The Lieutenancy of Banffshire
Lieutenancy Team
The Lord-Lieutenant
The Banffshire Lieutenancy Team is made up of the Lord-Lieutenant, the Vice-Lieutenant, nine Deputy Lieutenants and the Clerk to the Lieutenancy.
Mr Andrew Simpson, His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Banffshire
Andrew Simpson was appointed by Queen Elizabeth II as Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for Banffshire on 5th August 2019, succeeding Mrs Clare Russell, CVO. On the accession of King Charles III on 8th September 2022, he became His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant for Banffshire.
Andrew was educated at University College School, Hampstead, and The University of Aberdeen, graduating in 1979 with a BD and in 1980 with both the Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma of Education.
Andrew's professional background is in education. His first role was as Teacher of Religious and Moral Education, Turriff Academy and subsequently he became Head of the department. Shortly after he was appointed as a Staff Tutor in Grampian Region and was later promoted to Assistant Head Teacher and Deputy Head posts in Aberdeenshire and Moray. He served as Principal Examiner of Religious Studies with the Scottish Examination Board (now the Scottish Qualifications Authority). He was appointed as Head Teacher of Elgin High School in 2003 and led the school through an exciting phase of growth and development, including cutting the turf for the new state-of-the-art school building, until his retirement in 2016. He then undertook a part-time role as Staff Tutor in the School of Education at The University of Aberdeen from 2016-2022, supporting student teachers beginning their careers.
Andrew has held numerous roles within the local community, including Session Clerk at Macduff Parish Church, and is a past president of the Banff Rotary Club. He has served on national committees of the Church of Scotland and was Convener of Mission Committee, Presbytery of Buchan. He is currently a member of the Presbytery of the North East and Northern Isles.
Andrew was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of Banffshire by Mrs Clare Russell on 12th April 2017.
In his spare time he enjoys golf, walking, motorhoming, genealogy, local history, reading, international affairs, and is a keen Scottish Rugby supporter.
Andrew is married to Louise and they live have lived in Banff since 1981.
Vice Lord-Lieutenant
Brigadier The Hon H B H E Monro CBE DL, His Majesty's Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Banffshire
Hughie Monro served in the British Army for 36 years. He was commissioned into the Queen's Own Highlanders in May 1972 and during his career he served in Northern Ireland (8 operational tours), Germany, Hong Kong, Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands and Baghdad, Iraq. He commanded 1st Battalion Queen's Own Highlanders in 1994 and then the newly formed 1st Battalion The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons), following a parade at Craigellachie Bridge, a ceremony which formed the Queen's Own Highlanders and The Gordon Highlanders into the new regiment.
Promoted to Brigadier in 1998, he commanded the 52nd Lowland Brigade based in Edinburgh Castle. It was during this 3 year tour that he led the operation to eradicate Foot and Mouth Disease from Scotland. This was successfully carried out in less than 6 weeks. He was Colonel of The Highlanders from 2001 to 2006.
On leaving the Army, Hughie joined Exclusive Analysis, a political risk forecasting company based in London, as Senior Associate and consultant. In 2009 he was selected to be Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland; during the next four years he highlighted the need for significant reform in Scotland’s prisons. He was Chair of the Scottish Prison Service Advisory Board, 2014-2022. He was Honorary Colonel of 51st Highland, 7th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland until 2021.
Hughie is an officer in The King's Bodyguard for Scotland, The Royal Company of Archers; he is the current President of Council and Silver Stick for Scotland.
Hughie was born in Edinburgh in March 1953. He and his wife Catriona live in Banffshire and have three daughters and three grandchildren. His hobbies are playing golf, rather badly, and dry stone walling. He was appointed MBE in 1989 and CBE in 2003, and was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant for Banffshire in 2019.
Deputy Lieutenants
Retired members
There are nine Deputy Lieutenants, representing different communities and area of Banffshire.
Retired members of the Banffshire Lieutenancy Team continue to support activities and events in the Banffshire Lieutenancy area.
Mrs Clare Russell, CVO
Clare Russell was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant for Banffshire in 1991, becoming Vice Lord Lieutenant in 1998. In 2002, she succeeded James A.S. McPherson, CBE, holding the position of Banffshire's first lady Lord Lieutenant until 2019.
Clare was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) by The Queen in the 2017 Birthday Honours for her services as Lord-Lieutenant.
See also History of the Lieutenancy for a more detailed biography.
![Clare Russell [2].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/aab5b4_bc1552da19a44630be62a05b55d403b8~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_369,h_278,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Clare%20Russell%20%5B2%5D.jpg)
Patricia Seligman, MBE, DL
Patricia Seligman was born in Calcutta, India and attended school in Darjeeling until the age of 8. Thereafter she was educated in the UK, spending most holidays with her grandparents in Inverness-shire.
She studied at the Edinburgh College of Speech and Drama and gained an LRAM (Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music). She taught at schools in Edinburgh and at the Edinburgh College.
Patricia married Nigel Seligman in 1969, and they lived in Edinburgh and the Borders before moving to Banff in 1974 where Nigel was a Chartered Accountant. They moved to ome Farm of Clunie, Aberchirder in 1991.
Patricia has been involved in a number of local charities and associations, including Friends of Duff House, Coast Festival, North East Scotland Preservation Trust and the Banff Preservation Society. She was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Banffshire in 2002, and served as Vice Lord-Lieutenant from 2019-2022.
Patrica and Nigel have a daughter and three grandchildren in Edinburgh, and a son and three grandchildren in New Zealand. Family holidays are mainly spent skiiing in France and Switzerland, and visiting Singapore and New Zealand.
Patricia was awarded an MBE in The Queen's Jubilee Birthday Honours on 2 June 2022.
Professor Ashley Mowat, LVO, DL, FRCP, FRCPE, FRCPGlas
Ashley Mowat was Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, 1975–2008; Professor in Medicine at Aberdeen University Medical School, 2002–08; and Physician to The Queen in Scotland, 2001–08.
He was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order by The Queen in 2009.
He was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant in Banffshire in 2013, serving to 2018.
Professor Mowat resides in Cullen, where he is actively involved in the community, including the Three Harbours Association and popular and thriving Cullen Sea School.
Vinay Ruparelia, MBE DL
Vinay Ruperalia came to the United Kingdom in the 1970s when the Asian community was being expelled from Uganda. He qualified as a pharmacist in 1978 and bought a pharmacy business in Portsoy. Since then, Vinay has used his many skills, resourcefulness and time not only to build a successful business serving the local community, but also make a positive and continuing impact in a wide range of activities including the Boyndie Trust, Books Abroad, Portsoy Community Enterprise, Rotary, Turning Point, ALEC, and many others. Vinay has also served as an Honorary Sherriff.
Vinay was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours on 1 January 2021, for services to local enterprise, tourism and the community,
He was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant in Banffshire in 2103, serving to 2024.
![Vinay Ruparelia [5].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/aab5b4_f319295f521948d0ba260bdbe3ace57a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_357,h_357,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Vinay%20Ruparelia%20%5B5%5D.jpg)
Sir Jim Walker, CBE, DL
Jim Walker is chairman of the iconic Walker's Shortbread Ltd of Aberlour. Through a long and distinguished career in the food industry, Jim has helped develop his grandfather’s Aberlour-based company into the largest family-owned biscuit manufacturer in the UK. The company holds several Royal Warrants, By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen.
Jim was appointed a Commander of the British Empire (CBE), for services to the Food Industry, in 1998. He received a knighthood in The Queen's Jubilee Birthday Honours on 2 June 2022.
He was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant in Banffshire in 1998, serving to 2019.
Clerk to the Lieutenancy
Mr Roddy Burns, Clerk to the Lieutenancy of Banffshire
Roddy Burns was the Chief Executive of Moray Council until his retirement in May 2024.
Contact
Banffshire Lieutenancy Office
The Moray Council
Council Offices, High Street
Elgin
Moray IV30 1BX
