Owain Carew-Grey, Lord Knightstone
The Right Honourable Lord Knightstone KCVO CMG MBE AM | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Official Government Portrait, commissioned by the Knightstone Government | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Political party | Unionist Party | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations | Heron Party (until 1 May 2024) Liberal Democrats (until 3 January 2024) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse(s) | The Viscount Salisbury (engaged March 2024) Noel de Carteret (m. 24 July 2024) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent(s) | The Baroness Wilton The Viscount Sidmouth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residence(s) | Halton Castle Knightstone Estate Hatfield Palace | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Eton College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Cheeky Chops | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Owain Wentworth Thomas Carew-Grey, Lord Knightstone KCVO CMG MBE AM (6 October 2023 - 14 August 2024) was a British politician, Parliamentarian, Royal functionary and English Peer who served in a variety of positions, most notably as the 39th Speaker of the House of Commons, as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for three Prime Ministers, and as a Member of Parliament for three constituencies across four terms in Parliament. Furthermore, he was the Private Secretary to HRH The Prince Royal, serving as a high-ranking member of the Royal Household of Charles III.
Officially joining in October 2023, Owain swiftly came to political prominence: he joined the Liberal Democrats and was one of their two MPs (as a Member for Argyll and Bute) elected in the November 2023 General Election: he gained notoriety for knocking out the resigning Prime Minister, August Lleyton, from the runoff poll for the last Parliamentary Position. He was Deputy Leader of the Party, behind The Baron Scarborough and the Chairman, The Duke of Warwick. In the Shadow Cabinet, he was Shadow Home Secretary and the party seemed poised for Government: however, The Duke of Warwick Affair and the subsequent dissolution of the party in January 2024 meant Owain joined the Heron Party. Re-elected comfortably, he served as Minister of State for Culture and Development, and upon the resignation of Miann Somerset-Grey, 2nd Duke of Edinburgh, was promoted to Secretary of State for the Home Office. Upon the confirmation as his father, The Baron Knightstone, as Prime Minister in March 2024, Owain was appointed as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, serving as one of its longest officeholders. Furthermore, following the collapse of the Concorde Coalition, he was Deputy Prime Minister. He later joined the Unionists during the second term of his fathers' Premiership, and remains there as an MP for Blyth and Ashington. He was elected as the 39th Speaker of the House of Commons, serving for the full duration of the 32nd Parliament of Great Britain. He decided not to stand for Parliament in the July 2024 General Election, ending a run of four consecutive sessions in the Commons, but remained in his post as Foreign Secretary in the Premiership of the Baroness Wilton and for the beginning of the Premiership of the Duke of Warwick. He resigned from the position on the 11 August 2024, having served a record 160 days.
Originally Assistant Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales, and then the Sovereign upon his ascension to the throne as Charles III, Owain moved to become the Private Secretary to Tobias, Prince Royal in April 2024. He held other roles such as Second Clerk of the Green Cloth, Keeper of the Royal Archives, and Communications Secretary. He left the Royal Household with a full pension in July 2024.
Owain was, until January 2024, brother of James Forsyte, 1st Duke of Warwick and as such was styled as Owain Wentworth Gruffyd Forsyte. He left the Forsyte Family to become the son of Josephine Carew-Grey, The Baroness Wilton and Thomas Carew, The Viscount Sidmouth, prominent personalities in the region. He was the older brother of August Carew-Grey. He had two Uncles: Alistair S.R. Grey, 1st Baron Helmsdale, and Prince Miann, Duke of Edinburgh. Via the latter, he was the nephew of Charles III and cousin to both Tobias, Prince Royal and William Somerset, 2nd Viscount Douglas. He was engaged to Elio Somerset, 1st Viscount Salisbury (second son of Prince Victor, Duke of York), but Elio disappeared before the marriage took place. He married Noel de Carteret on the 24 July 2024.
Owain passed on the 14 August 2024 during a parachuting accident over the Northern coast of France. He stated that he "intended to reclaim France for Britain, or die trying", and sadly lost his life in pursuit of such a goal. His funeral was held at Hatfield Chapel, the home he shared with his husband, and he was buried in the crypt beneath. A memorial service at St. Mary's Church, Devon, and at St. Paul's Cathedral were also held for Lord Knightstone. He predeceased both his parents, with the shock of his death alongside other factors possibly contributing to the death of his mother, Lady Wilton.
He was heir presumptive to the titles of his mother and father, and was styled officially as Owain Carew-Grey, Lord Knightstone, as the heir presumptive to the Viscountcy of Sidmouth.