Crispin Tickell was born 25 August 1930, the son of the late Jerrard Tickell and Renée (née Haynes); he was educated at Westminster (King’s Scholar; Honorary Fellow, 1993) and Christ Church College, Oxford (Hinchliffe and Honorary Scholar), 1st Class Honours Modern History 1952. In 1954 he married 1st, Chloë (marriage dissolved 1976), daughter of the late Sir James Gunn, RA, PRP; two sons one daughter; 2nd, 1977, Penelope, daughter of the late Dr Vernon Thorne Thorne.

After serving with the Coldstream Guards, 1952-54, Tickell entered the Diplomatic Service in 1954. He served at: Foreign Office, 1954-55; The Hague [Netherlands], 1955-58; Mexico, 1958-61; Foreign Office (Planning Staff), 1961-64; Paris [France], 1964-70; Private Secretary to successive Ministers responsible for British entry into the European Community, 1970-72; Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1972-75; Fellow, Center for International Affairs, Harvard University [United States], 1975-76; Chef de Cabinet to President of Commission of European Community, 1977-81; Visiting Fellow, All Souls College, Oxford, 1981; Ambassador to Mexico, 1981-83; Deputy Under-Secretary of State, FCO, 1983-84; Permanent Secretary, ODA, 1984-87; British Permanent Representative to UN, 1987-90. Tickell died on 25 January 2022.

He was awarded the GCMG in 1989; KCVO 1983 (MVO 1958).