Doyle was born in Saint Saviour, Guernsey, and on his third birthday was presented at the court of Emperor Haile Selassie.

He lived variously in Tripoli, Ethiopia, Kuwait, Kenya, Morocco, Libya, Beirut, Barbados, Antigua, France, Greece, Ireland, and the United States.

Home for several years was a plantation house in the West Indies, then on Cape Ann, followed by a fortified bastide in Gascony.

He was invited to the "London Under Water" lecture from the Royal Geographical Society's "21st Century Challenges" series in June 2008.

[4] Doyle was expelled from Tripoli by military coup, lectured on fighter training to the Italian Air Force and survived several earthquakes, two hurricanes, and a tsunami.