James Bowker

Sir Reginald James Bowker GBE KCMG (2 July 1901 – 15 December 1983) was a British diplomat who was ambassador to Burma, Turkey and Austria.

The measure of his success may be gauged by the fact that at his last interview with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mr Zorlu, he received confirmation of the Turkish acceptance of cooperation with the latest British proposals on Cyprus, and that in spite of many vicissitudes the Baghdad pact remains still solid.

These two main issues, which are now so important for Anglo-Turkish relations, have demanded the British Ambassador's almost constant care and attention during the past five years and it is generally recognized in Turkish and foreign diplomatic circles here that Sir James Bowker's patience and diplomatic acumen, often taxed to the utmost, are largely responsible for the present understanding and cooperation between Britain and Turkey in the Middle East.

[6] Bowker was appointed CMG in 1945,[7] knighted KCMG in the 1952 New Year Honours,[8] and awarded the additional, senior knighthood of GBE when he retired in 1961.

She continued to live in London after Sir James' death, and in 1992 she met, and became a confidante of, Diana, Princess of Wales.