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News
Sir Brian McGrath dies
Sir Brian McGrath MW, a long-standing member of the trade and private secretary to the Duke of Edinburgh, has died aged 90.
He served in the Irish Guards during the war and when invalided out in 1946 he followed his uncle Raymond into the wine business; the latter being chairman of Taylor Walker, the Victoria Wine Company, Cannon Brewery and Slough Estates.
Working at Taylor Walker, Cannon Brewery and the Victoria Wine Company over the years, he became a master of wine in 1956 and then serving as chairman himself between 1960 and 1982.
During his time there the chain operated 1,000 branches and he also negotiated a deal with Warnink to distribute Advocaat in the UK – where it, briefly, became one of the top-selling liqueurs.
He was also made a director of Grants of St James’s in 1960 (and served as chairman from 1975-1982) and was a director of Allied Breweries from 1970-1982.
In 1982 he was chosen to become assistant private secretary to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. When the incumbent secretary, Lord Rupert Nevill, died very suddenly in July the same year, McGrath found himself promoted.
He remained secretary until 1992 when brigadier Miles Hunt-Davis took over but such was his closeness to the duke that he stayed on as ‘extra equerry’ and continued to be an essential member of the prince’s household to the end.
Although McGrath explained away his position as a result of his being some sort of rare curiosity (he was the only Irish wine merchant the Duke could find he often joked) a biography of the prince written by Tim Heald in 1991 said McGrath combined a, “no-nonsense approach, reluctance to be daunted by outside pressures and a familiarity with business and business leaders”.
Arthritis prevented Prince Philip from drinking wine but McGrath, undaunted, became responsible for mixing his dry martinis instead. He was also the only non-royal member of the Household allowed to bring his dog (Robert, a black labrador) into the palace.
Both the prince and the Queen were surprise guests at his 90th birthday last year.
McGrath is survived by his two sons. One of them, Patrick, is managing director of Hatch Mansfield and became an MW in 1993 making the pair the first (and so far only) father and son members of the Institute.