Victor FitzGeorge - Balfour General Sir Robert George Victor FitzGeorge - Balfour , KCB , CBE , DSO , MC ( 15 September 1913 – 28 December 1994 ) was a General officer in the British Army . Early life . Robert George Victor FitzGeorge - Balfour was born on 15 September 1913 at Knightsbridge , London . He was the son of Robert Shekelton Balfour and Mabel Iris FitzGeorge . Through his mother he was descendant of George III of the United Kingdom through his grandson Prince George , Duke of Cambridge and his mistress Sarah Fairbrother . On 1922 his name was legally changed to Victor FitzGeorge - Balfour by deed poll . Victor was educated at Eton College and at King ' s College , Cambridge . Military career . On 25 June 1932 , FitzGeorge - Balfour was commissioned with the rank of second lieutenant into the Coldstream Guards ' Supplementary Reserve of Officers . He was promoted to lieutenant on 25 June 1935 . It was gazetted on 30 August 1935 that he had transferred to the regular Coldstream Guards on 1 February 1934 with the rank of second lieutenant . He was once again promoted to lieutenant on 1 February 1937 . He fought in World War II , serving in North Africa , Sicily and North - West Europe as a staff officer with XXX Corps . By March 1941 , he was a temporary captain and was promoted to that rank on 1 February 1942 . By October 1943 , he was a temporary major . In 1944 , he served on the general staff of VIII Corps . By October 1945 , he was a temporary brigadier . He ended the was as a war substantive lieutenant colonel . Having reverted to the rank of captain following the end of the war , he was promoted to major on 1 February 1947 . In 1948 , he was appointed Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards in Malaya during the Malayan Emergency . He was promoted to colonel on 15 September 1954 with seniority from 17 June 1954 . The following year , he attended the Imperial Defence College . He was made commander of the First Brigade of Guards in 1958 , Deputy Director of Staff Duties in 1960 and Chief of Staff at Southern Command in 1962 . He went on to be Director of Military Operations in 1964 , Senior Army Instructor at the Imperial Defence College in 1967 and Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff in 1968 . His last appointment was as UK Military Representative to NATO before he retired in 1974 . Later life . Between 1975 and 1989 , FitzGeorge - Balfour was Chairman of the National Fund for Research into Crippling Diseases . He died on 28 December 1994 at West Chiltington , West Sussex . He was buried on 4 January 1995 at Findon Crematorium , Worthing , West Sussex . Honours and decorations . On 1 April 1941 , it was gazetted that FitzGeorge - Balfour was Mentioned in Despatches " for distinguished services in the Middle East during the period August 1939 to November 1940 " . It was gazetted on 23 March 1944 that he had been Mentioned in Despatches " in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Sicily " , and on 13 December 1949 that he had been Mentioned in Despatches " in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Malaya during the period 1 January 1949 to 30 June 1949 " . He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire ( MBE ) on 14 October 1943 " in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East " . On 11 October 1945 , he was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( CBE ) " in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in North - West Europe " . On 18 September 1950 , he was appointed Companion of the Distinguished Service Order ( DSO ) " in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Malaya during the period 1 January to 30 June 1950 " . He was appointed Colonel Commandant of The Honourable Artillery Company , a Territorial Army unit , on 2 August 1976 . His tenure expired on 1 September 1984 , when he was succeeded by General Sir Richard Trant . He held the office of Deputy Lieutenant ( DL ) of West Sussex in 1977 . Personal life . On 4 December 1943 , FitzGeorge - Balfour married Mary Diana Christian , daughter of then Rear Admiral , later Admiral , Arthur Christian and Geraldine Diana Monsell , at the Chapel Royal of St . James ' s Palace . Together they had two children :