Born the son of Frederick William Stanhope and Shiela Mary Hattemore (née Cutler), Stanhope was educated at the London Nautical School, Worthing High School for Boys (since 1974 first Worthing Sixth-Form College and more recently Worthing College), and then St Peter's College, Oxford, where he gained a Master of Arts in physics.[1]
Naval career
Stanhope joined the Royal Navy in 1970, was confirmed in the rank of sub-lieutenant on 1 September 1972,[2] and was promoted to full lieutenant on 1 May 1977.[3] Promoted to lieutenant commander on 16 October 1982,[4] he commanded the submarine HMS Orpheus from 1982 to 1984.[1] After receiving promotion to commander on 30 June 1986,[5] he commanded the submarine HMS Splendid from 1987 to 1988.[1] He became a teaching officer on the Submarine Command Course in 1989.[1]
Stanhope succeeded Admiral Sir Jonathon Band as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval staff in July 2009.[10][11]
On 11 March 2011, Stanhope addressed the crew of HMS Ark Royal for the final time, lamenting the loss of carrier strike capability, commenting that "the decision to gap the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike capability was not one taken lightly, or easily." Paying tribute to the crew upon "the dignity with which you have greeted this difficult news."
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In June 2011, during operations around Libya, he warned that the fleet would only be able to sustain operations for around 90 days after which the Government would have to rebalance priorities.[13] On 24 June 2011 The Daily Telegraph confirmed that Stanhope, in common with the Chief of the Air Staff and the Chief of the General Staff, would lose his position on the Defence Board, the highest non-ministerial Ministry of Defence committee, which makes decisions on all aspect of military policy.[14] He was succeeded as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval staff by Admiral Sir George Zambellas in April 2013.[15]
Family
In 1975 Stanhope married Janet Anne Flynn; they have one daughter.[1] Lady Stanhope was the Director of Resources at Devon County Council for four years.[16]