21 Facts About Richard Drax

Richard Drax was born on 29 January 1958 in Westminster, London, into the Drax family.

Richard Drax was privately educated at Harrow School before going to the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, where he graduated with a diploma in rural land management in 1990, receiving a further diploma in journalism in 1995.

Richard Drax was promoted to lieutenant on 9 December 1980, before being transferred to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers after active service on 9 December 1983, ending his first period of full-time military service.

Richard Drax was reinstated on the Active List on 10 September 1984, beginning his second and final period of regular service.

Richard Drax retained the rank of lieutenant with seniority from 10 September 1981 to reflect the three years he had served.

Richard Drax was promoted to captain on 10 March 1986.

Richard Drax relinquished his British Army commission on 9 September 1987, thereby retiring after nine years' service as a Coldstreamer.

Richard Drax worked at York's Evening Press as a reporter in 1991, before joining BBC South, where he appeared on both radio and television media, including the daily television news programme South Today.

Richard Drax was selected as a Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate in July 2006.

In 2009, Richard Drax faced criticism from political rivals for "hiding his aristocratic roots" by not using his full quadruple-barrelled name.

Richard Drax denied the accusations, saying that he used the shortened version of his name only because of the "logistic mouthful", while Cameron's comments were a "throw away joke".

Richard Drax praised May's successor, Boris Johnson, for achieving a trade deal in December 2020, but in February 2021 expressed concern over the Northern Ireland Protocol and disruption to trade in Northern Ireland.

In June 2020, Richard Drax wrote an article in the Dorset Echo suggesting that rioters linked to the Black Lives Matter protests had been responsible for desecrating The Cenotaph war memorial in London.

In May 2022, Richard Drax criticised the decision by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak to introduce a windfall tax on oil and gas firms to fund economic support for the public during the cost-of-living crisis, accusing him of "throwing red meat to socialists".

Richard Drax endorsed Suella Braverman during the July 2022 Conservative Party leadership election.

Richard Drax endorsed Boris Johnson in the October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election.

In March 2024, Richard Drax was criticised by wildlife charities after he called for the culling of animals, such as deer and foxes, to control their numbers.

Richard Drax owns the 2,200-acre Ellerton Abbey farming estate in Swaledale, North Yorkshire, and the nearby 520-acre Copperthwaite Allotment grouse moor.

Richard Drax is the eldest son of Henry Walter Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Richard Drax and The Hon.

Richard Drax's great-uncle was the writer and playwright the 18th Lord Dunsany, and a cousin of his is the 21st and present Lord Dunsany.

Richard Drax married his second wife; Eliza, daughter of Commander James Dugdale, in 1998.