Simon Cooper

Major-General Sir Simon Cooper GCVO, Major-General commanding the Household Division and General Officer Commanding London District 1989 - 1991, and later Master of the Household of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, 1992 - 2000.

Cooper was born in 1936, son of Major-General Kenneth Cooper, CB DSO OBE. He was educated at Winchester School, and at the Royal Military College Sandhurst. He was an officer of the Life Guards 1956 to 1984.

He served in Aden, London, and in the British Army of the Rhine 1957 to 1963. From 1963 to 1965 he was adjutant of the Household Cavalry Regiment. He then became Aide-de-Camp to the Chief of the General Staff 1965 and 1966. In 1966 and 1967 he served in Borneo and Malaya.

Cooper attended the Staff College, Camberley in 1968, and qualified as a staff officer (psc). From 1969 to 1975 he was in the British Army of the Rhine, and was commanding officer of the Life Guards 1974 to 1976. He then served as a GSO1 at the Staff College 1976 to 1978. From 1978 to 1981 he was officer commanding the Household Cavalry and Silver Stick to Her Majesty The Queen. In 1981 and 1982 he was officer commanding the Royal Armoured Corps Centre.

In 1983 Cooper attended the Royal College of Defence Studies. He was promoted to major-general 20 October 1983, and was Director of the Royal Armoured Corps 1984 to 1987. From 1987 to 1989 he was Commandant of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. From 1989 to 1991 he was major-general commanding the Household Division and General Officer Commanding London District. He retired 26 August 1991.

He was Master of the Household of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, 1992 - 2000. He has been an Extra Equerry since 1993. He was also Honorary Colonel of the Royal Yeomanry (Westminster Dragoons) since 1987.

Cooper received the KCVO in 1991 on completion of his term commanding the Household Division, and was advanced to GCVO on his retirement as Master of the Household in 2000.