Raymond R. Guest - Biography

Biography

He was born on November 25, 1907 in Manhattan to Frederick Edward Guest, a British Cabinet minister and his American wife, Amy Phipps, daughter of Henry Phipps, Jr. He was the great-grandson of the seventh Duke of Marlborough, and was Winston Churchill's second cousin.

During World War II he served with the United States Navy. He served on mine sweepers and was made head of the Navy section of the Office of Strategic Services in London, England. By the time he left the military in 1946, he had risen to the rank of Commander. He was awarded the Bronze Star and a Legion of Merit, both with combat devices; the Croix de Guerre with star; the Order of the British Empire; the Norwegian Cross, and the Danish Defense Medal.

Raymond Guest was a member of the Senate of Virginia from 1947–1953 and served as the United States Ambassador to Ireland from 1965 to 1968.

He married first to Elizabeth (Lily) Polk of Dark Harbor, Maine, with whom he had three children. She was a descendant of U.S. President, James K. Polk. He married secondly to Princess Caroline Murat, daughter of prince Alexandre Murat, with whom he had two children.

He died of pneumonia on December 31, 1991 in Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Virginia.