Nicholas Eden, 2nd Earl Of Avon

Nicholas Eden, 2nd Earl of Avon, was born on October 3, 1930. He was the son of Sir Anthony Eden, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and his first wife, Beatrice (née Beckett). Nicholas had an elder brother, Pilot Officer Simon Gascoigne Eden, who was killed in action in June 1945 while serving as a navigator with the Royal Air Force in Burma.

Eden received his education at Ludgrove School and Eton College. He was called up for National Service and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the King's Royal Rifle Corps on May 20, 1950. This regiment was his father’s former unit. On August 6, 1953, he transferred to a Territorial Army commission maintaining the rank of second lieutenant, with seniority from May 20, 1950, and was promoted to acting lieutenant on the same date, with seniority from January 17, 1952. Between 1952 and 1953, he served as ADC to the Governor-General of Canada.

Eden’s military career progressed with promotions to acting captain on March 1, 1956, and to substantive captain on October 3, 1957. He was promoted to acting major on November 1, 1959, and to substantive major on October 3, 1964, with seniority from November 1, 1959. He was awarded the Territorial Decoration (TD) in 1965 and was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1970 New Year Honours. Within the Territorial Army, he served with Queen Victoria's Rifles from 1953 and with its successor, the Queen's Royal Rifles, from 1961 to 1970. In 1978, he was appointed ADC (TAVR) to the Queen.

In 1973, Eden was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London and became vice chairman of the Greater London TAVR Association. He succeeded to the titles of Earl of Avon upon the death of his father in 1977. His elder brother, Pilot Officer Simon Eden, had been killed during World War II.

Eden advanced to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Royal Green Jackets. He held governmental roles under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. From 1979, he served as the British Parliamentary delegate to the North Atlantic Assembly. He was a Lord-in-waiting from 1980 to 1983, Under-Secretary of State for Energy from 1983 to 1984, and Under-Secretary of State for the Environment from 1984 until his resignation due to health reasons in March 1985.

Eden was known to be homosexual and was unmarried at the time of his death. He died on August 17, 1985, at the age of 54, from complications related to AIDS. The death certificate listed meningoencephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, as the cause of death. Following his death, his titles became extinct. Reports indicated that a man, described as an antiques dealer living with Eden in Holland Park and authorized to handle his cremation, was involved in the arrangements.

Throughout his life, Eden was noted for his generosity, hosting numerous dinners and maintaining an interest in a restaurant called "Nicks Diner" at one time. His character in the 1992 film "Peter's Friends" was said to have been partly inspired by him.

External references include contributions he made to Parliament, available via Hansard from 1803 to 2005.