Edward Clay was born on 21 July 1945. In 1969 he married Anne Stroud, having three daughters.

Clay joined the Foreign Office in 1968 and his diplomatic career included the following posts: Nairobi, 1970; Second, later First, Secretary, Sofia [Bulgaria], 1973; Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1975; First Secretary: Budapest [Hungary], 1979; FCO, 1982; Counsellor: Nicosia, 1985; FCO, 1989; Ambassador (non-resident) to Rwanda, 1994–95, to Burundi, 1994–96; High Commissioner to Uganda, 1993–97; Director, Public Diplomacy and Public Services, FCO, 1997–99; High Commissioner to Cyprus, 1999–2001; High Commissioner, Kenya, 2001–05.