The Right Honourable Sir Christopher Geidt, of London, QSO, for services as Private Secretary to The Queen of New Zealand
Sir Christopher’s career began with military service in the British Army. He worked at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies before joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, where he served in diplomatic posts in Sarajevo, Geneva and Brussels. He joined the Royal Household first as Assistant Private Secretary and then as Private Secretary to The Queen, in which role he has worked to promote New Zealand’s interests and relationships with the Sovereign and senior members of the Royal family. He has provided significant help on a range of important and complex issues, in particular New Zealand’s work leading the 15 Realm countries that have the Queen as Head of State to adopt updated laws about the succession to the throne for each of those countries.