▁January ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁– ▁ 3 0 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 9 ) ▁was ▁a ▁British ▁royal ▁court ier . ▁ ▁A ird ▁was ▁the ▁second ▁son ▁of ▁Colonel ▁Mal col m ▁Henry ▁A ird ▁O . B . E . ▁( 1 8 9 9 – 1 9 6 5 ), ▁of ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Lanc ers , ▁who , ▁as ▁son ▁of ▁Mal col m ▁R ucker ▁A ird , ▁was ▁a ▁grand son ▁of ▁Sir ▁John ▁A ird , ▁ 1 st ▁Baron et , ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Joan ▁Mer ed ith , ▁n ée ▁St urg is . ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁E ton ▁and ▁the ▁Royal ▁Military ▁Academy ▁Sand h urst ▁and ▁joined ▁The ▁ 9 th ▁Queen ' s ▁Royal ▁Lanc ers in ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁Tem por ary ▁E quer ry ▁to ▁the ▁Queen ▁Mother ▁and ▁then ▁her ▁Ass istant ▁Private ▁Secretary ▁and ▁Ext ra ▁E quer ry ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁Com pt roller ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁and ▁Private ▁Secretary ▁and ▁E quer ry ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁After ▁Queen ▁Elizabeth ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Sir ▁Al ast air ▁was ▁made ▁an ▁Ext ra ▁E quer ry