FESTING, (Robert) Matthew OBE TD GCStJ 1949-2021

[Richard R]

From the Telegraph of 17 Nov 2021: FESTING Fra’ (Robert) Matthew, 79th Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, died peacefully in Malta on 12th November aged 71. Beloved brother, uncle and great uncle. Funeral to take place in Malta.

He was s of FM Sir Francis Wogan FESTING GCB KBE DSO 1902-76 sometime head of that gentry family of Birks and Mary Cecilia 1906-92 d of Cuthbert David Giffard RIDDELL 1868-1937 sometime head of that gentry family of Felton Park & Swinburne and his 2nd wife Evelyn Mary LIDDELL 1876-1932 scion of that gentry family of Warwick-on-Eden.

[colinp]

From the Order of Malta website -  Grand Magistry announces death of Fra’ Matthew Festing - Order of Malta

[www.maltagenealogy.com]

First / former Grand Master to be buried at St John's Co-Cathedral, Crypt of the Grand Masters in over 224 years, since Grand Master Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc in 1797.

Fra’ Matthew Festing passed away in Malta on 12th November last at 71. Grand Master of the Order of Malta from 2008 to 2017, he will be buried in the “Crypt of the Grand Masters” inside the Saint John’s co-cathedral.

[colinp]

Obit in Daily Telegraph 23 November 2021 -  Fra’ Matthew Festing, Grand Master of the Order of Malta who was toppled in a dispute over the place in the modern world of the ancient charitable order – obituary (telegraph.co.uk)

EXTRACTS

Born in Northumberland on November 30 1949, Robert Matthew Festing was the youngest son of Field Marshal Sir Francis Festing, a convert to Catholicism whose last appointment was as Chief of the Imperial General Staff. Matthew’s mother, Mary Riddell, was from an old recusant family; one of his brothers is the portrait painter Andrew Festing.....

Festing held the rank of colonel in the Territorials, was a Deputy Lieutenant of Northumberland, and was appointed OBE in 1998.

After his resignation, Festing retired quietly to his parents’ home in his beloved Northumberland. Although saddened by the situation, he remained an active member of his order. He was attending the solemn profession of one of his brethren in Malta (the first knight to attain the order’s highest grade there since its displacement from the island by Napoleon in 1798) when he was suddenly taken ill.

At the invitation of the Maltese government he will be buried in the historic Grand Masters’ crypt at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta. There his mortal remains will join those of 11 of his distant predecessors.

Fra’ Matthew Festing, born November 30 1949, died November 12 2021