Three decades at the side of Her Majesty The Queen

Born and raised in Newport, Wales, Dick Griffin began his career at sixteen as a Police Cadet with Gwent Constabulary — completing his Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to gold standard with no idea that HRH would one day be his employer. At nineteen he moved to London, joining the Metropolitan Police in 1970.

He served as a constable and sergeant in Central London before a tour with the Obscene Publications Branch at New Scotland Yard — better known as ‘The Dirty Books Squad’. Promoted to Inspector in 1981, his life changed overnight when Michael Fagan broke into The Queen’s bedroom at Buckingham Palace: Dick was one of six officers sent in to overhaul Palace security.

Selected as a Personal Protection Officer, he spent three years protecting HRH Prince Edward at Cambridge University — earning a BA from The Open University along the way.

In 1986 he was promoted to Chief Inspector and joined the Household of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, serving Prince Philip for thirteen years — a posting whose highlights included being attacked by a giant panda on a visit to China.

From 1999 until his retirement in 2013, Dick was Personal Protection Officer to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, travelling to over 160 countries and meeting figures from Nelson Mandela and His Holiness The Pope to President Bush. He was closely involved in the Golden and Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the London 2012 Olympics — sworn to secrecy over The Queen’s famous James Bond film; even his wife didn’t know.

Promoted to Superintendent in 2010, he held the position known as ‘The Queen’s Police Officer’ until retirement, when Her Majesty personally appointed him a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) — a decoration awarded on the Sovereign’s own initiative for distinguished personal service.