Nicholas Piers Turnbull, LVO, MBE, QGM 1962-2026

 Nicholas Piers Turnbull, LVO, MBE, QGM, who died 16 September, 2026, aged 63, was Private Secretary to HRH The Duke of Kent from 2018.

He succeeded Nicholas Marden as the Duke of Kent’s Private Secretary in 2018. He and the Duke were amused that he was the third successive “Nick” to serve in that role. As such he oversaw the Duke’s official diary.

He joined the Queen’s Own Highlanders in 1983, during which time he served under Colonel Alastair Campbell, whom he greatly admired. Turnbull’s active service took him to Africa and Northern Ireland and he served as ADC to Lieutenant-General Sir John MacMillan, General Officer Commanding Scotland. He retired from the Army in 1989. He read theology and philosophy at Bristol University and later took a Master’s in theology at Keble College, Oxford.

After a Hercules aircraft was destroyed by fire on landing, Turnbull was awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal having rescued a crew member. 

On 18 September, 2026, His Majesty the King appointed Turnbull to be a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order, with the date of 14 September.

He was born 23 September, 1962, a son of John Earle Turnbull (1931-1994), and his wife the former Mary K Heath, and married in 2006 (Div.), the Hon Arabella Maroussia Phillimore (born 22 February, 1975), daughter of the 5th Baron Phillimore (born 25 November, 1944), and his wife the former Nathalie Berthe Louisa Pequin, by whom he had issue, two sons, Alexander Tristan (born 11 November, 2008), and Crispin Finlay John (born 15 May, 2012).

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