▁France ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁having ▁his ▁paint ings ▁exhib ited ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁Academy , ▁publishing ▁reference ▁works ▁about ▁the ▁fl ora ▁of ▁Cre te ▁and ▁taking ▁comm issions ▁to ▁obtain ▁plant ▁samples ▁from ▁across ▁the ▁world ▁for ▁the ▁Royal ▁Botan ic ▁Gard ens , ▁K ew . ▁ ▁Background ▁and ▁education ▁Bar cl ay ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁London , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Sir ▁Col ville ▁Ad rian ▁de ▁R une ▁Bar cl ay , ▁a ▁diplom at , ▁and ▁Sar ita ▁Ward , ▁daughter ▁of ▁the ▁sculpt or ▁and ▁expl orer ▁Herbert ▁Ward . ▁He ▁attended ▁E ton ▁College ▁and ▁Tr inity ▁College , ▁Oxford ▁where ▁he ▁studied ▁P PE , ▁taking ▁courses ▁part - time ▁at ▁the ▁Rus kin ▁School ▁of ▁Art . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁he ▁inherited ▁the ▁Bar cl ay ▁baron et cy ▁after ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁uncle , ▁Sir ▁Robert ▁Bar cl ay , ▁ 1 3 th ▁Baron et . ▁ ▁Career ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁Bar cl ay ▁joined ▁the ▁diplom atic ▁corps ▁before ▁joining ▁the ▁R N V R ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War . ▁He ▁was ▁deployed ▁throughout ▁the ▁conflict ▁in ▁small ▁boats ▁operating ▁in ▁comm ando ▁operations ▁along ▁the ▁French ▁coast , ▁and ▁left ▁the ▁Navy ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁as ▁a ▁lieutenant ▁commander . ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁he ▁took ▁over ▁management ▁of ▁the ▁family ' s ▁large ▁invest ment ▁port folio , ▁which ▁provided