# Tim Hitchens

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British diplomat

Sir Tim Hitchens KCVO CMG President of Wolfson College, Oxford Incumbent Assumed office 1 May 2018 Preceded by Hermione Lee British Ambassador to Japan In office 2012–2016 Monarch Elizabeth II Prime Minister David Cameron Theresa May Preceded by David Warren Succeeded by Paul Madden Assistant Private Secretary to the Sovereign In office 1999–2002 Monarch Elizabeth II Prime Minister Tony Blair Preceded by Mary Francis Succeeded by Sir Christopher Geidt Personal details Born Timothy Mark Hitchens 1962 (age 63–64) London, England Alma mater Dulwich College University of Cambridge

**Sir Timothy Mark Hitchens**, [KCVO](/source/Knight_Commander_of_the_Royal_Victorian_Order), [CMG](/source/Companion_of_the_Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George) (born 1962) is a British diplomat and a former Assistant [Private Secretary](/source/Private_Secretary_to_the_Sovereign) to the [Queen Elizabeth II](/source/Elizabeth_II), in the [Royal Household](/source/Royal_Household) of the [Sovereign](/source/Monarch) of the United Kingdom, 1999–2002.

Hitchens was seconded from the [Foreign and Commonwealth Office](/source/Foreign_and_Commonwealth_Office), to which he returned to become Head of the Africa Department (Equatorial).[1][2] He had been [First Secretary](/source/Diplomatic_rank) Political and Information, British [High Commission](/source/High_Commission), [Islamabad](/source/Islamabad) and speechwriter for Foreign Secretary [Douglas Hurd](/source/Douglas_Hurd).

## Early life and career

Hitchens was born in 1962 and educated at [Dulwich College](/source/Dulwich_College) from 1972 to 1979.[3] He then attended [Christ's College](/source/Christ's_College%2C_Cambridge), [University of Cambridge](/source/University_of_Cambridge), where he read [English literature](/source/English_literature).[4] After joining the [Foreign and Commonwealth Office](/source/Foreign_and_Commonwealth_Office), he studied Japanese, and then became [Trade Secretary](/source/Trade_Secretary) in Tokyo.

## Career

Hitchens was [Private Secretary](/source/Private_Secretary) to The Rt Hon [Tristan Garel-Jones](/source/Tristan_Garel-Jones), [Minister of State](/source/Minister_of_State) for Europe at the [Foreign and Commonwealth Office](/source/Foreign_and_Commonwealth_Office), 1990 to 1993, and speechwriter to the [Foreign Secretary](/source/Foreign_Secretary_(United_Kingdom)), The Rt Hon [Douglas Hurd](/source/Douglas_Hurd), from 1993 to 1994. He was Head of the Political Section at the [British Embassy](/source/British_Embassy) in [Islamabad](/source/Islamabad), [Pakistan](/source/Pakistan), 1994 to 1997.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

From 2005 to 2008, Hitchens was Deputy Ambassador at the British Embassy in [Paris](/source/Paris).[5]

From autumn 2008, Hitchens took up the position of Director, European Political Affairs, in London.[6][7] In August 2010, he became Director, Africa.

At the [Tokyo Imperial Palace](/source/Tokyo_Imperial_Palace)

In 2012, Hitchens was appointed HM Ambassador to Japan.[8] He opened a Twitter account under the handle 'UKAmbTim' and, as of May 17, 2015[\[update\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tim_Hitchens&action=edit), had over 7,000 followers.[9][*[non-primary source needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research#Primary,_secondary_and_tertiary_sources)*] He often tweets in Japanese. Hitchens was succeeded by [Paul Madden](/source/Paul_Madden_(diplomat)) in January 2017.[10]

In March 2017, Hitchens was appointed chief executive officer of the Commonwealth Summit 2018.[4]

In January 2017, Hitchens was elected President of [Wolfson College, Oxford](/source/Wolfson_College%2C_Oxford).[11] He assumed this post on 1st May 2018.

## Honours

Hitchens was appointed [Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George](/source/Companion_of_the_Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George) (CMG) in the [2012 New Year Honours](/source/2012_New_Year_Honours).[12]

## Personal life

Hitchens is the son of [Rear Admiral](/source/Rear_Admiral) Gilbert A.F. Hitchens CB RN, who was [Royal Naval attaché](/source/Military_attach%C3%A9) in Japan (February 1977 – February 1979).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

Hitchens has one daughter (born 1991) and one son (born 1993).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Amaize, Emma (29 October 2004). ["British Govt Intervenes in Niger Delta Troubles"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121022025010/http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-14202707_ITM). *Vanguard*. Nigeria: Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. Archived from [the original](http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-14202707_ITM) on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["The following announcement is issued by the Press Secretary to the Queen"](http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-25681284_ITM). *M2 Presswire*. 24 July 2002. Retrieved 12 March 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Alleyn Club Yearbook"](https://dulwichorguk.finalsite.com/uploaded/documents/Old_Alleynians/Alleyn_Club_Yearbook_2018.pdf?1518190185771&bblinkid=81154221&bbemailid=6922502&bbejrid=534588067) (PDF). [Dulwich College](/source/Dulwich_College). Retrieved 23 March 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-gov-bio_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-gov-bio_4-1) ["Chief Executive, Commonwealth Summit Unit: Tim Hitchens –Biography"](https://www.gov.uk/government/people/tim-hitchens). *[GOV.UK](/source/GOV.UK)*. UK: [Government Digital Service](/source/Government_Digital_Service). Retrieved 26 April 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Tim Hitchens"](https://www.gov.uk/government/people/tim-hitchens). *[GOV.UK](/source/GOV.UK)*. Retrieved 27 July 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Danas (11 May 2009). ["Decision on EU candidacy bid "soon""](https://web.archive.org/web/20110606115356/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2009&mm=05&dd=11&nav_id=59070). B92. Archived from [the original](http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2009&mm=05&dd=11&nav_id=59070) on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** EFE (16 October 2009). ["El Foro de Diálogo sobre Gibraltar fija un calendario con objetivos prioritarios"](http://www.soitu.es/soitu/2009/10/16/info/1255726636_175827.html). *Soitu* (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 March 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to Japan"](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/change-of-her-majestys-ambassador-to-japan). [Government of the United Kingdom](/source/Government_of_the_United_Kingdom). 2 March 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Tim Hitchens (@UKAmbTim) – Twitter"](https://twitter.com/UKAmbTim).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to Japan"](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/change-of-her-majestys-ambassador-to-japan--2). Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Wolfson College, Oxford"](http://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/news/president-elect). Retrieved 23 March 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["No. 60009"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/60009/supplement/3). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 31 December 2011. p. 3.

## Sources

- [British ambassador laments his two ‘lost decades’](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community_column/our-man-in-tokyo/) *[The Japan Times](/source/The_Japan_Times)*, 9 April 2013

Diplomatic posts Preceded by Sir David Warren British Ambassador to Japan 2012–2016 Succeeded by Paul Madden Academic offices Preceded by Philomen Probert (acting) President of Wolfson College, Oxford 2018–present Succeeded by Incumbent

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tim Hitchens](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Hitchens) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Hitchens?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.