Major Sir Philip Hunloke GCVO

Major Sir Philip Hunloke GCVO
Title:Major Sir
First name:Philip
Surname:Hunloke
Post-nominals:GCVO
Year elected:1890
Last year on list:1946
Elected as:Philip Perceval Junior, Esq
MembershipMember
Commodore1943-1947
Elected as Mr Philip Perceval, he became successively Captain Philip Hunloke, Major Philp Hunloke CVO, Major Sir Philip Hunloke KCVO (1928) and finally Major Sir Philip Hunloke GCVO. He was for many years the sailing master on Britannia for King George V.

Major Sir Philip Hunloke GCVO (born Philip Perceval, 26 November 1868 – 1 April 1947) was a British sailor and courtier.

He was the son of Captain Philip Perceval of the Royal Horse Guards, but changed his name in 1905. He was a crew member of the British boat Sorais, which won the bronze medal in the 8-metre class in the 1908 Summer Olympics.

He served as a Groom in Waiting to King George V from 1911 to 1936, to Edward VIII in 1936, and an extra groom-in-waiting to George VI from 1937 to 1947.

He also served in the Boer War and First World War, reaching the rank of Major.

 He was Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron from 1943 until his death and was a Younger Brother at Trinity House.

He was the father of the Conservative MP Henry Hunloke. His maternal grandmother was Sophia Sidney, Baroness De L'Isle and Dudley, daughter of King William IV.

Sir Philip died on 1 April 1947 after 57 years as a Member of the Squadron.  All at the Spring meeting stood in silence as a mark of respect for this famous yachtsman, great friend and faithful companion.  One of the last remaining links to the Victorian era, Hunloke was King George V's sailing master on Britannia, a pioneer, and largely the inventor, of racing in one-design classes, and a yachtsman whose 'composure and sureness of judgement in a race were magnificent'.  He was also a wise Chairman of the Yacht Racing Association and a great Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron, supreme in his science, and admirable in his simplicity, modesty and friendliness' (the words are those of John Black Atkins, in a review of The King's Sailing Master by Douglas Dixon).

Sir Ralph Gore was unanimously elected to take his place and the 1st Viscount Camrose was chosen as Vice Commodore.

His portrait is displayed in the Members Dining Room.

Yachts Owned

NameRig ClassfromtoMMSI
May Yawl 1891 1891  
Rosamond Cutter 1908 1910  
Mavourneen Auxiliary Cutter 1922 1923  
Asphodel Sloop 1925 1926  
Philippine Bermudan Sloop, then a Cutter 1926 1937  
St Michel Auxiliary Boier 1930 1932  
Vera Mary Auxiliary Schooner 1936 1939  
Wind Star Auxiliary Bermudan Cutter, then Sloop 1939 1946  

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