LONDON – William Hague has been elected new Chancellor of Oxford University and the British political veteran’s made global headlines.
Hague, 63, got named as 160th Chancellor of the one of top Universities after a close election with Elish Angiolini. At least 25,000 alumni and staff members of Oxford took part, and Hague got 12,609 votes, while Angiolini received 11,006.
Hague, a graduate of Oxford’s Magdalen College, has had a long-standing close ties with the Britain’s leading university. He served as president of the Oxford Union and has been an active figure in its fundraising efforts.
In his candidate statement, he expressed his deep affection for the institution, saying that his new role was “the greatest honor of my life.” As his new role is primarily ceremonial, it carries major responsibilities.
Hague will begin his 10-year term early next year and will work to ensure that Oxford remains competitive with its American counterparts while preserving its centuries-old traditions.
William Hague
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | William Hague |
| Title | Baron Hague of Richmond (created 9 October 2015) |
| Born | 26 March 1961 |
| Political Career | Former Foreign Secretary, Leader of the Conservative Party |
| Endorsements | Endorsed Biden for US President in August 2020 |
| Wildlife Protection | Co-founded the Transport Task Force (TTF) in 2014 to combat the illegal wildlife trade, later expanded with a Financial Task Force in 2018 |
| Royal Foundation | Appointed Chairman in September 2020, succeeding Sir Keith Mills |
| Charity Involvement | Vice-President of the Friends of the British Library, President of the Britain–Australia Society |
| Publications | Author of political biographies, including William Pitt the Younger (2005) and William Wilberforce (2008); regular columnist for The Times |
| Family | Married Ffion Jenkins in December 1997, now The Lady Hague of Richmond |
| Interests | Judo, music, natural history, and the countryside of Yorkshire |
| Residence | Cyfronydd Hall, Powys, Wales (purchased in 2015) |
| Honors and Awards | – Spectator’s “Parliamentarian of the Year” (1998) |
| – History Book of the Year for William Pitt the Younger (2005) | |
| – Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (Japan, 2017) | |
| – Life Peerage and arms granted in 2015 | |
| – Freeman of the City of London (2015) | |
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