During the 1984 constitutional crisis, Beattie was nearly forced to dismiss the sitting prime minister, Robert Muldoon.

[1] In 1941, at age 17, Beattie joined the army during the Second World War, and rose to the rank of sergeant before transferring to the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve as a sub-lieutenant.

[4] One of the roles of governor-general is to act as the Prior of Order of St John in New Zealand, and Beattie was appointed as a Knight of the Order of St John of Jerusalem[5] just prior to assuming the office of Governor-General of New Zealand.

Beattie was ridiculed by supporters of the tour, and as a result, the prime minister refused to speak to the governor-general about his meeting with HART.

Muldoon declined to follow the instructions of the incoming prime minister, David Lange, as he was constitutionally required to do.

It has been stated that Beattie suggested to senior members of the National Party that he could dismiss Muldoon and appoint his deputy, Jim McLay, as prime minister before swearing in David Lange as prime minister (McLay was to replace Muldoon as leader later that year).

However, such action proved unnecessary as Muldoon's cabinet threatened to remove him as leader themselves if he did not accept Lange's instructions.

After leaving office as governor-general, Beattie continued his involvement in public life, carrying out a number of government enquiries, and serving on company boards and sporting organisations.