Antony Duff

Sir Arthur Antony Duff (25 February 1920 – 13 August 2000) was a senior British diplomat and Director General of MI5.

Early life and naval service Duff was born on 25 February 1920, to Admiral Sir Arthur Allen Morison Duff KCB and Margaret Grace Dawson, at Var Trees House, Moreton, Dorset. He was mentioned in despatches in 1941, awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 1943.

Diplomatic career After the war Duff joined the Diplomatic Service in January 1946. He was Counsellor and Head of the Chancery of the United Kingdom Embassy in West Germany from 1962 to 1964, the British Ambassador to Nepal from 1964 to 1965; the Head of the South Asia Department of the Foreign Office from 1965 to 1969; the Deputy High Commissioner to Malaysia from 1969 to 1972; and the British High Commissioner to Kenya from 1972 to 1975.

Duff was the Deputy Under Secretary for Middle East and Africa from 1975 to 1977; and the Deputy Under Secretary for Defence and Intelligence from 1977 to 1990, including serving concurrently as the Senior Deputy Under Secretary from 1976 to 1979.

Cabinet Office and MI5 Duff was sworn of the Privy Council in the 1980 Birthday Honours, the first diplomat to be so honoured since Sir Alexander Cadogan in 1940. Duff was Deputy Secretary (Intelligence and Security Co-ordinator) at the Cabinet Office with responsibility for security matters from 1980 to 1984. He was then Director General of the Security Service (MI5) from 1985 to 1988.

Later life After his retirement in January 1988, Duff worked as a volunteer in a centre for the homeless and was a board member of Homeless Network in London.

Personal life and death In 1944, Duff married Pauline Sword (née Bevan), a widow who had a child from her first marriage. promoted to Knight Commander of the Order (KCMG) in the 1973 Birthday Honours. and to Knight Grand Cross of the Order (GCMG) in the 1980 New Year Honours.

He was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1972.