Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Simon Bland, KCVO, who died 11 August, 2022, aged 98, was a scion of that landed gentry family, and was a former private secretary to TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Simon Claude Michael Bland was born 4 December, 1923, son of Sir [George] Nevile Maltby Bland, KCMG, KCVO [1886-1972], and his wife the former Portia Ottley [1893-1968], scion of that landed gentry family.
He was educated at Eton and served in the Second World War in the Scots Guards, in Italy, and saw service in Malaya 1949-51; Assistant Military Adviser at the UK High Commission, Karachi 1959-60; he was Comptroller and Assistant Private Secretary to HRH the late Duke of Gloucester, 1961-74; and Private Secretary to the late HRH Prince William of Gloucester 1968-72; Comptroller, Private Secretary and Equerry to HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester and to HRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, 1972-89, Extra Equerry to Princess Alice, 1989-2004; and Extra Equerry to the Duke & Duchess of Gloucester since 1989.
He was appointed MVO in 1967, advanced to CVO in 1973, and KCVO in 1982.
Sir Simon Bland married 2 March, 1954, Beatrice Olivia Blackett [1932-2013], scion of the Blackett landed family, of Wylam, daughter of Maj Christopher William Stewart Burdett Blackett [1908-58], and his wife the former Kathleen Charlotte Williams-Wynn [1910-91], scion of the baronets of that name, by whom he had issue, one son, David Neville William [born 7 Dec, 1959], and three daughters, Catherine Mary [born 15 May, 1955], Rachel Corinna [born 25 Feb, 1957], and Henrietta Portia [born 17 Apr, 1967].
Lady Bland died 13 June, 2013.
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