Roderick Barclay

Sir Roderick Barclay GCVO KCMG (2 February 1909 – 24 October 1996) was a British diplomat who was ambassador to Denmark and Belgium.

Roderick Edward Barclay was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge. He entered the Diplomatic Service in 1932 and served at British embassies at Brussels, Paris, Washington, D.C., and at the Foreign Office as head of the Personnel Department. He was then appointed Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary, Ernest Bevin, 1949–51.

Barclay was a surprising choice as Bevin's Private Secretary since, at first sight, he and his intended master had nothing in common. ... But in the event he was probably the most successful of the exceptionally able men who served Bevin as Private Secretary.
— Obituary, The Independent, 1 November 1996

After Bevin moved on due to illness in March 1951 (he died shortly afterwards), Barclay served as Assistant Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign Office 1951–53, then Deputy Under-Secretary 1953–56. He was Ambassador to Denmark 1956–60, then returned to the Foreign Office with the rank of Deputy Under-Secretary, as Adviser on European Trade and relations with the newly created European Free Trade Association 1960–63. He took part in Edward Heath's attempt to join the then European Economic Community which, however, was vetoed in 1963 by French President Charles de Gaulle.

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