Lieutenant-Commander John Michael Avison Parker, CVO, AM (23 June 1920 û 29 December 2001), Australian who served as an officer of the Royal Navy (RN), and as Private Secretary to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, between 1947 and 1957. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Michael Parker~~~~CVO AM ~~ ~~~~Private Secretary to The Duke of Edinburgh~~~~In office~~1947û1957 ~~~~Succeeded by~~James Orr ~~ ~~~~Personal details~~~~~~Born~~23 June 1920~~Melbourne, Australia ~~~~Died~~29 December 2001 (aged 81) ~~~~Nationality~~Australian ~~~~Spouse(s)~~~~Eileen Allan~~(m. 1943; div. 1958)~~ ~~ Carol Thompson (m. 1962; div.) ~~~~Jean Ramsay (m. 1976) ~~~~~~Children~~Four ~~~~Education~~Xavier College ~~~~Military service~~~~~~Allegiance~~United Kingdom ~~~~Branch/service~~Royal Australian Navy ~~Royal Navy ~~~~Years of service~~1938û1947 ~~~~Rank~~Lieutenant-Commander ~~~~Unit~~~~HMS Lauderdale~~HMS Wessex~~HMS Wallace~~ ~~~~Battles/wars~~Second World War ~~~~Lieutenant-Commander John Michael Avison Parker, CVO, AM (23 June 1920 û 29 December 2001) Australian who served as an officer of the Royal Navy (RN), and as Private Secretary to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, between 1947 and 1957. ~~~~~~~~~~Michael Parker~~~~CVO AM ~~ ~~~~Private Secretary to The Duke of Edinburgh~~~~In office~~1947û1957 ~~~~Succeeded by~~James Orr ~~ ~~~~Personal details~~~~~~Born~~23 June 1920~~Melbourne, Australia ~~~~Died~~29 December 2001 (aged 81) ~~~~Nationality~~Australian ~~~~Spouse(s)~~~~Eileen Allan~~(m. 1943; div. 1958)~~ ~~ Carol Thompson (m. 1962; div.) ~~~~Jean Ramsay (m. 1976) ~~~~~~Children~~Four ~~~~Education~~Xavier College ~~~~Military service~~~~~~Allegiance~~United Kingdom ~~~~Branch/service~~Royal Australian Navy ~~Royal Navy ~~~~Years of service~~1938û1947 ~~~~Rank~~Lieutenant-Commander ~~~~Unit~~~~HMS Lauderdale~~HMS Wessex~~HMS Wallace~~ ~~~~Battles/wars~~Second World War ~~~~Lieutenant-Commander John Michael Avison Parker (1920 û 2001),Australian who served as an officer of the Royal Navy (RN), and as Private Secretary to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, between 1947 and 1957. Accompanied the Duke and the future Queen on their royal tour in 1952 and broke the news of the King's death to them in Kenya. Accompanied the Duke on 1956 tour and resigned after divorce from his first wife. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Michael Parker~~~~CVO AM ~~ ~~~~Private Secretary to The Duke of Edinburgh~~~~In office~~1947û1957 ~~~~Succeeded by~~James Orr ~~ ~~~~Personal details~~~~~~Born~~23 June 1920~~Melbourne, Australia ~~~~Died~~29 December 2001 (aged 81) ~~~~Nationality~~Australian ~~~~Spouse(s)~~~~Eileen Allan~~(m. 1943; div. 1958)~~ ~~ Carol Thompson (m. 1962; div.) ~~~~Jean Ramsay (m. 1976) ~~~~~~Children~~Four ~~~~Education~~Xavier College ~~~~Military service~~~~~~Allegiance~~United Kingdom ~~~~Branch/service~~Royal Australian Navy ~~Royal Navy ~~~~Years of service~~1938û1947 ~~~~Rank~~Lieutenant-Commander ~~~~Unit~~~~HMS Lauderdale~~HMS Wessex~~HMS Wallace~~ ~~~~Battles/wars~~Second World War ~~~~Lieutenant-Commander John Michael Avison Parker, CVO, AM (23 June 1920 û 29 December 2001) was an Australian who served as an officer of the Royal Navy (RN), and as Private Secretary to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, between 1947 and 1957. ~~