Andrew Murdoch

Andrew Murdoch is a British civil servant serving as the Governor of Bermuda since 23 January 2025. Murdoch is also a barrister and has served as a commissioned officer in the British Royal Navy. Murdoch achieved the rank of commander and left the Royal Navy after serving as the Director of the Naval Legal Services from 2009 to 2011.

He was also the owner of Palmerston (2014–2026), a black-and-white tuxedo cat, and the former Chief Mouser of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) at Whitehall in London, and the "feline relations consultant" to Murdoch in his role as Governor of Bermuda.

Career Early life and education Murdoch grew up on the coast, and spent his teenage years working on commercial fishing boats before becoming a sea cadet. He studied Geology at Durham University, graduating in 1994.

Naval and legal career From 1990 to 1998 Murdoch was a midshipman in the Royal Navy as the deputy logistics officer of the HMS Campbeltown. As a lieutenant, Murdoch underwent legal training to become a barrister.

Afterwards, from 2011 to 2014 he was a legal advisor to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for International Institutions and Security Policy.

On 31 January 2025 he announced that he was accepting résumés for members of the public to become one of the three independent senators appointed by the governor, encouraging any "qualified persons" to put forward their credentials.

Murdoch congratulated Premier David Burt on 19 February 2025, after the 2025 Bermudian general election, stating that "I would like to record my thanks to all those who enabled a safe, peaceful and democratic electoral process."

Murdoch's first official tour of the Royal Bermuda Regiment occurred on 6 March 2025, where he visited cadets at Warwick Camp, performing their fitness test, and the Royal Bermuda Regiment Coast Guard base in Sandys.

Murdoch was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2025 Birthday Honours. On 18 May Murdoch announced military collaboration with Jamaica, meeting with Vice-Admiral Antonette Wemyss-Gorman, the first female Jamaican Chief of Defence Staff.

On 7 June Murdoch visited King Charles III in London alongside the Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Bermuda Regiment; Birgitte the Duchess of Gloucester. Shortly after on 14 June Murdoch organized a celebration of Charles' official birthday consisting of a parade of the Royal Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Service and Police Reserves and the Bermuda Sea Cadet Corps with Murdoch participating in full ceremonial garb.

On 24 June Murdoch voiced support for reforming how DNA analysis is used in the Bermudian police system, advocating for reducing inaccuracy. This came shortly after Julian Washington, a man sentenced to life in prison for a murder in 2012, was released due to the Director of Public Prosecutions finding gross inaccuracies in the DNA evidence that was key in his sentencing.

On 8 August Murdoch announced support for British efforts to roll back liberal Marijuana laws in Bermuda, arguing that the laws were in violation of international treaties and conventions.

On 30 April 2026, Murdoch, alongside David Burt, welcomed King Charles III on the latter's first visit to Bermuda as monarch. On 2 May 2026, the King appointed Murdoch a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) at the conclusion of his visit.

Ownership of Palmerston Murdoch was the owner of Palmerston (2014–2026), a black-and-white tuxedo cat, and the former Chief Mouser of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) at Whitehall in London from 13 April 2016 to his retirement on 7 August 2020, and on 3 February 2025 it was reported that Palmerston had come out of retirement to take up a new role in Bermuda as the "feline relations consultant" to Murdoch in his role as Governor of Bermuda.