William Willett
Recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross
About William Willett
Lived 1919 – 1976 (aged 56–57).
Commander William Basil Willett (24 February 1919 – 1976) was Private Secretary to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, consort of Queen Elizabeth II 1970–1976.
Biography Willett was educated at Winchester College and the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. He joined the Royal Navy in 1937. He was sailing master on the royal yacht Bloodhound 1967–1968.
Willett received the DSC in 1942. He was made an OBE in the 1965 New Year Honours and an MVO in 1969.
Honours and awards 3 December 1940 - Mention in Dispatches - Sub-Lieutenant William Basil Willett, Royal Navy. For courage and resource in recent successful actions against Italian Submarines. 1 January 1965 - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) - Lieutenant Commander (Acting Commander) William Basil Willett, D.S.C., Royal Navy.
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Important facts
People in William Willett's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped William Willett's
Frequently asked questions
Who was William Willett?
Recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross
When was William Willett born?
William Willett was born on 24 February 1919.
When did William Willett die?
William Willett died in 1976.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: William Willett (Royal Navy officer)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Willett. https://biography.guide/william-willett/
MLA: "William Willett." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-willett/.
Chicago: "William Willett." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-willett/.
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