LORD-LIEUTENANT OF WEST SUSSEX

The Vice Lord-Lieutenant is appointed by the Lord-Lieutenant at her discretion, subject to the approval of the King.  The appointment recognises distinguished service to the community, predominantly in a voluntary capacity.  The Vice Lord-Lieutenant assists the Lord-Lieutenant with duties at her request, including representing her to welcome Royal visitors to the county, at formal functions, award ceremonies, citizenship ceremonies or attending Remembrance Day ceremonies.

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Sir Richard Kleinwort, Bt, DL was appointed Vice Lord-Lieutenant in 2020.  He was born in 1960 and brought up in Sussex.  He attended Heatherdown Preparatory School, Stowe School and studied Modern Languages at Exeter University before following a career in investment banking.  He has worked for Kleinwort Benson and Deutsche Bank in Switzerland and Germany respectively and currently sits on the Advisory Board of Kleinwort Hambros.  He has also held a number of other directorships.

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Richard has extensive involvement in charitable work both nationally and in West Sussex.  He has been a member of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (UK) Board of Ambassadors since 2000 and is currently the senior trustee of the Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust (established in 1962).  Richard was President of the South of England Agricultural Society in 2019 and served as High Sheriff of West Sussex 2008-9.  In recent months he been instrumental in working with the Sussex Community Foundation to establish the Sussex Crisis Fund to provide funds (over £2 million) to local groups responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

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Richard married Lucinda Shand-Kydd in 1989 and they have four children in their twenties.  They farm a small estate in Mid-Sussex.