Biography
Dickie Arbiter began his broadcasting career in Zimbabwe (Southern Rhodesia) in the mid-1960s.
Following a return to the United Kingdom in the early 1970s he joined LBC News Radio/IRN (Independent Radio News) as a newscaster and programme presenter.
During late Queen’s 1977 Silver Jubilee he was asked to report on the British royal family.
In 1981 he was responsible for organising the UK’s commercial radio coverage as well as taking on as lead commentator of the wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer.
With the success of the Royal wedding coverage, he was appointed IRN’s Court Correspondent with accreditation to Buckingham Palace – being only one of two such correspondents with continuous and unfettered access to the Palace.
His new role meant travelling extensively both at home and abroad, covering the British monarchy, his area of expertise.
In 1988, he joined the Buckingham Palace Press Office, serving as not only as press spokesman to the late Queen Elizabeth II but also spokesman for The King, when he was The Prince of Wales and has late wife, Diana Princess of Wales.
In addition to his role as Royal press spokesman, Dickie was responsible for the media management of ceremonial occasions.
These included all major state events inside Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle inward State Visits, the late Queen’s major UK engagements and the operational media requirements for royal funerals, including that of the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
Since retiring from Royal duty, Dickie went back to his broadcasting roots as a television commentator.
Having spent going on fifty years covering royalty, heads of state, and other globally recognized figures, his knowledge qualifies him to bring his own personal insight into the public forum as a royal analyst and international lecturer.
Dickie's Timeline of Events
Dickie is the first to admit that his life - with its many ups and few downs – has been an exciting roller coaster.
William Shakespear wrote in his play ‘As You Like it’ - "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts."
Dickie has played many parts in his life, as an actor, a broadcast journalist and a courtier to the late Queen Elizabeth II and The King when he was The Prince of Wales and married to Diana Princess of Wales.
Today he is a Royal Commentator and a global speaker on the British monarchy.
He enjoys engaging with audiences, no matter the size or the venue, be it a sit-down lunch, in an auditorium, or in a cruise ship theatre.
What is important to him is interacting with his audiences, in particular the Question & Answer sessions that are an essential ingredient to his talks.
Now into his eighth decade he is a broadcast commentator and speaker, and nowhere near ready to call it a day.
Born in 1940
Dickie Arbiter
Born in September during the blitz on London during the Second World War.
1946
With dad summer 1946 - six months before he passed – age 6.
1947
Shipped off to boarding school aged six and a quarter. Conditions were dreadful – a bit like Charles Dickens’ 19th-century England.
(Dickie sitting on front row, 6th from the left)
1960
First TV appearance on what was Rhodesia Television.
1961
Aladdin Pantomime
1963-4
Tour South Africa, as an actor, in the musical The King and I.
1965
Tour UK schools, as an actor, with Unicorn Theatre for Children.
1967
Join the Rhodesia Broadcasting Corporation.
1968
Bulawayo publicity ride for the musical "The Desert Song".
1974
Join LBC News Radio/Independent Radio News (IRN) in London.
1981
Invited to a Pre-wedding tea with the then Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer.
1981
Organise coverage and for the UK’s Commercial Radio Network and commentated on the wedding of Prince Charles to the Lady Diana Spencer
1986
Organised coverage and commentated for the UK’s Commercial Radio Network on the wedding of Prince Andrew to Sarah Ferguson.
1987
Give Diana Princess of Wales her first media training session.
1987
Competing in a charity showjumping event at the 1987 Wandsworth Common Horse Show, London.
1988
Join Buckingham Palace as one of the late Queen Elizabeth II's Press secretaries with special responsibility as Press secretary to the then Prince of Wales, now King Charles III.
1988
Washing up with the late Queen in a log cabin on the Balmoral Estate.
1988
Taking part in a charity mini cross-country event on a Household Cavalry horse on Stag Meadow, Windsor, 1988 – age 48.
1990
The Prince of Wales breaks his arm playing polo. I give the first on-camera media briefing on the outcome of the operation to reset his arm.
1990
Diana Princess of Wales gives me a 50th birthday lunch in her Kensington Palace apartment. The first and only time she had done this.
1992
Managing the hundreds of media covering the Windsor Castle fire. Also alongside the late Queen.
1994
Received my LVO (medal) in a private audience from the late Queen.
1996
Rollerblading in London’s Kensington Gardens, c1996 – age 56
2000
Retired after twelve years as one of the late Queen’s Press secretaries.
2000
Relaunched my on-hold broadcasting career as a Royal Commentator, initially with BBC News.
2002
Began a career in speaking. First off was a six-city tour in the United State of America.
2010
Taking part in an ice dance routing for charity at Queens Ice Rink, London, c2010 – age 70
2011
Commented on the wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton for Sky News and global TV networks.
2014
The publication of my autobiography On Duty With The Queen.
2014
Ice Dancing
2017
My alter ego – as a cowboy riding the range at the Bar W Ranch, Montana, c 2017 aged 77.
2018
Commentate on the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle for Australia’s Channel Nine Network.
2018
2018 An audience with Dickie Arbiter including a Q&A session aboard the P & O cruise ship Arcadia.
2021
Commentated on the funeral of the late Duke of Edinburgh for Australia’s Channel Nine Network.
2022
The last physical picture of the late Queen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the conclusion of her Platiunum Jubilee celebrations. Commentated for Fox & Friends and BBC News.
2022
Commentated on the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II for Australia’s Channel Nine Network.
2023
Commentated on the Coronation of King Charles III for Australia’s Channel Nine Network.
2023
The Royal Report Podcast with Dickie & Vickie launches.
2023
2023 Wimbledon Village Stables annual fancy dress charity ride as a Crusader – I rode aid of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
2023 - Still Riding!
Still riding horses but now on London’s Wimbledon Common, c2023 - Aged 83.
2024
Wimbledon Village Stables annual fancy dress charity ride as Captain America – once again I rode in aid of The Royal Marden Cancer Charity.
2025
Wimbledon Village Stables annual fancy dress charity ride in the uniform of a British Army officer during the 1879 Zulu War – once again I rode in aid of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
2026
My New Book: 'On Duty with the Royals' is released in September 2026.
What's Next?
Links
Here are some interesting or important links.
- @KensingtonRoyal (X)
- theroyalfamily (Instagram)
- princeandprincessofwales (Instagram)
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