The Lieutenant Governor, Lieutenant General Sir Richard Cripwell CB CBE has another title to add to his name – with a knighthood bestowed by the King as part of His Majesty’s Birthday Honours.
His Excellency has been made a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) for his service to the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
He was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey in 2022, after a distinguished military career with the Royal Engineers.
Speaking with Express this week, Sir Richard said the knighthood is a great honour. He also said it was a great surprise when he was told of the award recently.
“I absolutely did not know it was coming,” he explained.
“Sir Richard, the Bailiff, very kindly told me personally to my face. He came to see me and I was astonished and frankly, very humbled, obviously very honoured.”
Recipients of honours such as a Knighthood are nominated by third parties which are then assessed before being confirmed by the Monarch.
Sir Richard said he doesn’t know – and will likely never find out – who nominated him.
“You’re told nothing. And the Lieutenant Governor is no different to anybody else in this respect. I do not know who nominated me, I will never see the citation, so I don’t know who supported it. But that is just the way the system is run, and I think and rightly so.
“The clue you get, if there is any clue, is that that you are told that your award is for. In this case, it is for services to the Bailiwick of Guernsey.”
Sir Richard said that service to the Bailiwick is affording him a very enjoyable chapter in his life – something he pledged his commitment to when he was installed in 2022.
“(The time) is going extraordinarily quickly. My wife and I, we absolutely love living here. We love being part of the community. We really welcome the chance to serve in the community. I said when I was installed in this appointment that I would spend my days in the service of the Bailiwick and its people, and that’s what I have tried to do every day, and that’s what we will continue to try and do while we were here.”
While the family live in Guernsey, Sir Richard is always keen to emphasis his commitment to the entire Bailiwick.
“We love living in Guernsey. We love living in the Bailiwick,” he said.
“I try to always make it clear that I am as much the Lieutenant Governor of Sark and Alderney as I am of Guernsey. I spend time in Alderney and Sark every month, almost without fail. So the Bailiwick is very important to me, but the job can’t just be about formal events. You know, it’s about doing what you can to be part of the community and so there’s the things we are asked to do, and there’s the things that we like doing. Those things invariably are the same, yes, but it’s lovely.”
Giving examples, Sir Richard cited the Seafront Sundays programme in Guernsey, the recent Royal Visits and the Island Games as some of the events he enjoys taking part in personally and formally.
Sir Richard also confirmed his attendance at this summer’s Island Games in Orkney.
“We’re looking forward to it very much. I mean, the Island games is a wonderful thing itself but if you are the Lieutenant Governor of three islands, then it’s one of the very few times when you get to see all of them competing against each other and in the same place.
“So we will be there, and we will be rooting for Alderney and Sark and Guernsey at different sports at different times.”
Reflecting on his role at Lieutenant Governor, Sir Richard said how much he cares for each island in the Bailiwick and the people of the Bailiwick in particular.
“One of the most important things about the role is to listen. It’s simply to listen to people. And you know, listening covers an awful lot of ground. And I think that being around to get to know people, to know the islands, and just to be able to sit down and hear what it is they want you to know. It is very, very important, and I think that outstrips anything else (I do),” he said.
On receiving his Knighthood, Sir Richard said nothing will change – “except maybe the letterhead!” he joked.
He said the award is not just for him, but it is reflective of the work his wife and his office and household staff all do collectively themselves, and to support him and his work in the Bailiwick.
“What I would say is that, it is because of the people I work with that I’ve been given this honour. I’m absolutely sure of His Majesty’s regard for this Bailiwick and these islands. I’m fortunate to be here at this time, but this is a recognition of the special place which I think the Bailiwick is for His Majesty and anything I’ve achieved has been, firstly, as a result of my wife, but secondly, it’s absolutely, because I work with brilliant people who do amazing things every day.”
Sir Richard added that his office and household staff themselves are essential to the work of the Lieutenant Governor.
“As it happens, 2025 is the centenary of the Lieutenant Governor living permanently in this house. When you consider that one member of staff has worked in this house for 45 years, one for nearly 40, several for over 20. These are significant periods of time in the history of the office. And yes, a number of them have been recognised for their service by the Monarch, and I’m very glad that they have been and again, it reinforces that bond that we all represent His Majesty, and that we are all, in whatever we do, trying to make a contribution to the life and the community here.”