Allan Ramsay was born 19 October 1937, the son of Norman Ramsay Ramsay and Evelyn Faith Sorel-Cameron. He was educated first in India at Karachi Grammar School, then at Cathedral School, Salisbury and Bedford School. He then went to Sandhurst before studying Arabic at the University of Durham. In 1966 he married Pauline Therèse Lescher, having two sons and one daughter.

Ramsay served in the Army, 1957–70: Somerset Light Infantry, 1957–64; Trucial Oman Scouts, 1964–66; Durham Light Infantry, 1966–68. MECAS, 1968–69. He then switched to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1970 and his diplomatic career included: First Secretary (Commercial), Cairo [Egypt], 1973–76; First Secretary and Head of Chancery, Kabul [Afghanistan], 1976–78; Maritime, Aviation and Environment Department, FCO [1978-80]; Counsellor and Head of Chancery, Baghdad [Iraq], 1980–83, and Mexico City, 1983–85; West Indian and Atlantic Department, FCO, 1985-88; Ambassador to Lebanon, 1988–90; Ambassador to Sudan, 1990–91; Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, 1992–96. Ramsay died on 5 January 2022.