Lord Carrington’s life celebrated in service at Westminster Abbey

The Duchess of Cornwall has joined ministers and military dignitaries to celebrate the life, bravery and modesty of Lord Peter Carrington.

The Conservative peer died aged 99 last July after a career in public service stretching more than 70 years.

The speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow and former prime minister Sir John Major were among those who attended the Westminster Abbey service on Thursday.

Lord Carrington took up a hereditary seat in the House of Lords in 1945 and was the last surviving member of Sir Winston Churchill’s post-war government.

He famously resigned as Margaret Thatcher’s foreign secretary in 1982 after taking responsibility for the Argentinian invasion of the Falkland Islands.

The Dean of Westminster Abbey, John Hall, praised Lord Carrington’s lifelong service to public duty.

“We are inspired by his bravery and modesty, and by his example of high honour and public duty,” he said.

“So, let us pray today that our land will never lack men and women willing and able to commit their lives to the public good and to the service of Crown and country, and that we ourselves may continue to guard what is right and fight for what is just.”

Guests including former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine and Lord Carrington’s son, Rupert Carington, delivered readings.

Rupert Carington, the 7th Baron Carrington, paid tribute to his father by reading extracts from his diaries to “bring him to life”.

One recalled his time as foreign secretary when on a trip to Vienna with former prime minister Harold Macmillan the pair stayed up until 3am drinking at the British embassy.

Mr Macmillan, who Lord Carrington believed was a “greatly underestimated prime minister”, “gave a fascinating personal version of world events”, Rupert Carington read.

Lord Carrington served in the Second World War as a tank commander in the Grenadier Guards and was awarded the Military Cross.

During the service his orders and decorations were placed on the High Altar by his relatives, while the Grenadiers Slow March played.

After the service donations were collected in aid of the charity Hope and Homes for Children, of which Lord Carrington was patron.