A former army officer and Principal Private Secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry has been sworn in as the new High Sheriff of Suffolk.

Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton took his declaration of office at a ceremony at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday ( March 31) in front of local dignitaries, including the Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare, Countess of Euston.

Mr Lowther-Pinkerton served as in the army from 1979 to 1998 as an officer with the Irish Guards and the Special Air Service ( SAS).

He served in the first Gulf War and in the Balkans and in addition to serving as Principal Private Secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry he was Equerry to the Queen Mother.

He is now on the advisory council of the HALO Trust (the world’s largest mine clearance charity), a trustee of Waterloo Uncovered, a trustee of the Varkey Foundation and the Royal Foundation, president of the Royal British Legion in Suffolk and a Deputy Lieutenant of Suffolk.

During the ceremony Ipswich Crown Court resident judge, Martyn Levett paid tribute to the outgoing High Sheriff of Suffolk Edward Creasy.

He said that during the past year they had undertaken a 22 mile walk from Bury St Edmunds Cathedral to St Peter and St Paul’s Church in Clare.

They had also went on a late night pastoral walk in Ipswich to see at first hand the work of the Town Pastors.

Judge Levett spoke of the challenges currently facing the administration of justice in Suffolk as a result of the backlog of cases due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He also addressed issues caused by social media.

“The Internet, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and other social media platforms might cause us to think that we are the most connected generation.

“We might be the most socially connected generation in history, having hundreds of friends on social media but that does not necessarily help when there is no hope or for those who receive toxic online comments and those under pressure to get the highest quantity of likes, yet ignoring the quality of their relationships with others.,” said the judge.