# Rupert Vansittart

Rupert Nicholas Vansittart (born 10 February 1958) is an English actor. He has appeared in a variety of roles in film, television, stage and radio, often playing comic characters. He is best known for his role as Lord Ashfordly in the ITV drama Heartbeat (1992–2009) and for playing Lord Yohn Royce in the HBO series Game of Thrones (2014–2019).

## Early life and education

Vansittart was raised in Cranleigh, Surrey, and is of partial Dutch ancestry. He trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama.

## Career

Vansittart started his acting career in an episode of Bulman in 1985. In 1992, he began playing his regular role as North Yorkshire aristocrat Lord Ashfordly in the police drama series Heartbeat, which he continued to play until 2009. He appeared in Remains of the Day (1993) as Sir Geoffrey Wren, a character based on the 1930s British fascist Oswald Mosley. He appeared in Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) as George the Boor at the Boatman. He appeared in Braveheart (1995) as Lord Bottoms. He was also cast in the serial Pride and Prejudice (1995) as Mr Hurst, the brother-in-law of Charles and Caroline Bingley.
Vansittart has worked with Rowan Atkinson on a number of occasions, appearing as a guest star in two episodes of Mr. Bean, as well as appearing in The Thin Blue Line and Johnny English Reborn (2011).
In 2002, Vansittart appeared in the Midsomer Murders episode "Market for Murder". He also portrayed General Asquith in the Doctor Who episodes "Aliens of London" and "World War Three". In 2003, he appeared in the West End adaptation of Arsenic and Old Lace. In 2006, Vansittart portrayed Thomas J. Dodd in the BBC three-part drama documentary Nuremberg: Nazis on Trial. In 2007, he appeared in another episode of Midsomer Murders, "The Axeman Cometh". He also appeared in the 2008 BBC serial Spartacus as Consul Lentulus.
In 2009, Vansittart was cast as Conservative MP Peter Morrison in Margaret, a television film about Margaret Thatcher's life, career, and downfall. Two years later, in The Iron Lady with Meryl Streep, he played Cabinet minister John Biffen. He has also played political characters on stage: in 2014 he was one of the main actors in the cast of Great Britain at the Royal National Theatre.
2009 also saw Vansittart's third appearance in Midsomer Murders, in the episode "The Dogleg Murders". In 2010, he appeared in Doctors as Anthony Chippington, a friend of Charlie's. He played Harrison Ashton Lard, the "posh girl's father", in How Not to Live Your Life. He provided additional voice-over for World's Craziest Fools. He appeared in the final two seasons of Foyle's War as Sir Alec Myerson, the title character's boss at MI5. Vansittart also appeared in the BBC Three comedy Bad Education, playing Mr. Humpage. In 2014, Vansittart started playing Lord Yohn Royce in the HBO series Game of Thrones, making recurring appearances in season 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. In 2016, he appears in the BBC TV series Father Brown as Arthur Le Broc in episode 4.7 "The Missing Man". In January 2016, he played Peter Jennings in an episode of the BBC series Casualty.

## Personal life

Vansittart has been married to Emma Kate, daughter of the actors Moray Watson and Pamela Marmont, since 1987. They have two children. When Emma Watson was cast for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Emma Kate Watson changed her name to Emma Vansittart, adopting her husband's surname as her new stage name, to avoid being confused with the young actress.

## Theatre

* The Revengers' Comedies (1989)
* Taking Steps (1990)
* The Revengers' Comedies (1991)
* A Westwood Diary (1996)
* Arsenic and Old Lace (2003)
* This House (2013)
* Great Britain (2014)

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1985 | Plenty | Client's Asst. |
| 1986 | Half Moon Street | Alan Platts-Williams |
| 1987 | Eat the Rich | Rupert |
| 1988 | Buster | Fairclough |
| 1993 | The Remains of the Day | Sir Geoffrey Wren |
| 1994 | Four Weddings and a Funeral | George the boor at The Boatman - Wedding One |
| 1995 | Braveheart | Lord Bottoms |
| 1995 | Cutthroat Island | Captain Perkins |
| 1997 | Diana & Me | Chef |
| 1998 | Monk Dawson | Fr Timothy |
| 2000 | Kevin & Perry Go Large | Bank Manager |
| 2008 | The Bank Job | Sir Leonard Plugge |
| 2011 | Johnny English Reborn | Derek |
| 2011 | The Iron Lady | Cabinet Minister |
| 2013 | Austenland | Mr. Wattlesbrook |
| 2016 | A United Kingdom | Sir Ian Fraser |
| 2017 | The Children Act | Sherwood Runcie |
| 2020 | Misbehaviour | Lord Bly |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1985 | Bulman | Jack | 1 episode |
| 1986 | The Comic Strip Presents... | Jeremy | 1 episode |
| 1988; 1989 | Wish Me Luck | Guard in Factory / German Soldier at Station | 2 episodes |
| 1989 | The Saint: The Brazilian Connection | Wyatt | Television film |
| 1990; 1991 | The Piglet Files | Zemskov / KGB Officer | 2 episodes |
| 1992-2009 | Heartbeat | Lord Ashfordly | Main role, 75 episodes |
| 1993 | Love Hurts | Richard Hollis | 1 episode |
| 1993 | Chef! | Diner | 1 episode |
| 1993 | Frank Stubbs Promotes | Businessman | 1 episode |
| 1994; 1995 | Mr. Bean | Police Officer / Guardsman | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | Pride and Prejudice | Mr Hurst | Miniseries, 4 episodes |
| 1995 | The Thin Blue Line | Commander Crow | 1 episode |
| 1996 | Wilderness | Jeremy | Miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Supply & Demand | Police Personnel | Television film |
| 1997 | Noah's Ark | Mark Villiers | 1 episode |
| 1997 | A Dance to the Music of Time | Soper | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 1997 | Painted Lady | Henry Fellows | Television film |
| 1998 | Berkeley Square | Lord Percy Wilton | Miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1998 | Vanity Fair | Smith | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 1998; 2014 | Birds of a Feather | Counsel / Wayne | 2 episodes |
| 1999 | CI5: The New Professionals | Chairman | 1 episode |
| 2000 | The Bill | Solicitor | 1 episode |
| 2000 | Harry Enfield's Brand Spanking New Show | Various | 2 episodes |
| 2000 | Black Books | Rich Guy | 1 episode |
| 2000 | Take a Girl Like You | Headmaster | 2 episodes |
| 2000; 2001 | My Family | Mr. Davis / Mr. Quince | 2 episodes |
| 2001 | Sword of Honour | Commander-in-Chief | Television film |
| 2001 | Sam's Game | Robert | 1 episode |
| 2001 | Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) | Brian Babbacombe | 1 episode |
| 2001 | The Way We Live Now | Sir Damask Monogram | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 2002 | The Falklands Play | Sir Robert Armstrong | Television film |
| 2002; 2007; 2009 | Midsomer Murders | Alistair Kingslake / Desmond Harcourt / Selwyn Proctor | 3 episodes |
| 2003-2004 | My Dad's the Prime Minister | Chancellor | Recurring role, 8 episodes |
| 2004 | The Brief | Prettyman | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 2004 | Roman Road | Farmer | Television film |
| 2005 | Twisted Tales | Dr. Mantle | 1 episode |
| 2005 | Doctor Who | General Asquith | 2 episodes |
| 2005 | Wallis & Edward | Chief Whip | Television film |
| 2006 | Nuremberg: Nazis on Trial | Thomas J. Dodd | Miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 2007 | Hustle | Jonathan Mortimer-Howe | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Sensitive Skin | Interview Guest | 1 episode, uncredited |
| 2008 | Heroes and Villains | Lentulus | 1 episode |
| 2009 | Margaret | Peter Morrison | Television film |
| 2010 | How Not to Live Your Life | Harrison | 1 episode |
| 2010 | Any Human Heart | The Earl | Miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 2010; 2012; 2014 | Doctors | Benedict 'Bennie' Harley / Mr. Graham Fitch / Anthony Chippington | 3 episodes |
| 2011 | Comedy Showcase | Headmaster | 1 episode |
| 2011 | Holy Flying Circus | Bernard Barnard QC | Television film |
| 2012 | The Royal Bodyguard | Roderick Finch | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 2012 | Bad Education | Mr. Humpage | 1 episode |
| 2013-2015 | Foyle's War | Sir Alec Meyerson | Recurring role, 5 episodes |
| 2014 | The Midnight Beast | Headmaster | 1 episode |
| 2014 | Death in Paradise | Colin Campbell | 1 episode |
| 2014-2019 | Game of Thrones | Yohn Royce | Recurring role, 13 episodes |
| 2015 | Chewing Gum | Big Boss | 1 episode |
| 2015 | Versailles | Throckmorton | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Father Brown | Arthur Le Broc | 1 episode |
| 2016; 2021 | Casualty | Peter Jennings/Kenneth Stair | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Plebs | Tarquin | 1 episode |
| 2016 | Tutankhamun | Flinders Petrie | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 2017 | King Charles III | Sir Matthew | Television film |
| 2017 | Outlander | Lord William Dunsany | 1 episode |
| 2017-2022 | Doc Martin | Professor Langan | 2 episodes |
| 2019-2022 | Gentleman Jack | Charles Lawton | Recurring role, 6 episodes |
| 2019 | Four Weddings and a Funeral | George | Miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 2019 | The Crown | Cecil Harmsworth King | 1 episode |
| 2020 | Spy City | Ian Stuart-Hay | Miniseries, 4 episodes |
| 2021-2023 | The Nevers | Lord Broughton | Recurring role, 5 episodes |
| 2022 | Bridgerton | Mr. Brookes | 1 episode |
| 2022 | Andor | Chief Hyne | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | The Larkins | Dean | 1 episode |
| 2023–present | The Diplomat | Hoope | 3 episodes |
| 2023 | The Chelsea Detective | Patrick Blythe | 1 episode |
| 2023 | Sister Boniface Mysteries | Sir Swinton Usher | 1 episode |
| 2024 | Belgravia: The Next Chapter | Lord Netherbury | Miniseries, 4 episodes |
| TBA | Amadeus | | Upcoming miniseries |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
| 2019 | Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey | John Waldron | |