Edward Ford, 96; courtier coined phrase for the queen in 1992
Sir Edward Ford, 96, the royal courtier who provided Queen Elizabeth II with the memorable phrase annus horribilis, which literally means “horrible/dreadful/terrible year,” to describe her troubles in 1992, died Sunday, his family said in an announcement in the Times of London newspaper. The cause of death was not announced.
Ford was the queen’s assistant private secretary from her accession in 1952 until he retired in 1967. In a letter to the queen in 1992 after the collapse of the marriages of Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne, and a devastating fire at Windsor Castle, Ford turned to Latin to commiserate with her at the end of a horrible year.
The queen used Ford’s expression in a speech marking the 40th anniversary of her reign.
“1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure,” she said.
“In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an ‘annus horribilis.’ I suspect that I am not alone in thinking it so.”
Born in Repton, England, Ford was educated at Eton and Oxford. He started as a private tutor to the heir to the then-Egyptian throne, Prince Farouk.
Ford practiced law from 1937 to 1939. During World War II, he saw military service in Tunisia and Italy.
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