Christopher Mallaby was born 7 July 1936, the son of the late Brigadier A. W. S. Mallaby, CIE, OBE, and Margaret Catherine Mallaby (née Jones); he was educated at Eton and King’s College, Cambridge. In 1961 he married Pascale Françoise Thierry-Mieg.

Mallaby's diplomatic career included: British Delegation to United Nations General Assembly, 1960; 3rd Secretary, British Embassy, Moscow [Soviet Union], 1961-63; 2nd Secretary, Foreign Office, 1963-66; 1st Secretary, Berlin [Germany], 1966-69; 1st Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1969-71; Harvard Business School, 1971; Deputy Director, British Trade Development Office, New York [United States] 1971-74; Counsellor and Head of Chancery, Moscow, 1975-77; Head of Arms Control and Disarmament Department, FCO, 1977-79, Head of East European and Soviet Department, 1979-80, Head of Planning Staff, 1980-82, FCO; Minister, Bonn, 1982-85; Deputy Secretary, Cabinet Office, 1985-88; Ambassador to Germany, 1988-92; Ambassador to France, 1993-96.

He was awarded the GCMG in 1996 (KCMG 1988, CMG 1982) and GCVO in 1992. Sir Christopher died on 28 February 2022.