadets. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
- ^ "Marine Society & Sea Cadets Trustees". Marine Society & Sea Cadets. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ "Woodland Trust Ambassadors". Woodland Trust. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- ^ "Battle of Jutland Memorial Wood". Woodland Trust. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
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: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Change of Governor of Gibraltar". Gov.uk. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
External links
[edit] Media related to Sir David Steel at Wikimedia Commons